Education Sep 18 St. Louis NAACP files civil rights complaint over low literacy rates among Black students By Gabrielle Hays
Nation Oct 10 Watch 5:34 Low literacy voters struggle to cast ballots in the face of restrictive voting laws As Americans begin to cast ballots in the midterms, voters who struggle to read will confront an election system that relies on literacy. Experts estimate that roughly one in five Americans, including those with disabilities and those who have not… By Laura Barrón-López, Ian Couzens
Education Aug 22 Watch 3:02 Rapper Noname’s Brief But Spectacular take on community learning and solidarity Noname is a rapper and founder of the Noname Book Club, which encourages readers to support local bookstores and books by authors of color. The club now has 14 chapters across the United States. Here's her Brief But Spectacular take… By Melissa Williams, Elizabeth Burton
Health Jan 07 Inventor Louis Braille touched lives with literacy Braille first encountered an early predecessor to his tactile writing system in 1821, while he was still an adolescent. By Dr. Howard Markel
Arts Nov 27 Watch 6:53 How independent bookstores are weathering tough economic times These are perilous times for independent bookstores. More than one independent bookstore has closed each week since the pandemic began, and 20 percent across the country are in danger of closing, according to a recent study by the American Booksellers… By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport
Jun 11 Watch 8:06 Why 36 million American adults can’t read enough to work — and how to help them By Kavitha Cardoza, Education Week In the U.S., 36 million adults lack the basic literacy skills needed to sustain employment -- yet education programs for this group serve only about 1.5 million, and funding continues to be cut at state and federal levels. Meanwhile, stigma… Continue watching
Apr 30 Watch 8:36 What parents of dyslexic children are teaching schools about literacy By Lisa Stark, Education Week Fewer than 40 percent of fourth and eighth grade students nationwide are proficient readers. Now, led by parents of children with dyslexia, a learning disability that makes reading and spelling difficult, some states are trying to change how reading is… Continue watching
Apr 02 Watch 7:26 When a laundromat becomes a library By Lisa Stark, Education Week The first five years of a child’s life are critical for language exposure, but studies suggest children in lower-income families often don’t experience the rich literary environment wealthier kids do. A New York City initiative trying to close that gap… Continue watching
Mar 01 How a Jordanian scientist spreads the love of reading around the world By Maea Lenei Buhre To help kids in her neighborhood fall in love with reading, Rana Dajani sought to replicate her own experience. A decade later, her nonprofit has expanded to more than 40 countries globally. Continue reading
Mar 27 The best weapon against ‘summer slide’ is parents reading, nonprofit says By Larisa Epatko Parents and teachers are committed to the same goal of helping a child become a successful reader, but the classroom isn’t structured in a way where a child gets consistent individual attention. That’s where a parent can step in. Continue reading