Pathways to Reading Success

Technology has its place, but it does not need to be a constant in our classrooms.

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) affirmed today that dyslexia, a reading disability, is entirely unrelated to a person's intelligence or cognitive potential. Dyslexic individuals possess the capacity to think, lead, and achieve at the highest levels, and countless have gone on to accomplish extraordinary achievements across every field.

IDA stands firmly in support of dyslexic learners by advancing evidence-based reading instruction grounded in the science of reading, while also championing the unique strengths, resilience, and potential that define this community.

This morning, I was reading an article about the rise of children entering kindergarten without the requisite social skills. I know my friends who are kindergarten teachers feel like it is an epidemic. The article noted a concerning trend where more children are entering kindergarten with flat or limited emotional expression. The article connected this pattern, in part, to increased maternal smartphone use during infant feeding.
Feeding time is more than just nourishment. It’s connection.

When babies are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, they’re not just eating… they’re learning you. Your face, your voice, your eye contact. All of these are the building blocks of bonding and brain development.

When our attention shifts to a smartphone during these moments, babies get less eye contact, facial expression, and back-and-forth interaction.

And those tiny interactions? They matter more than we think.

In the early months, a baby’s brain is wiring itself through responsive, loving connection. When we consistently look, respond, and engage, we’re helping build secure attachment, language development, and emotional regulation.

This isn’t about perfection. It's about awareness. Let feeding time be connection time. Talk, smile, or make eye contact. Because to your baby, you are their whole world and they’re looking for you.

This is disturbing, but teachers certainly will agree this is happening.

More evidence that the global decline in test scores that began after 2012 is linked to the proliferation of smartphones and computers in class: The slide was bigger in countries where students began spending more time on devices (for leisure).

The latest from Jean Twenge:
https://www.generationtechblog.com/p/phones-at-school-less-learning-more

A great place to work.

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Swiping a screen does not develop fine motor skills.