In this excerpt from the book Time to Learn: How a New School Schedule Is Making Smarter Kids, Happier Parents & Safer Neighborhoods, the authors discuss how a longer school day can support achievement in reading and math while providing a richer, broader curriculum. The book discusses extended day success stories in public schools throughout the country, the impact on teachers and families, and benefits for English language learners and children with learning disabilities.
Time To Read is AOL Time Warner’s nationwide volunteer literacy program. Started in 1985 to address the crisis of low levels of literacy among American children and adults, the program now operates at more than 400 locations across the country, involving more than 29,000 tutors and learners. Program locations range from schools and adult-education centers to prisons, libraries, churches, community centers, clinics and homeless shelters.
Timed repeated readings are an instructional practice for monitoring students’ fluency development. Repeated readings, under timed conditions, of familiar instructional level text can increase students’ reading speed which can improve comprehension.
Timothy Basil Ering may be best known as the illustrator of Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery-winning book The Tale of Despereaux, but he has also authored several popular children’s books including The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone and Necks Out for Adventure — where he reveals his love of wordplay (hornly scratchers and scrintalberry leaves, anyone?) and fresh, expressive illustration style.
