Tag Archives: Reading

Our brains evolved in a world without reading. Semnic/Shutterstock Derek Hodgson, University of York The part of the brain that processes visual information, the visual cortex, evolved over the course of millions of years in a world where reading and writing didn’t exist. So it’s long been a mystery how these skills could appear some 5,000 years ago, with our …

Lukasz Pajor/Shuttertsock Heather Green, Nottingham Trent University The Derbyshire countryside, in England’s East Midlands, is a region that has inspired writers – both classic and contemporary. The juxtaposition of rolling hills, stark moorland and craggy summits play backdrop to numerous novels in a variety of genres. The area is easily reached from a number of large cities – but parts …

Pexels Ti-han Chang, University of Central Lancashire and Henry Dicks, IAE Lyon School of Management – Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 We are constantly being bombarded with dire warnings about the environmental and climate emergency. Act now, we are told, or face an unprecedented global catastrophe. But while the solutions proposed – solar panels, heat pumps, eating less meat – …

IgorZh/Shutterstock Hetta Howes, City, University of London With its sun-drenched olive groves, sparkling waters and vivid bursts of colour, the Italian Riviera has cast its spell on tourists, painters and authors since the 19th century. Lying in the northwestern corner of Italy, the Riviera stretches along the Ligurian sea and has inspired the likes of the painter Monet and the …

Learning to read. aijiro/Shutterstock Karen Boardman, Edge Hill University Learning to read does not begin when a child puzzles over the words in a book for the first time. In the early weeks of their lives and even before birth, babies are skilfully processing important information about the sounds they hear. They are attuning to tones, patterns of language and …

Possum Magic again, are you for real kid?! from www.shutterstock.com Jane Herbert, University of Wollongong and Elisabeth Duursma, University of Wollongong We often hear about the benefits of reading storybooks at bedtime for promoting vocabulary, early literacy skills, and a good relationship with your child. But the experts haven’t been in your home, and your child requests the same book …

Maya Afzaal/Shutterstock Isang Awah, University of Oxford A love for reading can be hugely valuable for children. The benefits of leisure reading include increased general knowledge, a positive impact on academic achievement, enhanced reading ability and vocabulary growth. Indeed, research suggests that time spent reading for pleasure could be a key indicator for the future success of a child – …

We all read much more than we give ourselves credit for. GoodStudio/Shuttertsock Alexandra Paddock, University of Oxford and Kirsten Shepherd-Barr, University of Oxford Like many people, you may have resolved this New Year to read more in 2021 and spend less time on your screens. And now you may be wondering how to find the time to do it, especially …

People have sought more security and safety in their reading. Andrii Kobryn/Shutterstock Abigail Boucher, Aston University; Chloe Harrison, Aston University, and Marcello Giovanelli, Aston University During times of crisis, people find themselves faced with lifestyle changes. One of the earliest and most noticeable changes seen during the COVID-19 lockdown was how we consume media — and especially how we read. …