Literary Insights

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Here is a summary of the relevant excerpt:

The dedication is to the author’s mother, Mary Elizabeth Beckman Wolf, who passed away on December 5, 2014.
The epigraph quotes discuss the potential for modifying the brain through technology to change who we are and what we think. They also view reading as an act of contemplation and resistance that connects us to time.
The author recounts how reading transformed her life. As a young teacher in Hawaii, she realized the importance of literacy for her students’ potential. This changed the direction of her life and led her to study the science of reading and the reading brain.
The author did not deeply think about reading until she witnessed firsthand how it could impact her students’ lives and futures. She set out to understand how humans acquire written language and how it facilitates intellectual development.

In summary, the excerpt shows how reading shaped the author’s life path and career as a cognitive neuroscientist. The dedication and epigraph highlight the transformative power of reading and the technological changes that could affect it.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The author discusses reading difficulties and dyslexia. However, the main focus of the book is on the impact of digital media on the reading brain.

When the author first started writing the book over a decade ago, the intention was to describe how literacy develops and conceptualize dyslexia. However, as they wrote the book, the author realized that reading itself was changing as digital media became more prominent.

The author wonders how digital media will impact the formation and development of the reading brain in children. They question whether children will develop the deep reading processes nurtured by print media or become “short circuited” due to digital influences.

The author believes it is important to examine the impact of different media on the reading brain, cognitively, physiologically and emotionally. This will help ensure critical capacities are preserved in the young and in ourselves.

The author chose to write the book in the form of letters. They feel letters invite pause and connection, allowing for dialogue and new thoughts in the reader. The author received many letters from readers after writing their previous book, showing them the key issues that have now become a reality. Reflecting on these concerns led the author to write the current book.

In summary, the book explores the influence of digital media on the formation and structure of the reading brain, particularly in children, and the implications this may have for critical thinking skills and knowledge building.

Here is a summary of the major themes the letter writer wrestled with:

The plasticity of the brain. The author discusses how the brain’s ability to form new connections and rewire existing circuits allows it to develop the complex skill of reading, despite it not being innate. This plasticity also underlies the complexity of thought reading enables.
Building the reading brain circuit. The author details how the brain forms a new circuit for reading by connecting and repurposing existing structures, like those for vision and language.
Implications of a plastic reading brain. The author notes that how and what we read shapes the brain’s circuitry and influences what is written, with implications for society.
Threats to deep reading. The author argues that the glut of information and easily digestible content can lead people to forgo critical analysis and complex reading.
Promoting good reading. Many of the later letters focus on how to nurture good reading in children that develops their intellectual, social-emotional and ethical formation.
Building a “biliterate” reading brain. The author proposes a developmental plan to build a brain that can read deeply and well in both print and digital media.
The three lives of good readers. The author argues that good readers embody Aristotle’s “three lives”: knowledge, entertainment/leisure, and contemplation, with the latter most threatened today.

Hope this summary helps clarify the major themes the letter writer discusses! Let me know if you have any other questions.

The brain recycles and repurposes neural networks when learning new skills related to skills it already has. This allows it to learn activities that are not genetically programmed, like reading.
Unlike language, reading is not hardwired in the brain. There is no single ideal reading circuit - it varies based on the writing system and environment.
The plasticity of the brain allows it to form sophisticated or less sophisticated reading circuits depending on factors like what is read, the medium, and teaching methods.
Neuroplasticity underlies how the reading circuit forms by connecting existing neural networks. The circuit is malleable and influenced by the environment.
Specialist groups of neurons become automatic at performing specific reading functions. This automaticity allows for speed when connecting different areas of the brain during reading.
Reading involves multiple regions and layers of the brain, not just a small portion.
The reading circuit incorporates vision, language, cognition, motor, and affect functions that work together simultaneously when reading a single word.

In short, the ability to learn to read comes from the brain’s plasticity and ability to form new neural connections, though there is no innate reading circuit. The reading circuit involves many areas of the brain working together automatically.

Here is a summary of the key points in the provided text:

Reading involves multiple rings or networks of neurons in the brain that work together. The text uses the metaphor of a circus tent to represent these networks.
Attention is critical for reading. Various types of attention systems work together to help with reading - orienting attention, executive attention.
The ring of Vision involves neurons in the occipital lobes that analyze the visual features of letters and words. Various neuron groups detect lines, circles, diagonals, letters, and word parts.
Retinotopic organization and neuronal representations help the visual system process letters and words efficiently. Neurons corresponding to specific letters and features fire when we see or imagine those letters.
The ring of Language involves neurons that connect visual information with sound-based (phonemic) and meaning-based information about words. These neurons span the occipital and temporal lobes.

In summary, the text describes how multiple brain networks work together, with the help of attention and various organizational principles, to allow us to read words by analyzing their visual features, sounds, and meanings.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The text uses the metaphor of a circus performance to describe the complex processes that occur in the brain when a reader comprehends a single word. The reading brain is visualized as a series of interconnected rings, representing different functions:

Ring of Vision: Receives the visual inputs that allow the word to be perceived.
Ring of Language: Contains the sounds and phonological representations of the word.
Ring of Cognition: Stores memories, meanings, and associations related to the word.
Ring of Motor: Prepares relevant motor movements to articulate or act out the word.
Ring of Affect: Contains emotions and feelings evoked by the word.

When a reader encounters the word “tracks,” a multitude of neural processes activate in parallel across these interconnected rings. Various possibilities for the meaning of the word emerge based on context, memory, and experience. While the precise neurological sequence is still not fully understood, it is clear that a huge number of neurons are involved even for processing a single word.

The author argues that this complex neural activity that underlies reading reveals its richness and depth as an intellectual activity. However, reading “in its original essence” may be endangered unless readers appreciate and nurture the full wonders of reading as a creative act of connection and wisdom.

In summary, the text uses the metaphor of a circus performance to vividly illustrate the neural complexity that underlies even comprehending a single word - highlighting the multilayered depths of the reading process.

Here is a summary of the provided text in a single word:

Evocative

The text describes how deep reading involves several processes, including the ability to form vivid imagery and create mental pictures when reading. Evocative text that connects with the reader’s senses and emotions helps activate these processes. Surface-level reading focuses more on task completion, while deep reading allows readers to feel the author’s intended meaning fully and form rich mental imagery inspired by the writing.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you would like me to expand or modify the summary.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The author discusses how even a short, minimalist piece of writing like Ernest Hemingway’s famous “six word story” - “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” - can evoke powerful imagery and emotions in the reader. With few words, Hemingway is able to instantly conjure up a vivid mental picture and inference of a tragic loss of an infant.

The author argues that this ability of writing to create vivid images and perspective-taking in the reader is one of the most profound contributions of deep reading. Through stories, readers can temporarily take on the perspectives and feelings of fictional characters, which can help expand empathy, understanding and knowledge of the human condition. The author refers to this as “passing over” into the perspective of others through reading.

An example is given of a teenage girl with cystic fibrosis who, through playing Shakespearean characters, gained emotional depth and perspective that seemingly empowered her to extend her life far beyond expectations. This illustrates how taking on the perspectives of fictional characters through stories can expand and change readers intellectually and emotionally.

In sum, the author claims that through deep reading and the imagery, perspective-taking and empathy it fosters, readers can temporarily leave themselves to join the “company of others” portrayed in stories, which can provide solace and help readers feel less alone. But the author expresses concern that this kind of immersive reading is threatened in modern times.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The passage discusses the importance of reading and developing empathy through literature. It argues that gaining an understanding of the perspectives of those who are different from us is critical to counteracting ignorance, intolerance and misunderstanding.

Marilynne Robinson and Barack Obama believe literature and novels in particular can teach empathy by allowing readers to enter the thoughts of others. Stories can force readers to examine their prior judgments and assumptions.

The passage provides examples of how stories and nonfiction can provide perspective-taking experiences that challenge readers’ views. James Carroll’s experience reading Anne Frank’s diary gave him insight into the perspective of Jewish people.

Developing empathy through reading can help people find compassionate ways to deal with those who are different, like refugees fleeing to Western countries.

However, studies show that empathy is declining among young people, possibly due to the online world. Reading at a deep level could provide an “antidote” by allowing readers to gain a more in-depth understanding of others.

Neuroscience research shows that empathy involves complex cognitive, social and emotional processes in the brain. Even the motor cortex can be activated when reading fiction closely, as readers mentally and physically simulate what characters are feeling and doing.

In summary, the passage focuses on the value of reading in developing empathy and understanding perspectives outside of one’s own. It claims this is needed now more than ever to combat ignorance, intolerance and conflict.

Neuroscientists have shown that when we read metaphors about touch and movement, areas of the brain responsible for touch and movement are activated. This shows how reading can activate parts of the brain related to empathy and perspective taking.
Research has demonstrated a strong relationship between reading fiction and cognitive processes underlying empathy and theory of mind. Reading fiction allows us to simulate and try on the consciousness of others.
Empathy involves both knowledge and feeling, leaving past assumptions behind to gain a deeper understanding of others. This capacity for knowledge of others may be an antidote to “indifference.”
Background knowledge is essential for comprehension and evaluating new information. What we read contributes to a “reservoir” of knowledge that allows us to infer meaning in texts.
Those with extensive background knowledge have more resources to bring to new texts, while those without risk falling prey to unadjudicated information. However, most information today comes from external sources that lack proof.
We need to make sure technology does not threaten the type of intellect that produced it. Guarding the “reader’s attributes” is important, beginning with background knowledge.

That covers the major points made in the summary. Let me know if you would like me to expand on or modify any part of this summary.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The reader knows that deep reading involves analytical processes similar to scientific methods. These include making observations, forming hypotheses, making inferences and deductions, testing and evaluating, interpreting and concluding, and attempting to replicate conclusions.

Analogical reasoning and inference play important roles in deep reading. They provide bridges between what we observe and what we already know. This helps us form new concepts and hypotheses to guide our inferences and analysis.

Critical thinking synthesizes the text’s content with our background knowledge, analogies, deductions, inductions and inferences. It allows us to evaluate the author’s assumptions, interpretations and conclusions. Developing critical thinking takes time and effort and counters manipulation and superficial information. However, in a culture that rewards immediacy and efficiency, critical thinking is an embattled process.

In summary, deep reading involves using similar scientific and analytical methods that involve observation, hypothesis formation, inference, evaluation and interpretation. Analogical reasoning, inference and critical thinking are crucial parts of these processes but require time, effort and continuous practice to develop and maintain.

This is a thorough summary of the given text. The author articulates two threats to critical thinking:

Adhering rigidly to a framework or viewpoint that obfuscates divergent thought, even when evidence-based. This inhibits critical thinking.
The absence of a developed belief system in young people, who lack knowledge of past systems of thought. This stunts their ability to think critically.

The author then discusses an experience visiting an Orthodox Jewish school, where children argued interpretations of Torah text using past commentaries. This type of deep analysis can cultivate insightful, critical thought by integrating background knowledge with new understanding.

The key points are:

Rigid adherence to a viewpoint and intellectual rudderlessness both threaten critical thinking
Developing a robust belief system and knowledge of past thoughts helps cultivate critical thought
Integrating background knowledge with new understanding through analysis of text can lead to insight and new thought

Insight, the end result of deep reading processes, is described as a glimpse of “unknown knowledge” in the brain. Insights from reading can change how we perceive, feel and know. Though the neurological processes behind insight are complex, the final generative moments of reading allow the mind to reflect and form new thoughts.

Does this cover the main ideas in the summary? Let me know if you’d like me to expand on or modify any part of the summary.

Here is a summary of the key points in the provided text:

The author talks about the importance of a “quiet eye” - focused attention and concentration - for deep reading, knowledge, and wisdom.
However, today’s environment of constant information and digital stimulation threatens our ability to sustain focused attention and concentration.
The text discusses concepts like hyperattention, continuous partial attention, and environmentally induced attentional deficits that result from our digital lifestyles.
The author proposes a “digital chain” hypothesis - that changes in how much we read, how we read, what we read, and why we read are interlinked and exacerbated by digital technologies.
Regarding how much we read, the text argues that while people consume large amounts of information daily, it is often unfocused, sporadic and not conducive to deep reading and thinking.
The author worries that digital media is shifting reading from a “tool of empowerment” to mere “entertainment” for many, especially students. This threatens critical thinking and reflective reading.

In summary, the key theme is that digital technologies and lifestyles are eroding our ability to cultivate deep, concentrated reading - characterized as reading with a “quiet eye” - which the author sees as essential for knowledge, wisdom and critical thought. The “digital chain” hypothesis attempts to explain how changes in our reading habits are interconnected.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The text discusses concerns about how the way people read is changing, particularly with the rise of digital screens. Some of the issues mentioned are:

People tend to skim and scan texts more when reading digitally, which can result in missing details and sequencing information poorly. This can affect comprehension and the ability to reconstruct plots.
Studies have found that readers tend to perform worse on comprehension tests and plot recall when reading stories on screens compared to print. However, the results are mixed depending on the length and type of text.
The digital screen lacks the physical and spatial dimension of print, which can help readers sequence information and return to details. This “sense of pathway” is important for learning and understanding.
The tactile and sensory experience of print reading may add redundancy that helps with comprehension. Touch can activate more parts of the brain that support word meaning.
People develop habits based on how they read most frequently, so those who read screens often tend to skim and scan even when reading print. This could change how the brain processes reading over time.

In summary, the text discusses concerns that digital screen reading tends to encourage a more superficial and nonlinear style of skimming that can impact comprehension and recall, though the research results are still mixed. The lack of physicality of screens may also hinder readers’ ability to sequence information and fully activate word meanings.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The passage discusses how the way we read is changing due to digital media and its implications. It makes the following key points:

Our reading brain circuitry is shaped by the environment and how we use it. Changes in how we read digitally can alter memory and attention span. Working memory, which holds information for cognitive tasks, seems to have diminished in capacity.
Changes in what we read and how texts are written may result from changing reading behaviors. Word-spotting and skimming risks missing layers of meaning in writing. Careful editing and attentive reading help honor the writer’s craft.
The perception of beauty in texts also depends on deep engagement and thoughtful focus from readers. Skimming risks missing nuances and depths.
Calvino worried that digital media could “flatten” communication and blunt differences between things. He argued that complex language requires sustained efforts from both writers and attentive readers.
The passage expresses concern that digital reading habits risk atrophying language, thought, perception of beauty, and complex decision-making capabilities. It worries we are becoming accustomed to ever-simpler forms of communication.

In summary, the passage discusses how the rise of digital reading is altering readers’ cognition in ways that influence what texts are written, read, and appreciated. It expresses concerns that digital reading habits risk impairing language, thought, memory, and complex analysis.

Society faces risks from extremism and homogenization that threaten diversity. Diversity enhances human progress, quality of life, and survival.
Language provides a vehicle for new ideas that drive intellectual advances, but language homogenization risks limiting this.
The author discussed these concerns with an Italian publisher, who raised questions about the fate of allusive writing as shared knowledge declines.
The author worries technology may be narrowing language norms and reading, but hopes diversity of reading and writing modes can coexist.
Students are capable but struggle with older literature due to less “patience” and experience with complex syntax. A dense sentence from Middlemarch is used as an example.
The author conducted an informal analysis of sentence length and complexity in contemporary versus early 20th century novels, finding contemporary works had shorter, simpler sentences despite differences in style.

In summary, the key issue is the potential effects of reduced reading and simpler writing on intellectual development, thought, and future writing. The author advocates maintaining a base of internal knowledge through wide reading to prepare students for more cognitively demanding forms of language.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The passage discusses changes in modern prose writing, with sentences becoming shorter and simpler. This trend away from complex syntax does not necessarily mean writing quality has declined. However, there are concerns about the impact on thought and reading comprehension. Professors observe students having less patience for older, dense literature and writing fewer references beyond the first and last pages of sources. Students also write with less support and construction.

The key issue may be “cognitive patience” - the ability to engage in demanding critical thinking. This relates to developing intellectual skills and attributes needed for complex tasks after graduation. While new technologies have changed reading and writing styles, it is important to foster optimal modes of thinking in students. The author notes Socrates’ worry that writing would change thinking, but argues we must utilize the best of print and digital mediums in education.

The author calls for self-reflection on how our own reading and writing habits have been impacted. Changes may be subtle but compound over time, impacting pleasure gained from reading and capacity for complex analysis. Inattentive reading and avoidance of difficult texts could become ingrained, with consequences for thought and comprehension. However, the will to seriously examine these issues and adapt is what matters most.

In short, while prose writing may be simpler on average now, the real concern is how changes in reading habits and “cognitive patience” may be negatively impacting critical thinking skills and intellectual development - particularly in students. Self-reflection and adaptation of both print and digital reading and writing styles is needed to foster optimal modes of thought in the digital age.

Here is a summary of the key points in the text:

The author realized that her reading habits and style had changed significantly due to the increasing use of digital screens and online content. She had become a faster, more surface-level reader.
She conducted an experiment on herself by rereading Hermann Hesse’s novel The Glass Bead Game. Initially, she struggled to read and comprehend the dense prose at a slower pace.
After forcing herself to read the book in short, concentrated sessions over two weeks, the author was finally able to slow down and immerse herself in the novel like she used to.
This experiment showed the author that her reading circuit had adapted to cope with the demands of online reading, resulting in a more skimming, spasmodic style. But with effort, she could recover her lost ability for deep, absorptive reading.
The author’s takeaway is that the shift to digital reading can subtly change our reading behaviors and abilities over time, in ways we may not consciously realize. But with awareness and effort, it may be possible to maintain certain aspects of traditional deep reading.

In summary, the text discusses the “Digital Chain Hypothesis”: how digital screen reading can gradually but significantly change our reading style, abilities, and even desires over time. The author’s personal experiment illustrates this phenomenon and explores ways deep reading may still be possible amid digital influences.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The letter discusses the challenges and questions involved in raising children in a digital age. It focuses on how digital media may impact the development of children’s reading circuits and cognitive abilities.

The key points are:

Children have to build their own reading circuits as they develop. Digital media and its affordances can influence how those circuits form from an early age.
The more exposure children have to digital media, the more it will shape their cognitive characteristics. This poses challenges for developing deep reading abilities.
Attention, memory and background knowledge are cognitive abilities that develop early and can be impacted by digital media habits like multitasking and distraction.
The letter raises questions about how digital media exposure may alter children’s motivation to form deep reading capacities.
Solutions need to address the potential negative effects of digital media while harnessing its benefits for children and society.

In summary, the letter discusses some of the complex issues involved in parenting children who are growing up in a world dominated by digital technology and screens. It focuses on how that environment may impact their cognitive development, especially related to reading. The key takeaway is the need for nuanced, evidence-based solutions that maximize the benefits of digital tools while minimizing potential harms.

Here is a summary of the key points in the passage:

Young children spend a lot of time on digital devices, up to 4 hours a day for 3 to 5 year olds. This constant stimulation can affect their brain development.
The prefrontal cortex and executive functions that control attention and inhibition are still developing in young children. So they have trouble resisting distractions.
The constant stream of novel stimuli on digital devices can become addictive for children’s brains, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
This constant stimulation leads children to say “I’m bored” when asked to go offline. There is a productive kind of boredom that fosters creativity, but here it may prevent children from exploring the real world.
The addictive nature of digital devices is a clinical reality that can put children’s development at risk. Fiction like The Chalk Artist portrays how absorbed children can become in virtual worlds.
There are concerns that the increase in attention-related learning disorders may partly reflect kids becoming distracted by digital environments. Studies show children with attention deficits struggle with multitasking.

So in summary, the key issues are the effects of excessive and constant digital stimulation on young children’s developing brains, attention, inhibition, creativity and risk of addiction.

Previous studies show that digital natives can multitask and switch between tasks more readily than older adults. This skill will be increasingly important for future jobs.
However, there are concerns that constant digital stimulation is impacting children’s cognitive development, especially attention, memory, and comprehension.
Studies show that when children listen to enhanced e-books with distracting features, they have poorer comprehension and memory compared to plain text. This suggests digital media is impacting their working memory and attention.
Older students also have poorer recall and comprehension when reading digitally compared to print. This indicates changes in how digital readers use memory.
There is a lack of research directly linking digital reading, attention, memory and reading comprehension in children.
The author hypothesizes that children may have diminished working memory due to expecting too much information on screens. This could impact their ability to process details and sequences.
Attending to multiple stimuli on screens may impact how children actively process and remember narratives. Digital reading also lacks the “recursive dimension” of print.

In summary, while digital natives show skills in multitasking, there are concerns this comes at the cost of deeper cognitive functions like memory and comprehension, particularly in children. More research is needed to understand these relationships.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The author expresses concern that technology and the constant flow of information may be negatively impacting children’s cognition and deep reading abilities. Some of the key points are:

Working memory and the ability to process information sequentially may be diminishing in children due to their exposure to visual screens from an early age. This could impact their ability to create analogies and build background knowledge.
Children need time to process new information and connect it to what they already know in order to build background knowledge and make inferences. Information overload and lack of processing time may hinder this.
Relying too heavily on external sources of knowledge at a young age could cause children to exert less effort learning things themselves, depleting their store of internalized knowledge.
Changes in cognition and knowledge could impact deeper reading processes like empathy, critical thinking, and creative thought in the next generation.
Technological abilities must be balanced with developing children’s internalized knowledge and intelligence from a young age.
The constant stream of information may be “altering cognition” and impacting deeper thinking abilities, according to concerns from experts like Eric Schmidt.

The author worries that an “altered cognition” could diminish children’s deep reading capabilities unless the issue of “disconnecting” children from excessive technology use is addressed.

Does this summary cover the key points accurately? Let me know if you would like me to expand or modify the summary.

Here is a summary of the key points in the provided text:

Reading to infants from a very young age is important for brain development and establishing a love of reading. The physical touch and emotional connection lay the foundation for attention, memory, language, and cognition.
Even two-month-old infants show activation of language regions in their brains when exposed to spoken language from their mothers, though more slowly at first due to lack of myelination.
Being read to by parents provides associations with reading, time together, and learning about words, sentences, and concepts. It develops shared attention between parent and child.
Research shows extensive activation of language networks in young children when read to by their mothers, impacting language production, comprehension, and social interaction.
The text advocates a balanced approach utilizing both print books and screen media to optimally develop children’s reading, cognition, and language skills from infancy through age 10.
Longitudinal research is needed to understand the effects of different media on children’s attention, memory, language, and literacy development at various ages.
The key is to help children build habits of critical inquiry that support learning from any text or image, on paper or screen.

In summary, the text stresses the importance of early reading exposure through interactions with caring adults, while also acknowledging the role technology can play if judiciously utilized based on a child’s developmental needs. Extensive research is still needed to determine optimal media diets for developing minds.

The excerpt discusses the receptive aspects of language that enhance word learning in children. Some key points:

Reading to children exposes them to multiple representations like the sounds of words, visual forms of letters, and word meanings. This strengthens their representations of linguistic and conceptual information.
Hearing and seeing words repeatedly through shared reading helps consolidate children’s knowledge of those words and concepts.
The physicality of books and the recurrence of reading the same book multiple times anchors early reading experiences and provides exposures to new vocabulary.
Physical pages give cognitive and linguistic repetition that helps build children’s background knowledge.
Children who receive most of their linguistic input from humans in their early years develop better language skills. Human interaction matters more at a young age.

So in summary, the receptive aspects of language that reading aloud enables are:

Exposure to multiple word representations that form the basis for word learning
Repetition and recurrence of words and concepts that consolidate linguistic knowledge
Buildup of background knowledge through repetition of stories and concepts in books
Development of language and vocabulary through human interaction and direct linguistic input

This enhances both the receptive understanding of meanings as well as the expressive abilities to articulate new words that children develop through shared reading experiences.

Here is a summary of the author’s perspective on children and the digital world:

For toddlers under 2, digital devices should be just one of many toys. Human interaction and physical books are more important for developing language and knowledge.
Between 2 and 5, children should be surrounded by stories, books, toys, music, and experiences that foster creativity, communication, and physical development. This helps build the foundation for learning.
Reading stories to children every day is important. Stories teach empathy, “compassionate imagination”, and how to deal with challenges. They expose children to new words and ideas.
Parent’s natural tendency to exaggerate and elongate words when reading to children helps develop their vocabulary, syntax, phonology, and semantic knowledge. Rhymes and music also help with phoneme awareness.
The author believes children do not need to learn to read until later, around age 6 or 7. Their focus from ages 2 to 5 should be on developing the components of reading, not on actual reading itself.

In summary, the author advocates a balance between traditional analog experiences and limited, supervised digital exposure for young children. The focus should be on nurturing communication, creativity, and the building blocks for later reading through stories, rhymes, music and hands-on activities.

The main points from the summary are:

Parents need to introduce digital devices and apps to young children gradually and intentionally, not just letting children consume every available moment.
Parents should evaluate apps based on three criteria: the Child, the Content, and the Context of use. They should play with children to see what engages them.
Children under 5 should ideally have no more than 2 hours of screen time per day, allowing for unstructured play and parent-child interactions.
Researchers find that parents interacting with e-books often focus more on the mechanics than the content, while physical books tend to promote better language development.
However, interactive digital books can be positive if parents actively support children’s vocabulary and understanding. Designs that allow children to “tinker” with the text may help promote language and reading skills.
The “read to me” function of some e-books can discourage parents from actually reading to their children, which is important for developing a true understanding of what reading is.
Not all children have access to books and tablets, so digital tools may help promote language and reading skills for those from less advantaged backgrounds.

In summary, the key message is that digital devices and apps have potential benefits for young children, but parents need to be careful, intentional and proactive in how they introduce and utilize them to promote positive development and learning.

Here is a summary of the key points in the passage:

Between ages 5 to 10, children learn to read and enter an exciting adventure of discovering new worlds through books.
However, many children struggle to learn to read fluently. Two-thirds of US 4th graders are not proficient readers. Nearly half of black and Latino students cannot read at a basic level in 4th grade.
Failure to learn to read well by 4th grade has far-reaching consequences, impacting a child’s education, future prospects, and economic success.
Standardized test scores show that underprivileged children hear far fewer words, see fewer books, and are read to less often before kindergarten compared to privileged children. This lack of early exposure hinders their ability to learn to read well later on.
The author argues that a better understanding of how reading develops in the brain could simplify teachers’ tasks and improve reading instruction for struggling students. However, nurturing a child’s imagination through books is also important for early reading development.

In summary, the passage discusses the importance of children learning to read well between ages 5 to 10, the difficulties many children face, and the need for better reading instruction and exposure to books at a young age. The author sees a role for both science and the nurturing of imagination in improving reading outcomes for children.

•The first 5 years of a child’s life lay the foundations for future learning and development. Investing in early childhood programs during this time produces the highest returns.

• Schools need to assess students from the first day to identify those who are behind and those who need specific support. New research shows 6 profiles that predict reading achievement.

• Some children, especially boys, may not be ready for reading instruction in kindergarten. Pushing them too hard too soon can cause problems.

• Teachers need better preparation and training to meet the diverse needs of today’s students. They are often expected to address issues like poverty that society has failed to fix.

• Comprehensive, ongoing assessment from the start is needed. Excellent, evidence-based teaching methods and coordination across grades to develop reading and language skills are also important investments.

The key ideas are the importance of early investment and assessment, recognizing different student profiles, avoiding pushing children too soon, and the need to better support and train teachers to meet students’ diverse needs.

Here is a summary of the author’s views on the uses of technology in the classroom:

• Explicit teaching of phonics principles and decoding skills is important, especially for struggling readers. Technology can support this through software and apps that teach letter sounds, phonics patterns, and decoding rules.

• Repetition through technology can help students consolidate letter-sound knowledge and build word recognition. However, simply rereading passages is not enough; students also need opportunities to connect, infer, and reflect.

• Fluency depends on automatizing the lower-level decoding skills so students can focus on higher-level comprehension. Technology can track fluency gains over time.

• An effective reading program incorporates all parts of the reading circuit: letter sounds, word meanings, grammar, stories, and student reflections. Technology can provide interactive content to support these various elements.

• Connecting what students read to their own lives, feelings, and the wider world is important for deep reading comprehension. Technology offers opportunities for students to make these real-world connections through multimedia content, discussion boards, and writing platforms.

In summary, the author sees a strategic role for technology in supporting decoding skills, fluency practice, and comprehensive reading instruction, though he cautions that technology alone is not sufficient and must be integrated into a holistic program emphasizing explicit instruction, knowledge building, and human connections.

The letter summarizes the author’s perspective on the challenges of preparing children for a digital future while also ensuring they develop strong literacy skills. Some key points:

Children will need “vastly elaborated deep-reading processes that are shared with and expanded through coding, designing, and programming skills.” They’ll need a “pluripotential brain circuitry” to navigate the future.
We need to understand the limits and possibilities of both print-based and digital-based “reading circuits” to integrate their strengths for future generations.
The author proposes developing a “biliterate reading brain” in children, steeped in both print and digital media from an early age.
No single discipline has all the answers; an interdisciplinary approach is needed, combining cognitive neuroscience, technology, humanities and social sciences.
This “stance of learned ignorance” will help choose the best path forward by fully understanding both print and digital perspectives before evaluating how to integrate them.

In summary, the author argues for an approach that leverages the benefits of print literacy while also giving children the digital skills they’ll need in the future. The goal is an integrated “biliterate reading brain” that can navigate both mediums with proficiency. An interdisciplinary knowledge base is needed to chart the best path forward.

Hope this summary helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

• The author proposes introducing print books and digital media in the first 5-10 years of a child’s learning. Print books would dominate at first to build foundational reading skills.

• In the first 5 years, print books would be used primarily to develop core reading abilities like temporal and spatial processing. This helps children internalize the unique characteristics of print media.

• At the same time, children would be introduced to digital media like coding and creating to learn digital skills and processes like sequencing and problem-solving.

• The goal is for children to become “expert code switchers” who are fluent in both print and digital media, just like bilingual children are fluent in multiple languages.

• Around ages 5-10, children will be ready to incorporate more digital reading, once they have internalized the skills and processes of each medium. However, print books will still play an important role in developing critical thinking and reflection.

• Learning to write by hand also helps children develop stronger thinking skills, which will support both print and digital reading.

• Coding and creative digital activities teach children important digital skills like sequencing, deduction, induction and abstraction - complementing the processes used in print reading.

In summary, the author argues for a balanced, parallel approach that first develops fluency in print reading, then gradually incorporates digital media - to produce students who are expert “code switchers” across media.

• Individual characteristics, reading abilities, and environment affect how children learn to read. Understanding these differences is important.

• For some children, digital reading instruction can be introduced early and effectively. For others, it needs to be phased in gradually over time.

• Countermeasures should be taught early to address problems with digital reading: avoiding skimming, monitoring comprehension, employing inference and analysis skills.

• Tools like the Thinking Reader program can help children monitor their online reading and provide needed supports.

• Children need to be taught “digital wisdom” to evaluate online content and regulate their attention.

• The goals are to develop biliteracy and deep reading skills across media. This helps build empathy and cognitive skills.

• There are limitations and hurdles including a need for more research on impacts, better teacher training, and addressing access gaps.

• Research is needed on how different media affect different types of learners.

• Most teachers lack training in effective technology use, yet many children need digital tools to address issues like dyslexia.

• Technology has potential to tailor instruction to individual needs but training and resources are needed.

Does this cover the key points accurately? Let me know if you would like me to modify or expand the summary.

The key points summarized are:

A study found that higher print readers tended to be lower online readers and vice versa, suggesting emerging differences in reading circuits in children.
For children with dyslexia, digital technology can provide maximum exposure to words in context, benefiting their learning.
Video games can improve visual attention, motor skills, and indirectly encourage reading. But results using digital media in classrooms have been modest.
Equal digital access is needed to level the playing field for children. Many have little access to books or computers, widening the achievement gap.
Access alone does not ensure positive use of technology. Parental participation and guidance are also needed.
Global literacy initiatives using theoretically-based apps aim to harness children’s curiosity to foster reading skills.
Overcoming digital access gaps requires solutions for app design, parental participation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The goal is to develop a code-switching biliterate brain that internalizes the best of print and digital reading, deploying different modes appropriately for different purposes.

The summary highlights key findings about the benefits and challenges of digital reading, technology use, and access gaps, while concluding that enabling children to develop distinct print and digital reading modes will be most beneficial.

Here is a summary of the key points in the letter:

The author defines a “good reader” in multiple ways throughout life: initially as someone who can read all the books in a small school, then as someone who reads as much as possible, then as someone who helps struggling readers, and finally as someone who activates all meanings of the phrase.
The author argues that a “good reader” has three lives according to Aristotle: the life of knowledge and productivity, the life of entertainment and leisure, and the life of contemplation. However, modern culture focuses more on the first two lives and recedes from the contemplative life.
The author suggests that the third life of a good reader - the reflective life of contemplation - is threatened in digital culture. Issues like information overload, distraction, and lack of reflection diminish our capacity for deliberation and wisdom.
The essay highlights the importance of intention, time, and reflection as paradoxical gifts in an age of constant flux and distraction. The author argues that attending to our capacity for reflection is a personal choice with implications for ourselves and society.
In summary, the key ideas are that a good reader encompasses not just the lives of knowledge and entertainment, but also the contemplative life of reflection; and that safeguarding our capacity for reflection and meditation amidst the digital onslaught requires intention, time, and personal choice.

Hope this summary helps cover the major points within the letter! Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The author argues that increasingly, knowledge is becoming superficial and manipulated due to access to large amounts of information. While information can become knowledge through analysis and critical thinking, true wisdom comes from internalizing knowledge and drawing connections.

The author then discusses the contemplative life that reading can provide. Reading slowly and with intention allows for joy and time for the self. Reading sustained Dietrich Bonhoeffer in prison and guided Bernard Stiegler after his release from prison. Reading imparted joy and led Stiegler to pursue philosophy.

The author claims that immersing oneself in an involving book can be socially useful. It provides a stillness where responsible decisions can be made and good for others can be contemplated. Reading transforms information into knowledge and wisdom that benefits society.

In summary, the key points are:

Information does not equal knowledge or wisdom, which require critical thinking and internalization.
The contemplative life of reading can impart joy and sustain the self.
Examples like Bonhoeffer and Stiegler show how reading transformed and redirected their lives in positive ways.
Reading involves a stillness that allows for responsible thinking and contemplating the social good.
Through knowledge and wisdom, reading can ultimately benefit society.

Deep reading and critical thinking allow people to engage productively with the world and make responsible decisions. Readers who cultivate these skills can help serve others.
We need to evaluate if we have begun to cede our critical thinking abilities to others in our increasingly fragmented society. Failing to think independently can have grave consequences.
Educating citizens to think for themselves and evaluate information critically is essential for a democratic society and collective moral conscience.
A democracy succeeds when the rights and views of all citizens are respected, not just some. But citizens must be educated to think critically in forming their views.
Good readers who can transform information into wisdom act as “canaries” who detect dangers for society and guard common humanity. Their abilities are threatened, so too are we all.
The highest form of cognition is wisdom. Deep reading seeks to reach true understanding and lead lives based on that vision. But wisdom is action informed by contemplation, not contemplation alone.

In summary, the key takeaway is that critical thinking, deep reading and wisdom are vital for a democratic society. Educating citizens in these abilities should be a priority to ensure people can engage productively with the world and make responsible decisions.

Here is an audio summary of the excerpt:

This excerpt discusses the future of reading and good readers in the digital age. The author expresses concerns about how digital media may threaten the development of critical thinking, empathy and reflection. She worries that young people’s ability to deeply analyze what they read may be hindered.

However, the author also finds comfort in humanity’s ability to improve our capabilities over centuries. And the plasticity of the human brain can allow us to adapt to new technologies while still cultivating our intellectual and moral abilities.

The author argues that we now face a crucial choice at this “hinge moment” - whether to continue developing deep reading circuits in our brains or short-circuit them with quick information gathering. She urges readers to resist this temptation and consider who we want to be in the future and what reading abilities our future generations will need.

The deep reading brain is both a metaphor and a reality, representing our capacity for intellectual and moral growth. If we act wisely, the author believes we can create “ever more elaborated reading brain circuits capable of endless forms most beautiful.” She calls on readers to move forward deliberately and reflectively, aided by the good reading they have done so far.

In summary, the excerpt advocates for preserving and cultivating deep reading skills in the digital age, while recognizing both the challenges and opportunities that new technologies present.

Here is a 199-word summary of the provided text:

The author thanks many people who contributed to the book in various ways. Gail Winston and Anne Edelstein, the editor and literary agent, helped improve multiple drafts of the book and were indispensable to the writing process. The author also thanks colleagues who provided helpful insights into the language and themes of the book.

The author’s research colleagues at Tufts University also contributed greatly to the book through their work studying reading and language. The author thanks the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for supporting their intervention research.

The author is grateful for the support of the Tufts University administration and thanks the Stanford University Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences where she spent time writing the book. She also thanks Tufts University’s international center in Talloires, France where she wrote part of the book.

The author thanks Barbara Evans, who funded much of her intervention research and supported her work inspiring children. Finally, the author thanks her family and friends for believing in her and supporting her through numerous stages of writing the book. The author is grateful for all the contributions that helped make the book possible.

Here are the key points I identified in the summary:

The brain’s reading circuit is complex and involves many areas collaborating to process written language. These areas need to develop through exposure and practice reading.
Various regions in the brain’s hemispheres are involved, including the occipital and temporal lobes for visual processing and the left frontal lobe for phonemic awareness.
The reading circuit is partly assembled from brain areas that originally served other functions, through a process known as neuronal recycling.
Chinese and character-based writing systems activate somewhat different brain regions compared to alphabetic systems due to their visual-orthographic complexity.
Attention and working memory are critical for activating different parts of the reading circuit and binding information together into coherent representations.
Visual areas in the occipital lobe create retinotopic maps that enable the recognition of letters, words and their mental visualization.
Phonemic awareness of the 44 English phonemes depends on links between visual and auditory areas to map graphemes to phonemes.
Prediction and context-based probabilities speed up word recognition by activating likely parts of the circuit in advance.

In summary, the reading circuit involves a complex collaboration between visual, phonological, semantic and attention-related brain areas. It develops through exposure to print and is influenced by the writing system being learned. Prediction and context further aid the efficiency of the reading process.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The text discusses deep reading and its importance. It mentions research showing that when we read words, multiple linguistic and cognitive processes are automatically activated. Studies using brain imaging techniques show that as we read, we unconsciously make predictions about upcoming words based on context.

The text argues that deep reading requires focusing attentively on a text over an extended period of time. This allows us to gain insight and make meaningful connections. Examples of deep reading involving connection, insight, and empathy are provided from literature.

The text then discusses empathy and how deep reading can foster empathy by allowing us to see from another person’s perspective. Research shows that empathy may be declining due to digital technologies. However, brain imaging research indicates that certain brain regions are involved in empathy.

In summary, the key points are:

• Deep reading involves focused and attentive reading that activates various cognitive processes.

• Deep reading enables insight, connection, and understanding by engaging readers with texts over time.

• Deep reading can foster empathy by allowing readers to see from another’s perspective.

• Research suggests empathy may be declining due to digital technologies.

• Brain imaging research has identified brain regions involved in empathy.

That covers the major ideas discussed in the provided text regarding deep reading, its processes and importance, and its relationship to empathy. Let me know if you would like me to expand or modify the summary in any way.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

This letter focuses on the nature of reading, attention, and contemplation. The author discusses how reading requires a certain quality of attention that can create a “holding-ground” for deeper thought. However, the author notes that in the digital age, our ability to sustain attention and engage in contemplative reading may be impaired by continuous partial attention, distraction, and information overload.

The author cites studies showing that both young people and adults spend less time reading for leisure and that reading comprehension scores have declined. However, the author recognizes that data on reading trends is complex and some studies suggest that reading rates may be stable or increasing.

Despite these concerns, the author maintains that reading remains vital for developing conceptual abilities and reaping the benefits of contemplation. The author discusses how reading cultivates an attentive, present state of mind that allows insights to emerge. The author also references the work of philosophers and writers who emphasize the importance of slow, careful reading and the “quality of attention” it fosters.

In the end, the author argues that while technological changes pose challenges for readers, cultivation of an attentive mind through reading remains essential. The author asks “What will become of the readers we have been?” and suggests we must preserve reading as both an intellectual and contemplative activity. The letter closes by quoting Wordsworth’s line that “In common things there lies a secret worth knowing.”

In summary, the key focus of this text is on examining how reading cultivates attention, contemplation and insight, while also exploring the challenges facing readers in the digital age. The author seeks to preserve the value of careful, attentive reading that allows us to develop concepts and experience revelations through engagement with literature.

Here is a summary of Letter 5: The Raising of Children in a Digital Age:

The letter discusses the effects of digital technology on child development and education. Some key points:

Technology has both positives and negatives for children. It can provide educational opportunities but also poses risks like exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and addiction.
Children’s brains and cognitive development are shaped from a very early age through interactions with caregivers and their environment. Technology can influence this development.
Exposure to screens and devices at a young age may slow language development and social skills. But technology used appropriately can enrich learning.
Parents need to regulate and monitor their children’s use of technology. They should set clear rules and limits on screen time and device usage.
Schools also have a role in helping children develop digital literacy and competence while managing the distractions of technology. But traditional teaching methods still have value.
Overall, children need a balance of digital and non-digital activities like reading books, creative play, outdoor exploration, and human interactions. Technology should supplement, not replace, these essential childhood experiences.

The letter calls for parents, educators and technology companies to create a healthy environment for children that harnesses the benefits of technology while limiting the potential harms. Reading print books and human interaction are still considered essential for child development.

Here is a summary of the key points in the letter:

Books and in-person reading to young children in their first five years are crucial for developing early literacy skills and a love of reading. Holding a physical book and cuddling with a parent facilitates this learning.
Brain imaging research shows that parent reading aloud activates areas of the brain involved in language processing and comprehension in young children. Early experiences shape neural circuits in the developing brain.
While screens and e-books can be beneficial when used appropriately for older children, for babies and toddlers physical books read by parents are most effective.
Studies show a decline in parent-child reading and the number of teens reading for fun, suggesting parents should prioritize early reading experiences for their young children.
The letter advises parents to focus on reading physically held books to their children in their first five years before gradually introducing screens and e-books in a limited way as the child develops. The key is to avoid moving to digital formats too quickly for young kids.

In summary, the letter highlights the importance of providing in-person reading experiences with physical books for babies and toddlers to promote the development of early literacy skills and a love of reading. It argues that parents should avoid rushing to digital formats and screens in children’s first five years, when traditional books read by parents are most impactful.

Here is a summary of the provided text:

The passage discusses the importance of reading to children’s development and makes several recommendations for parents. Some key points:

Reading aloud to children from a young age is one of the most important factors in developing early literacy skills. Physical books are better than apps or e-books for young children.
Limited contact with digital devices and more time with traditional books is recommended for children under age 3.
Stories help develop children’s imagination, compassion, and moral thinking. Rhymes, rhythms, and music also aid language and reading development.
While there are many reading apps available, parents reading actual books with their children is still the best form of storytelling. Parent-child interactions during book reading are important.
While e-books can be interactive, research suggests they have a negative influence on literacy compared to printed books. Parents can minimize this by actively engaging children during e-book reading.
Bilingual and immigrant children face challenges but also have advantages due to their cognitive flexibility. Multimedia stories can help these children.

In summary, the key message is that reading print books aloud to children from an early age and limiting digital screen time greatly aids literacy development and other cognitive skills. The human connection of parent-child reading interactions is vital.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Here is a summary of the key points in Letter Eight:

There is a deep challenge in education today due to the shifting job market and need for different skills. About 65% of jobs in the future will require skills not currently possessed by the workforce. This requires continuous learning and adapting.
Becoming bilingual from a young age provides cognitive benefits that last into adulthood. Bilingual individuals have enhanced executive function and attention control.
Researchers have developed tools like the Rapid Alternating Stimulus test to assess how bilingualism impacts cognitive processing.
The work of researchers like Ellen Bialystok shows that bilingualism is not a handicap but rather confers advantages in cognitive control and task switching.
Studies show that dual language programs that teach children in two languages from an early age provide benefits in both languages, not just the second language.

In summary, the key points revolve around the educational benefits of early bilingualism. The letter highlights research showing that becoming bilingual from a young age enhances cognitive processing and executive function in ways that last into adulthood. It also discusses tools to assess these impacts and studies showing benefits of dual language programs that teach children in multiple languages from early on.

Here is a summary of the key points from the provided texts:

Achievement Among English Learners found that providing English learners with appropriate instructional support and opportunities to develop literacy in both their native language and English facilitates their academic achievement.
Thought and Language by Lev Vygotsky argued that language plays an important role in cognitive development. Children’s thinking develops from an interpersonal to an intrapersonal process through interaction with others.
Gnys at Wrk showed that handwriting helps children develop their thoughts and ideas as they write by hand. Several studies indicate benefits of handwriting over typing for young children.
ScratchJr encourages children to learn programming concepts through interactive storytelling and game design. It aims to provide opportunities for creative expression and computational thinking.
Researchers demonstrate that social robots can be effective tools to help children improve their emotional and social skills. However, they still face cognitive challenges in responding flexibly.
The Thinking Reader program incorporates principles of universal design for learning to provide multiple means of content representation, engagement, and action and expression to support students’ comprehension of digital texts.
Studies indicate that explicit instruction in digital reading strategies and proper integration of technologies into the curriculum are needed to fully leverage the benefits of digital tools for learning.
Meta-analyses show that educational technologies can have a positive impact on students’ reading and math achievement, though features of the technologies matter. Proper integration and use is important.
Children from lower-income families tend to have less access to and opportunities with digital technologies, perpetuating a “digital use gap” in addition to the digital access gap.
Initiatives like Curious Learning and the Adult Literacy XPRIZE aim to leverage technologies to expand access to literacy instruction globally.
Children with flexible literacy skills across print and digital media will be best prepared for the future. Developing global literacy and socially inclusive approaches is crucial.

Does this cover the main points adequately? Let me know if you’d like me to expand or modify the summary.

Here is a summary of passages from the text

The text discusses several key ideas related to reading and the brain:

The brain’s reading circuitry is integral to thinking and reasoning abilities. The reading circuitry is formed through practice and can be reshaped through experience. There are specific brain regions involved in reading, including vision regions, attentional systems, and areas related to meaning, inference, and memory.
Attention is essential for reading comprehension, and children’s attention spans have declined in the digital age. The text discusses cognitive patience, memory, and shared attention as related to reading development.
Print media and books differ from screen reading in important ways. Books allow for immersion, recursion, and rereading, which exercises the reading circuitry. However, many students are avoiding print.
Biliteracy and the ability to read in multiple languages further develops and reshapes the brain. But equal access to books is still lacking for many children.
Reading to and with children from a young age is critical for developing reading circuitry, attention, memory, inference skills, and a basis for abstract thought. However, apps and digital “toys” targeted at children can be distracting.

In summary, the text argues that reading cultivates key cognitive abilities by shaping and reshaping the brain’s circuitry through practice, attention, analogical reasoning, and memory. While digital media and screens present new opportunities, print media and literature in particular still provide benefits that complement and strengthen reading development.

Lessons on Power and Mindfulness (Evans), 211

Labor: Essays on Motherhood (Evans), 211

Love’s Invention (Robb-Nerys), 211, 212

Lowest Common Denominator (Friedlander), 171

LSM Orthography Test, 166

Ma, Guiqiang, 68

Mach number, 190

MacQuarrie, Brian, 206

Manguel, Alberto, 54, 63, 90, 91, 223n54, 228n88, 229n91

Manjeera, Rajesh, 139

Mantin, Ilana, 164

Manuel, Frank E., 119, 140, 232n119, 235n140

Marcus Aurelius, 199

Marigo, Monica, 111

Marschak, Lisa, 217n17

Martin, Mick, 233n133

Marullo, 173

Marzano, Robert, 104, 105–6, 230n105, 231n108

Mashable, 216n14

Matthews, John, 152

“Matthew Effect,” 56–57, 168, 223n57

“Does the ‘Matthew Effect’ Contribute to Summer Learning Loss During Elementary School?” (Burkam et al.), 56–57

McCandless, David, 64, 192

McCarthy, Jeff, 73–74

McGrew, Kevin, 213

McQuillan, Julia, 71

McSpadden, Ken, vii

meditative thinking, 192–93, 202

Meeker, Bonni, 146

Meister, Jeanine, 190, 191

memory

storing and stabilizing, 19–20, 85

episodic, 17–18, 88

caregiving and, 17–21

consolidation of, 51, 81, 117–18

dialogic nature of, 18, 20, 28, 36

distraction and, 70–72, 74, 117

e-books and, 80–82, 95–96

knowledge base acquired through, 54–58, 194

long-term vs. short-term, 19, 80–81, 117, 118–20

multisensory nature of, 124, 135

participatory nature of, 44–45

plasticity and, 17, 19–20

print reading and, 8, 38, 39, 75, 77–82, 117–20, 142, 148

screen reading and, 2, 81–82, 114, 117–20, 122, 124

Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci, The (Spence), 201, 229n100, 245n194

Menand, Louis, 115–16, 176, 231n115, 242n176

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 223n55

Mezzofiore, Gianluca, 183

Miyake, Akira, 113–15, 231n113

Moats, Louisa, 169, 241n169

Model, Stephen, 64

Molière, 100, 189

Monacelli Press, 216n15

Monson, Thomas, 174

Monsrevelle, William, 54–55, 65, 223n55

Montague, Michael, 66

Montessori, Maria, 166

Moody, Rick, 46, 50, 221n46, 222n50

Moran, MaryJean, 49

Moritz, Carole, 235n140

Morley, Samuel, 237n150

Morus, Iwan Rhys, 199

Morrow, Lauren, 146, 167

Most Dangerous Book in the World, The: 9/11 as Mass Ritual (Slate), 246–47n201

Muresan, Roxana, 66, 68

Murphy, Timothy, 205, 247n205

My Invented Country (Nafisi), 40–41, 54

Myers, David G., 109, 190–91, 199

Nafisi, Azar, 40–41, 54

Na’ıma, 56, 224

National Reading Panel, 198

Nelson, Colleen, 45

Nelson, Christine, 171

Network ring, 26–27, 31

New Literacies and the “Other” (Coletti),

52, 152, 166, 212, 238n152, 239n158

New London Group, 155, 238n155

New York Times, 72, 216n14

Ng, Andrew, 155

Nichols, Mike, 155

Nietzsche, Friedrich, 45

Nin, Anaïs, 94

Noble, David, 237n150

Noguchi, Shinpei, 75

Norden, Bryan, 116, 232n116

Northenden Primary School (U.K.), 170, 171

nostalgia, 89–90, 101–2, 229n89

Nussbaum, Martha, 163, 235n138, 240n163, 245n199

Ochs, Elinor, 28, 219n28

OMD (Orton-Gillingham Methodology), 155

Ong, Walter, 63, 135, 196–97, 224n63, 233n135,

Onions, Oliver, 198

On the Move: A Life (Sittenfeld), 45

Orwell, George, 65

outcome.com, 213

Oulasvirta, Antti, 115

Our Mutual Friend (Dickens), 90, 92

Packer, George, 33–34, 37, 219n33

Pamuk, Orhan, 1–2

Paradise Lost (Milton), 52–53

passion, 53–54, 143

Pater, Walter, 199

Paterson, Katherine, 125

Pausch, Randy, 50

pediatric cognitive rehabilitation, 160, 211

Perkins, David, 64, 217n8, 224n64

Perkins, Maxwell, 184

persistence, 47–48

Pidgin ring, 23, 28, 212

Pinker, Stephen, 50–51, 138, 232n125, 242n181

place-based research, 160–65

Plath, Sylvia, 86

Poetry ring, 21, 24–25, 28

Poletti, Anna, 79–80, 227n79

“Poorest Countries Have the Most Internet Users” (Meeker), 146

Porges, Stephen, 59

ports of entry, 174

Postman, Neil, 197

Powell, Camille, 171

Prensky, Marc, 109, 111

Pretty Little Liars series (Shepard), 83

print-based reading, 6, 34–35, 54

advantages over screen reading, 2, 38–39, 42, 77–82, 93–96, 135

experience of time in, 13, 190–203

internalized knowledge and, 54–58, 89, 97, 117, 189

mental processes in, 39, 84–85, 113, 117

as port of entry to literacy, 170, 174

protecting childhood and, 143

reading to children, 129–36, 139–41, 148

trainability for, 39, 74, 84–85, 103, 169–86

Reader, Come Home - Maryanne Wolf