Reading Recommendations for Writers

The following writing guides are among the best out there for those looking to get inspired or improve their writing skills. Appropriate for all adults, most high school students, and even precocious middle school students, these books will have even the most reluctant of writers racing for paper and pen.

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, by William Zinsser, is a classic resource for people who have to do lots of non-fiction writing. His advice is useful for students and professionals alike; Zinsser provides great tips for writing formal essays or simply writing an email to a colleague. The first part of his book contains writing principles and discusses various methods of getting words on a page. The second half is dedicated to specific forms of non-fiction like business, sports, memoirs, travel, etc. We are particularly impressed by his tips on rewriting and the way he explains how to banish “clutter” (i.e. extraneous words) from sentences and paragraphs.

Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within is more than just a writing guide. This is the kind of book that turns browsers into readers; dip into it for tips and you may find yourself reading it from cover to cover. Potential users should be aware that this is not a book to reference if you’re looking for very specific writing tips. It seems to be equal parts zen and instruction. Goldberg shares many of her own experiences and offers great advice on how to choose verbs, getting first thoughts out, and how to listen (because, she claims, “writing is 90% listening”). Goldberg believes that writing is not necessarily about the final product – though the final product is important – but about the self-discovery that occurs while creating the final product. Her short, witty chapters and warm tone may give reluctant, anxious, or frustrated writers the confidence they need to pick the pencil back up and begin again.

Fans of Stephen King’s literature will be surprised to see that the cover of his On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft features a bright window in a clean, white house with decorative flowers planted beneath. And this is the guy who kept us tossing and turning after reading The Shining?  There’s nothing spooky about this part-memoir, part-guide, however, except maybe how addictive it is. King recounts his experiences as a writer, and his keen observations about the links between writing and life will inspire and empower would-be writers everywhere. The book contains a writer’s “tool kit,” a reading list, various assignments writers can sink their teeth into, a story with corrections so that readers can appreciate the importance of editing, and more.

For those who wonder why they should take advice on writing from authors they've never heard of, Jon Winokur’s Advice to Writers: A Compendium of Quotes, Anecdotes, and Writerly Wisdom from a Dazzling Array of Literary Lights will be a welcome relief. The book is a collection of statements about all aspects of writing from people across the ages who demonstrated their prowess with a pen, from Aristotle to Toni Morrison. Though the book is intended to be more entertaining than instructive, readers will certainly find inspiration and wisdom in the words of some of their favorites, like Kurt Vonnegut’s tip: “Make your characters want something right away even if it’s only a glass of water,” and Hemingway’s suggestions to: “Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Eliminate every superfluous word.”

Award-Winning Audiobooks

We love audiobooks. Not only are they entertaining, they allow children whose decoding skills are less developed than their language skills to access important literary concepts, vocabulary, and background knowledge. Students who read along with audiobooks reap even greater rewards because seeing words while hearing them builds fluency. And of course audiobooks are perfect for summer, when a good story can make hours in the car fly by.

The selection of titles available in audio format is growing, making it difficult to choose good ones. For those unwilling to be stuck with a subpar recording of an otherwise great book, the Audie Awards are a lifesaver. The Audies are sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association and presented to recordings that demonstrate excellent narrative voice and style, vocal characterization, appropriateness of audio format, and enhancement of text. As well as the award for audiobook of the year, outstanding books are considered for awards in a wide variety of categories, like biography/memoir, classics, humor, business, and mystery. There are also categories for books read by the author and for multi-voiced performances. Young people should check out the finalists and award winners in the Teens, Children Under 8, and Children Ages 8-12 categories. The website of audiobook magazine AudioFile presents a list of finalists and winners in each category, and would-be listeners can access full reviews and even hear a short sample of texts that seem appealing.

In addition to the awards lists, AudioFile is host to a wealth of audiobook reviews. So before committing to that book intended to entertain your family in the car for the next 30 hours, consult this list to be certain you’ve picked a winner. 

Preparing to Face College Tuition: The Net Price Calculator

Everyone knows college is getting more and more expensive. Each year, it seems, institutions across the country hike up tuition a little more. However, are rate hikes as steep a they seem? A recent analysis by NPR's financial blog Planet Money found that just as college sticker prices have risen, available scholarship and grant money is on the rise too. The upswing in tuition and grants almost matches, meaning that the net cost of attending college may actually not have risen as much as is popularly believed.

This sounds like great news, but what can students realistically expect to pay? To help families grapple with this question as they prepare to confront the cost of sending their children to universities, colleges are now required to post a very useful net price calculator on their websites. Planet Money explains that the calculator poses questions about the student's performance and his/her family's financial situation, then calculates what the likely tuition will be. For many students, the cost is considerably lower than the advertised sticker price once applicable scholarships and grants are figured in. The National Center for Education Statistics has a  useful page containing more information about the calculator; it's worth a visit for anyone who plans to pay for higher education in the near future.

Photo: ImagesofMoney/Flickr Creative Commons

Health Benefits of Dogs and Dirt

A study of almost 400 infants in Finland has demonstrated the positive impact of early exposure to dogs on the health of the children. The study, just published by the journal Pediatrics, found that children with dogs at home had fewer repiratory or ear infections and needed fewer courses of antibiotics than children who had no exposure to dogs.

Further, the study determined that the greatest positive impact occurred when children were exposed to dogs that spent a significant part of their day outside of the house. The authors note that this might be due to the increased amount of dirt brought into the home by dogs who spend much of their time outdoors. They state, "In other words, less dirt is brought indoors by dogs who live mainly indoors". The study noted some positive impact for exposure to cats, but not as significant as that for dogs.

Another recent study, this one using mice, looked at the impact of a germ free environment and found a negative correlation between such an environment and tolerance of cells to conditions such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. The authors conclude that early exposure to microbes is critical for building tolerance to later disease exposure. 

Parents who are concerned about having pets around young children and keeping their kids away from dirt should be heartened to learn that both dogs and dirt can be beneficial to their childrens' health.

Photo by Aaron E. Silvers via Flickr/Creative Commons

Flipping and Frontloading to Enhance Learning

A recent article by Jo Napolitano in Long Island's Newsday looked at the increasing popularity of "flipping a classroom" where teachers provide their lessons in video format prior to the class and students are responsible for accessing this new material independently, before the class period. In this educational model class time is then reserved for reinforcing the material presented in the video and expanding the lesson to encompass additional, generally enriched material. Students are expected to demonstrate that they have actually followed the video at home by taking notes and responding to questions set out in the materials. 

The benefits of this model include additional time for individual and small group instruction, the opportunity for students to pause the video, or to rewind and listen to some or all of a lesson again. This differs from the pace of classroom lecture, where once something has been stated, it is generally not repeated; a student who loses focus for a moment may miss crucial material. Some science teachers note that this model allows them more time for demonstrations and experiments in class. Detractors complain that students who do not have computers or smartphones readily available to view the lessons are at a significant disadvantage, even if schools make such devices available in libraries or elsewhere in the school building. 

What we find of particular interest in this educational model is how closely it resembles a low tech approach that we frequently recommend to students -- frontloading. Frontloading is the process of preparing to learn by becoming familiar with the concepts and vocabulary the student will encounter in a lesson. Some examples of frontloading include using available texts for clues about what is important by looking at questions at the end of chapters, bold-face headings, and section titles. Students can research vocabulary, read simple books on the subject, and search the internet for related materials. Teachers can faciliate frontloading by providing students with vocabulary specific to the upcoming lesson or by introducing a subject with models, artifacts, or even outside speakers on an important topic. 

What flipping and frontloading have in common is the recognition that by preparing students to learn a lesson they can better absorb the material and get the most out of their classroom experience.

Photo by Extra Ketchup via Flickr

Review: Lexia Reading

For children who may benefit from additional instruction and practice with reading skills, Lexia Reading, which provides reading support at home, may be a helpful solution. Many schools choose to purchase the Lexia classroom program for students, but in recent years Family Literacy, a national nonprofit organization that facilitiates establishing family literacy centers, has made Lexia available for use at home as well.

The computer-based program can be an effective tool for improving literacy in either setting. Lexia’s instruction is divided into three levels: Early Reading, Primary Reading, and Strategies for Older Students. When students begin using Lexia, they are given assessment activities and placed into the correct level. Then, based on their mastery of new concepts as they are presented, students will be automatically advanced through the activities and levels. Most of the exercises feel like games, which motivates students to continue learning as they play. Teachers or parents can monitor children’s progress easily to determine whether students need further support understanding concepts. 

Lexia is an appealing tool appropriate for the very youngest learners up through struggling readers in high school and beyond.

ADHD Medications and Teenage Drivers

We are frequently asked whether it is really necessary to take attention medications every day. Some students feel that they only need their meds when they have a major project, important test, or heavy workload. Many parents like to give their children a “break” over the weekend or during vacations. I believe that deciding whether and how to take medications is a personal decision best made in consultation with the prescribing physician. But making a wise decision requires the best information so each of us can weigh the potential benefits and risks in the context of our own lives. With that in mind, I think it is important to share interesting research that was published in the April 2012 edition of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology in a study called "Long-Acting Methylphenidate Reduces Collision Rates of Young Adult Drivers With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder" (by Cox, Daniel J. PhD; Davis, Margaret BA; Mikami, Amori Yee PhD; Singh, Harsimran PhD; Merkel, Richard L. MD, PhD; and Burket, Roger MD). 
    
The investigators studied adolescents diagnosed with ADHD who had previously responded to medication, were not routinely taking medication, and were active drivers with more than one collision or citation in the past two years. Half of the participants received long-acting stimulants; the other half did not. Their driving was monitored for three months with in-car video cameras. (You are probably wondering how you can get a hold of one for your own adolescent driver). Compared to the untreated group, the group receiving medications had fewer video-documented collisions and “problematic driving events.” So, when making decisions about risks and benefits of attention medications, bear in mind that academic performance may not be the highest priority.

Photo by Dominic Alves via Flickr/Creative Commons