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Mark Seidenberg's blog/site: 'Reading Matters - Connecting Science and Education'

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 1:44 pm
by Debbie_Hepplewhite
Mark Seidenberg's blog is very welcome. It focuses on research and events in the United States but makes an invaluable contribution internationally:
Reading Matters

Connecting Science and Education
https://seidenbergreading.net
A site about “how people read, why so many people can’t, and what can be done about it.” Which is the subtitle of my book “Language at the Speed of Sight”.

My name is Mark Seidenberg. I’m a scientist who has studied reading since the disco era. I’m deeply concerned about literacy levels in the US, which are far too low, especially for people who face other conditions such as poverty and discrimination. Low literacy has obvious effects on individuals, affecting education, income, health and well-being, the ability to help educate one’s children–really, what doesn’t it affect? Literacy levels in the US also raise questions about our collective ability to run a democracy and distinguish truth from fiction.

Science doesn’t have the answer to everything, but we could surely do a better job with more children if more of what we have learned were effectively incorporated in educational practices. The obstacles are enormous; I discussed some of them in the book, and will pursue them further on this site. I firmly believe the strongest hope for change is parents and the grass-roots organizations they create. There are a lot of parents who know their children are not being adequately educated. Parents are voters. They’re angry, and they’re organizing.

Re: Mark Seidenberg's blog/site: 'Reading Matters - Connecting Science and Education'

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 1:52 pm
by Debbie_Hepplewhite
I'm cross-referencing this thread with one I started some time ago of reviews of Mark Seidenberg's very popular book - originally recommended by Bob Sweet and Sir Jim Rose. There is also some video footage of Mark Seidenberg:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=764&p=2771#p2771

Re: Mark Seidenberg's blog/site: 'Reading Matters - Connecting Science and Education'

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:23 am
by Geoff Vaughan
This has been such a revelation for me to read both Mark's blog and videos that he has posted on his blog. I deeply agree with Mark's stated belief that there are angry parents out there who are voters, tax payers and they are realising that they need to mobilise to advocate for change. And this change has to be swift because it is their children who are suffering. IFERI has to be the forum for where we can mobilise and coordinate our voices in order to help THOSE parents. The time for action is now. We know the science. We do not do enough at all to move towards our advocacy for parents and even less for those parents who are really difficult to reach. However, we must!