The power of touch is vital for both reading and writing

By Naomi S. Baron, Professor Emerita of Linguistics, American University

“Pat the Bunny,” the 1940 classic touch-and-feel book, is still in print – a testament to the value of touch in introducing infants and toddlers to the world of reading. Later, when children reach school age, a common technique for teaching the alphabet is using hands-on manipulation, such as forming letters out of clay.

But as these students get older, the role of touch diminishes – to the students’ detriment. Today’s reading assignments are…

Read complete article

~	Seychelles: floating baby corals can help save damaged reefs – new study

~	Snakebites can destroy skin, muscle, and even bone – exciting progress on drugs to treat them

~	Small businesses can help South Africa fight unemployment if they get proper support – study

~	The Details: could a ‘quiet COVID book’ win the 2024 International Booker prize?

~	LGBTQ+ teachers don’t receive the training and support they need

~	Five ways to keep towns cool in a heatwave

~	Britain’s railways were never properly privatised – here’s how they could return to greater public control

~	Smoking fentanyl can cause irreversible brain damage, report shows

~	How Neanderthal language differed from modern human – they probably didn’t use metaphors

~	US election: why Latino and Hispanic voters are shifting to Trump after a long history of supporting the Democrats