Research -- StepUp to Learn

Less than Ideal Start in Life: What Next?

Less than Ideal Start in Life: What Next?

The early talk and communication that children experience when very young, though essential in preparing them for school, has no direct impact on their reading and writing skills by age 11.

Humans are Born with Brains 'Prewired' to See Words

Humans are Born with Brains 'Prewired' to See Words

Humans are born with a part of the brain that is prewired to be receptive to seeing words and letters, setting the stage at birth for people to learn how to read, a new study suggests.

Heavy TV and Computer Use Impacts Children’s Academic Results

Heavy TV and Computer Use Impacts Children’s Academic Results

A new study reveals an association between heavy television use and poorer reading performance, as well as, between heavy computer use and poorer numeracy.

Busy Pictures Hinder Reading Ability in Children

Busy Pictures Hinder Reading Ability in Children

New study shows extraneous images draw attention from text, reducing comprehension in beginning readers.

Early Reading in Spanish Helps Children Learn to Read English

Early Reading in Spanish Helps Children Learn to Read English

Children who had strong early reading skills in their native Spanish language when they entered kindergarten experienced greater growth in their ability to read English from kindergarten through fourth grade.

Visual-Spatial Learning Disorder Is More Common Than Thought

Visual-Spatial Learning Disorder Is More Common Than Thought

Nonverbal learning disability (NVLD), a poorly understood and often-overlooked disorder that causes problems with visual-spatial processing, may affect nearly 3 million children in the United States, making it one of the most common learning disorders.

More than Half of U.S. Students Experience Summer Learning Losses Five Years in a Row

More than Half of U.S. Students Experience Summer Learning Losses Five Years in a Row

These students on average lose nearly 40 percent of their school year gains.

Vision May Be the Real Cause of Children's Problems

Vision May Be the Real Cause of Children's Problems

Are you a little clumsy sometimes? Do you or your child struggle to read, write or do math? Maybe vision is the real root of the problem.

Achievement Gaps May Explain Racial Overrepresentation in Special Education

Achievement Gaps May Explain Racial Overrepresentation in Special Education

School districts may be flagged as over-identifying students of color as having disabilities when other factors, such as achievement gaps, may explain these disparities.

Researchers Gather Most Promising Interventions Addressing 'Word Gap'

Researchers Gather Most Promising Interventions Addressing 'Word Gap'

Researchers bring together 18 language-intervention research and empirical studies that address the word gap, the inequities in early experience with language that can place some children at a disadvantage. 

Do Girls Read Better Than Boys? If So, Gender Stereotypes May Be to Blame

Do Girls Read Better Than Boys? If So, Gender Stereotypes May Be to Blame

Researchers examined the relation between classmates’ gender stereotypes and individual students’ reading outcomes to shed light on how these stereotypes contribute to the gender gap in reading. 

High-Quality Teacher–Child Interactions Predict Children's Learning Outcomes

High-Quality Teacher–Child Interactions Predict Children's Learning Outcomes

Most early childhood instructional alignment initiatives focus on the use of curricula, instructional practices, learning standards and assessments. But is it enough?