Outdoor Hour Challenge Week 2 – September 10, 2021 Nature Study Lab in Your Own Backyard The habit of nature study is best when you can regularly be outside with your children. For our family, this habit was built out in our backyard, mostly because it was convenient but also for the simple reason that I felt it was important for my children to learn about real things, plants, and animals they could observe up close. A Little Inspiration I once read an article written by a mom who had little by little converted her suburban backyard into a wild place for her children. She brought in some rocks for lizards and insects to take shelter in. She sourced a...
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 Does More Money Buy Better Education--Minneapolis edition(2) Luqman Michel Jerry Von Korff, do you know what you mean by students with dyslexia? Would you like to discuss this matter openly right here? Note: This post is to ensure that my comments will not be deleted like it has been on many of the FB comments I have made. Bethany Lee, a dyslexia advocate, is the latest to delete all my comments and her responses from FB. Jerry Von Korff Subd. 2. Dyslexia. “Dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent recognition of words and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties...
In 2020, we launched our Duolingo Research Grant program to support master's and doctoral student research about language learning and teaching with technology. The program supports scholars whose work is foundational for the next generation of language educators here at Duolingo and around the world. Their findings improve language learning for all of us! Today we're announcing our 2021 research grants, and we were so impressed with the caliber of applicants that we decided to award six doctoral grants this year instead of five. Congratulations to this year's recipients! Yingzhao Chen, PhD research Second Language Studies, Michigan State University Comparing L1 and L2 Glosses in Vocabulary Learning from Digital Reading Yingzhao’s study explores how providing word definitions in learners’ first...
Guest post written by Amy Tobener-Talley. September 8th is International Literacy Day, a great time to think about promoting a class culture that values reading. However, encouraging students to read in and out of class is challenging as small screens command much of their time and attention. It is becoming increasingly difficult to pry students away from Snapchat, Netflix, Spotify, Instagram, and video games to read anything longer than a snippet. Based on the reading data I’ve collected from my students, the percentage of students reading well below grade level is rising. Just four years ago, approximately 10% of my students were reading below grade level. Today, an alarming 30% are below grade level, with 25% scoring well below grade...
Arabic is an enchanting and intricate language spoken by almost half a billion people worldwide. Aspiring language learners will benefit from this invaluable skill in a myriad of ways. In addition to opening opportunities in some of the wealthiest economies in the world, the ability to speak Arabic can foster a greater knowledge of Islam and the rich history of some of the longest-standing civilizations. Learning the Arabic language as an Anglophone not only encourages intercultural understanding but allows you to experience the full hospitality of native Arabic speakers in your travels. Learn Arabic Apps One of the most convenient ways to learn Arabic is through language learning apps. Practicing just a few minutes a day on an app can...
