Author: StoryWorld

Handwriting Gets an “A+” for Accelerating Learning

Posted on by StoryWorld

With debates raging about the role of AI in schools, it turns out old-fashioned handwriting might be the most powerful tool for learning and retaining knowledge — and especially for early literacy and language development!

Far from being outdated, handwriting is the cognitive powerhouse that deserves to be center stage in our classrooms and homes alike.

Handwriting Stimulates the Brain
Handwriting is not just about putting words on paper—it activates key areas of the brain involved in memory and learning. Research shows that writing by hand stimulates the Reticular Activating System (RAS), a brain network that filters information and helps determine what is important enough to store in memory (Rausch, 2015) . When learners physically form letters and words, their brains engage in multisensory processing—integrating movement, visual feedback, and language simultaneously. This strengthens neural connections in ways that passive listening, typing, or highlighting simply cannot.
Handwriting as a Tool for Literacy and Language Development
For children learning to read and write, handwriting is not just practice—it’s brain training. The process links spoken language, visual symbols, and motor memory, which accelerates literacy acquisition. Handwriting also supports second language learning, making vocabulary “stick” more effectively and aiding recall in conversation (Rausch, 2015). By integrating listening, reading, and speaking with the act of writing, learners strengthen all four language modalities, building a strong foundation for lifelong communication.
Why Handwriting Beats “Just Listening”
Listening is important for comprehension, but on its own, it often leads to fleeting memory. Students who only listen may grasp ideas in the moment but struggle to retain details later. By contrast, writing down what they hear forces learners to process the information, rephrase it in their own words, and reinforce it through physical activity. Studies show that handwriting improves long-term recall because the learner is actively constructing meaning, not just receiving it (Smoker, Murphy, & Rockwell, 2009).
Why Handwriting is Stronger than Highlighting
Highlighting can feel productive, but research shows it is one of the least effective study strategies because it promotes shallow engagement (Dunlosky et al., 2013). Highlighting marks what stands out but doesn’t require the brain to do the heavy lifting of making sense of the text. By contrast, handwriting requires learners to summarize, reframe, and select key details in their own words. This act of “generation” builds deeper understanding, vocabulary retention, and literacy skills. For young readers and language learners, handwriting letters and words is also essential to mapping sounds to symbols—an early literacy foundation that highlighting cannot provide.
Why Handwriting Outperforms Typing

Typing may feel faster, but it often leads to verbatim transcription, which does not support critical thinking or memory in the same way as handwriting. Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) found that students who take notes by hand perform better on conceptual questions than those who type, precisely because handwriting requires more processing. For early literacy learners, forming each letter by hand cements orthographic knowledge (letter shapes), phonemic awareness (sounds of language), and vocabulary recall. Handwriting slows the learner down in a good way, deepening engagement with both the form and meaning of language.

So, while listening, highlighting, and typing all play supporting roles, handwriting remains the most powerful tool for reinforcing information and accelerating literacy and language development among all learners! 

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

References:

    • Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58.
    • Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168.
    • Rausch, P. (2015). The relationship between English speaking and writing proficiency and its implications for instruction. St. Cloud State University.
    Smoker, T. J., Murphy, C. E., & Rockwell, T. (2009). Comparing memory for handwriting versus typing. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 53(22), 1744–1747.

How read-alouds transform ELs and struggling readers into eager learners

Posted on by StoryWorld

For many children who struggle with reading, decoding text can feel overwhelming. 

These student may encounter unfamiliar words, lose their place on the page, or focus so much energy on “sounding out” that they lose track of the story altogether. This creates a cycle of frustration and stress that can erode motivation and confidence. The worst outcome is that these students simply never become good readers.  

Over and over, I’ve seen how read-aloud supports—whether from a teacher, caregiver, or digital audio—can help break this cycle by giving students access to meaning first, before tackling the mechanics of decoding.

Read-Alouds Lower Stress and Increase Engagement
Research shows that when learners comprehend the gist of a text before attempting to decode it, their stress levels decrease and their engagement increases. According to groundbreaking research by Immordino-Yang (2016), when students feel emotionally safe and interested in the text, they are more likely to take risks and persist in challenging tasks. Similarly, research by Krashen (2004) on comprehensible input emphasizes that learners benefit most when they can understand material in context, which reduces anxiety and allows space for skill development.  For ELs and struggling readers, hearing a text read aloud provides this “meaning cushion” that lowers cognitive load so learning can begin.
Comprehension Creates Space for Decoding
By supporting comprehension in advance, read-alouds allow students to focus on decoding without the fear of “getting lost.” August and Shanahan (2006) highlight that comprehension scaffolds—such as listening before reading—enable multilingual and struggling learners to allocate more attention to word recognition and decoding skills. This mirrors Scarborough’s Rope model (2001), which illustrates how skilled reading is woven from both word recognition and language comprehension; strengthening one thread can give room for the other to develop.
Building Vocabulary and Background Knowledge

Read-alouds also build background knowledge and vocabulary, which are essential for reading growth. When students already understand a story, they can map the sounds of words onto known meanings more effectively (Nagy & Townsend, 2012). For example, a child who has listened to a story about a bear in the forest will have an easier time decoding and remembering the printed words bear and forest because they carry meaning the child already holds.

Practical classroom applications include pairing audio with printed text, conducting teacher-led story read-alouds before shared reading, and encouraging parents to read stories aloud at home—even in the family’s home language. These strategies help children approach decoding with confidence rather than dread. Teachers often find that once the pressure to “figure out everything at once” is removed, struggling readers show more willingness to engage in practice and improvement.

The Path to Joyful Reading

In short, read-aloud supports give ELs and struggling readers a head start by making meaning accessible first. Once they understand the story, they can focus on decoding without the paralyzing stress of confusion. 

As the research shows, lowering anxiety and supporting comprehension pave the way for stronger skill development and leads to joyful reading experiences that makes students come back for more!

📌 Teacher Tip: Allow students to listen to a story read aloud before asking students to read it again silently or in small groups. Once they know the storyline, struggling readers will be less anxious and more eager to practice decoding the words on their own.

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

References:

  • August, D., & Shanahan, T. (2006). Developing literacy in second-language learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  • Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2016). Emotions, learning, and the brain: Exploring the educational implications of affective neuroscience. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
  • Krashen, S. (2004). The power of reading: Insights from the research (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
  • Nagy, W., & Townsend, D. (2012). Words as tools: Learning academic vocabulary as language acquisition. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(1), 91–108.
  • Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of Early Literacy Research (pp. 97–110). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
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Reading, the ultimate gift for life!

Posted on by StoryWorld
How reading changes our brain (for the good!)

I’m excited to share some remarkable recent research about the truly extraordinary power of reading on our brain.

It turns out that the simple act of reading literally changes our brain and makes it stronger! Reading isn’t just about gaining knowledge—it strengthens our memory, improves our thinking skills, and even builds empathy in ways that extend far beyond the story.

And what’s more, those positive changes can linger long after we close the book.

Reading Actually Rewires the Brain

Stories demand focus, memory, and inference-making. This activates multiple brain systems—language, attention, memory, and executive function (Wolf, 2007). Over time, the very process of reading results in a sharper mind, improved problem-solving capabilities, and a stronger capacity to learn and think.

One recent study found that reading a novel increased activity in the brain that was linked to comprehension and to the ability to understand different perspectives (Berns et al., 2013). These changes actually lingered days after the book was finished, showing that stories can leave a lasting “shadow of experience” in the brain, almost as if the readers had lived the experiences themselves.

Reading Stories Builds Empathy

This helps explain why reading develops empathy. Reading a story literally help us step into someone else’s shoes.

When we read, the brain activates the same regions we use to understand real people’s thoughts and emotions. Neuroscientist Raymond Mar (2011) has shown that engaging with narrative fiction consistently activates brain regions tied to social cognition and emotional understanding. In effect, reading becomes a kind of simulator for children for the real-life interactions they will have in their future. Reading helps them “rehearse” the skills of compassion, perspective-taking, and moral reasoning that will benefit them later.

Reading Also Strengthens Cognitive Muscles
Stories demand that readers hold characters, settings, and plots in working memory while making inferences about motives and outcomes. This process recruits multiple brain systems at once—including language, attention, memory, and executive function—making reading one of the most cognitively demanding (and therefore strengthening) activities we can do (Wolf, 2007; Immordino-Yang, 2016).
An Essential Foundation for Growth in Life

When we read deeply, we’re not only absorbing information—we are rewiring our brain’s networks for learning, social understanding, and even self-reflection. In children, this provides an essential foundation for literacy and social-emotional growth. 

So, when you encourage your students to read—even a simple story to start—you are helping them build new connections, strengthen the architecture of their brain, and deepen their ability to connect with others. In a very real way, you are helping to shape who they are and how they understand their world.

That is truly a gift for life!

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

References:

  • Berns, G. S., Blaine, K., Prietula, M. J., & Pye, B. E. (2013). Short- and long-term effects of a novel on connectivity in the brain. Brain Connectivity, 3(6), 590–600.
  • Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2016). Emotions, learning, and the brain: Exploring the educational implications of affective neuroscience. W. W. Norton & Company.
  • Mar, R. A. (2011). The neural bases of social cognition and story comprehension. Annual Review of Psychology, 62, 103–134.
  • Snow, C. E. (2002). Reading for understanding: Toward an R&D program in reading comprehension. RAND Corporation.
  • Speer, N. K., Reynolds, J. R., Swallow, K. M., & Zacks, J. M. (2009). Reading stories activates neural representations of visual and motor experiences. Psychological Science, 20(8), 989–999.
  • Wolf, M. (2007). Proust and the squid: The story and science of the reading brain. Harper.

Why Learning to Listen Matters (its more than just “not talking!”)

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Anyone who teaches knows one of the biggest challenges is getting kids to listen!

But listening is more than simply “not talking.”  Listening means actively creating meaning from what is being communicated.

In fact, according to researchers, “active listening” is one of the most overlooked skills of early literacy development. Listening precedes reading. Early readers first need to be able to understand enough of what they hear in order to make sense of the content they encounter later as readers.

Listening actually forms the foundation for language development, reading comprehension, and ultimately effective communication. Before children learn to read or write, they learn by listening to stories, songs, conversations, and instructions. 

Later, as children start to read, listening exposes them to important new language structures and broadens their vocabulary while also introducing new ideas.

So, rather than something that is “expected”, listening should be part of active, planned exercises that are included in daily instruction in order to set the stage for success in reading, writing, and more advanced oral expression.

What Researchers Say About Listening Skills

1. Builds Language and Vocabulary

Young children absorb language by listening to the words spoken around them. The more a child listens, the more words they understand and can use in their own speech and writing. Research shows that children who are exposed to rich oral language environments develop stronger vocabulary, syntax, and comprehension skills (Neuman & Wright, 2014).

2. Improves Reading Comprehension

Listening and reading go hand in hand: children who listen well are better prepared to become successful readers. Studies show that children with strong listening comprehension tend to become better readers later on (Lepola et al., 2012). 

For example, listening to stories teaches children how narratives are structured (beginning, middle, and end) and helps children predict outcomes, make connections, and understand cause-and-effect relationships.  Listening also supports phonemic awareness, a crucial skill for decoding words when learning to read.

3. Enhances Focus, Memory, and Cognitive Development

Listening requires attention and concentration which helps children develop their ability to focus better and build working memory. These skills are essential for academic learning, problem-solving, and effective communication.

For example, when children listen to a story and then retell it, they practice recalling important details and sequencing events. Listening to instructions and following them helps children develop executive function skills.

4. Encourages Imagination and Creativity

Listening to stories also allows children to visualize the characters, settings, and events in their own minds which helps to spark creativity. Unlike watching television, which provides visual input, listening to spoken language encourages children to create mental images and imagine their own possibilities.

Tips for Developing Listening Skills in Children

It doesn’t require complicated activities to build listening skills! Simple, engaging interactions spread throughout the day can have a significant impact. Some suggestions:

1. Read Aloud Every Day

Reading aloud is one of the most powerful ways to develop listening skills:

✔ Choose books with rich language and engaging stories.

✔ Ask questions to encourage active listening such as: “What do you think will happen next?” or “How do you think the character feels?”

✔ Select stories that intentionally introduce children to new words and sentence structures.

✔ Expose children to rhymes, rhythms, and language patterns in spoken language.

2. Play Listening Games

For younger children, make listening fun with interactive games:

✔ “Simon Says” – Helps children listen carefully and follow directions.

✔ “I Spy” – Encourages children to focus on spoken clues to find objects.

✔ Rhyming and rhythm games – Nursery rhymes, clapping games, and call-and-response songs not only build listening skills, but also enhance phonemic awareness.

3. Model Active Listening

Children learn by example. When you model good listening habits, it will help them develop their own listening skills. Modeling active listening also teaches children that listening is important and valued.

✔ Make eye contact and respond when they speak.

✔ Repeat or paraphrase what they say to show understanding.

✔ Encourage back-and-forth conversations, asking open-ended questions.

Developing strong listening skills in young children is one of the best ways to prepare them for success in school and later in life. Strong listening skills not only establish a strong foundation for literacy and language development, they  also strengthen a student’s ability to focus, and think creatively.  

By being better listeners, they’ll become more confident communicators with a bonus of enhanced social skills as well!

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

References:

Catts, et al, 2006; Gough & Tunmer 1986: Lepola, et al, 2012; Lervag, et al, 2017; Nation et al. 2010; Neuman & Wright, 2014; Scarborough, 2001; Snow, 2010.

Why two languages are better than one.

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I grew up in a neighborhood where different languages were all around me. My mother and grandmother spoke Dutch, our next-door neighbor spoke Chinese, and my best friend’s father spoke Turkish. 

None of us learned to speak those languages beyond a few choice words (probably not for publication!)  But many of the words and phrases we learned remain burned in our collective memories.

Why? Because we learned them so early!

Exposure to a second language boosts brain development
It turns out that even the exposure to all those different languages may have helped us more than we realized!  Research reveals that hearing and processing multiple languages strengthens our neural connections, improves problem-solving skills, and actually enhances overall cognitive function (Bialystok, 2011; Kuhl, 2010).
The earliest years are the “golden years”

Because our brains are growing so rapidly when we are young, early exposure to multiple languages has the biggest impact.

This doesn’t mean parents have to be bilingual or fluent. Studies are demonstrating that even a little exposure to another language boosts early brain development. In other words, simply listening to another language—through conversations, books, music, or interactive activities—has significant benefits for brain development, cognitive flexibility, and academic success. 

As a publisher of multilingual stories, I was eager to share what I’ve learned from some of the most relevant research on how language expands our brains. Here are some highlights:

1. It’s never too early!

Nature makes our brains most adaptable and flexible during early childhood, so this is perfect time for exposure to multiple language. For example, studies show that infants as young as six months old can distinguish between different languages and recognize patterns in speech, even if they are not actively learning to speak both languages (Kuhl, 2010).

2. Exposure to more languages increase brain “plasticity”

Some of the advantages of early exposure to multiple languages includes enhanced “neuroplasticity.” When our brain is exposed to new sounds and words, it builds and strengthens more neural pathways. This helps children process information more quickly and efficiently through life. 

3. A boost for phonemic awareness

Phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear, recognize, and manipulate sounds in words, is a crucial and foundational skill for early literacy. Almost counter-intuitively, children who are exposed to a second language develop a heightened sensitivity to sounds and rhythms in speech. 

This extra sensitivity to the sounds of words (regardless of the language) helps children with pronunciation (the ability to reproduce sounds), reading readiness (the ability to decode words), and improved listening and comprehension, due to improved ability to distinguish and process spoken language more efficiently.

So, even if a child doesn’t speak the second language with fluency, their ears and brain become more attuned to linguistic sounds, which helps to strengthens speech development and reading in the primary language.

4. Stronger working memory and self-regulation

One of the most fascinating findings in cognitive science was learning that just exposure to multiple languages can help to develop a child’s working memory (holding and manipulating information in their mind). Engagement with multiple languages even helps children self-regulate,  such as controlling their impulses and focusing attention. 

These benefits extend into life: researchers have observed that bilingual individuals consistently perform better on tasks that require problem-solving, multitasking, and adapting to new rules (Bialystok, 2011; Carlson & Meltzoff, 2008). 

5. Empathy and cultural awareness

Engagement with another language at any level also leads important social and emotional benefits. According to researchers, children who hear and interact with multiple languages, develop greater empathy because it helps them understand different perspectives (Fan et al., 2015). These studies also show children develop heightened awareness of other cultures and feel more comfortable communicating with people from different backgrounds.
Different languages bring benefits for a lifetime
Many parents and educators alike worry that if they aren’t fluent in a second language, they can’t provide meaningful interactions for their children or students in that language.  But this doesn’t turn out to be true! Research shows that early engagement with a second language, even in small amounts, can positively shape a child’s brain and learning abilities  (Kuhl, 2010).
Here are some ways to expose children to multiple languages — without having to be fluent or an “expert”:

✔ Read bilingual books – Even if you don’t speak the second language fluently, pointing to words and discussing them builds awareness.
✔ Play songs and nursery rhymes in both English and other languages – Music helps reinforce rhythm, vocabulary, and aids pronunciation in any language.

✔ Listen to audiobooks, ideally with a physical book to follow along –Exposure to text with audio in natural contexts helps with word recognition.
✔ Use language-learning programs and games – look for interactive activities in other languages to make learning engaging and fun.

Whether through books, videos, conversations, music, or play—engagement with multiple languages stimulates brain development, improves cognitive function, and enhances literacy skills. The goal is not perfection, but consistent and enjoyable exposure.  Every bit of language input helps!

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

References:

Bialystok, 2011; Carlson & Meltzoff, 2008; Fan, Liberman, Keysar & Kinzler, 2015; Kovelman, Baker & Petitto, 2008; Kuhl, 2010; Snow, 2010.

Literacy Is More Than Reading

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When we think of “reading”, we often picture a child reading a book. But is that being “literate?”

Several years ago, I had an interesting experience.  I met a teenage language learner who was eager to demonstrate her English skills. She proudly read — almost flawlessly — a section from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. It was so well-read that I was flabbergasted by her linguistic proficiency.

When she was done (and after my generous compliments), I asked her for a glass of water.  She stared at me blankly. She had no idea what I was saying.

After a little more probing, I realized she could read the words, but with no understanding whatsoever.

Since then, I’ve discovered this to be true of many emerging readers, not just multilingual learners, but also native-English speakers as well. First and second graders often surprise me when they read aloud with apparent fluency. But when asked to explain what they read, it’s not unusual to see blank faces.

So, what’s going on?

Literacy Is More Than “Reading”

Literacy is not a single skill but a network of interrelated abilities. True literacy goes beyond decoding words in a book or filling out worksheets. To become confident, capable communicators, children must learn to listen, speak, write, and read.

The National Literacy Trust defines literacy as “the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world” (NLT, 2019).

Here is a summary of each modality and how each fits into a well-rounded approach to literacy instruction:

LISTENING is the foundational skill

Traditional literacy instruction often prioritizes reading and writing at the expense of the foundational importance of listening. Yet, active listening contributes strongly to phonological awareness, an essential early skill for decoding words. 

Listening also helps all learners — and especially MLLs — further develop a more intuitive grasp of both syntax and pronunciation.  

Children who are exposed to rich oral language environments develop a more robust vocabulary and better mastery of grammatical structures. Therefore, listening to spoken language supports reading and writing development. 

Listening also contributes to comprehension, making it easier for emerging readers to understand different texts as they progress toward reading fluency (Shanahan, 2023; Gough & Tunmer, 1986).

Why SPEAKING matters

When students (both MLLs and native-English speakers) discuss stories, ask questions, or retell events aloud, they are also learning to organize their thoughts, make inferences, and practice using more academic vocabulary. 

The vocabulary learned from texts is often absent in normal conversation and therefore needs to be learned through literature. 

Speaking activities, such as discussions and presentations, prompt learners to process and articulate their ideas, leading to deeper comprehension. In fact, speaking is so important, many researchers have concluded that oral language skills are strong predictors of reading comprehension, especially among pre-school children and multilingual learners (Snow, 2010).

WRITING is the key tool for comprehension

While writing is often viewed as a separate skill from reading, research supports the conclusion that writing directly enhances reading comprehension. 

Why? Writing practice helps learners internalize new vocabulary and concepts acquired through reading and listening, which in turn deepens comprehension and critical thinking. When children write about what they read, they process the content more deeply. 

The benefits of writing extend across all grade levels: students who write more, demonstrate improved recall and deeper understanding of content (Graham & Hebert 2011).

READING expands vocabulary and boosts critical thinking
The process of reading contributes significantly to vocabulary development, comprehension, and most importantly, critical thinking. Exposure to a wide variety of written texts allows learners to see different grammatical and sentence structures in action, which further reinforces their understanding of language and expands their ability to use it well  (Nagy & Anderson 1984).
ALL MODALITIES are interconnected

To be truly “literate” all modalities need development.  It makes sense that strengthening one modality also strengthens the others. This interconnectedness suggests that an effective literacy program needs to incorporate all modalities — not reading alone — to maximize literacy and the subsequent learning outcomes.

Helpful strategies for multimodal instruction:
  • Use multimedia resources (audiobooks, podcasts) to build listening skills and expose learners to diverse linguistic inputs;
  • Incorporate read-aloud sessions followed by discussions to improve listening comprehension and speaking skills;
  • Include writing reflections on texts to deepen reading comprehension and analytical thinking;
  • Use paired reading and peer discussions to strengthen speaking and listening skills as well as recall.

By embracing a multimodal approach that includes listening, speaking, writing as well as reading, educators can foster deeper comprehension, stronger communication skills, and build a more enduring foundation in literacy that will serve all learners for the rest of their lives. 

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

References:

Castles, Rastle, & Nation (2018); Duke & Pearson (2002); Fitzgerald & Shanahan (2000); Graham & Hebert (2011); Nagy & Anderson (1984); Scarborough (2001); Snow (2010); Stanovich (1986)

Translanguaging: An Effective Bridge for Multilingual Learners

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Translanguaging: An Effective Bridge for Multilingual Learners

For decades, the prevailing consensus about language learning was that “full immersion” was the only way to master a new language. The idea was that we should all be able to “learn language naturally” like a child.

That hasn’t always proven true.

For most language learners, “immersion” quickly becomes what I call “submersion.” Without a language bridge, the learner feels lost, then discouraged, and often disengages altogether.

When our family moved overseas, I tried immersion. I thought I would be able to pick up at least a little language naturally on my own. I eagerly listened to television, radio, and tuned in to people speaking around me.

The result? I learned about four words!

It wasn’t until I began to explicitly learn the words for numbers, then basic vocabulary for different foods, and finally some useful phrases, that I was able to slowly (very slowly at first!) piece together the new language and connect it to English. Finally, I could begin to understand — and be understood.

I needed that language bridge!

So, what exactly is “translanguaging?”

Translanguaging is not simply translation. It’s a pedagogical approach that suggests that language learners benefit significantly when they can use their first language skills to learn, think, and express themselves along their path to language fluency—even while English remains the primary language of instruction.

According to many years of research, using the first language is actually not an obstacle to acquiring a second language —  instead, it is one of the most powerful tools learners have to acquire a new language.

Contrary to the misconception that reliance on the home language hinders development, studies consistently show that literacy skills developed in the primary language transfer to the second language (August et al., 2005; August & Shanahan, 2006; Cummins, 2015).

In other words, the concept of “translanguaging”— whereby learners are allowed to use their first language skills to acquire and learn in a second language (such as English) — can actually accelerate proficiency in the second language.

At StoryWorld, we embrace this concept fully. On our platform, multilingual learners can instantly switch languages on any text to support comprehension and access the translation in context. We find that this empowers students to transition more rapidly from their home language to English, learn according to their own pace, and grow language skills in a more engaging and effective way.

Here’s what the research says about translanguaging:

1. Literacy Skills Transfer Across Languages

One of the strongest arguments for using the primary language as a bridge to the second language is “cross-linguistic transfer”—the idea that skills acquired in the home language can be applied to the new one. Research has shown that phonemic awareness, reading comprehension strategies, and writing skills developed in one language often support the learning of another. For example, if a student knows how to identify the main idea in Spanish, they can use the same skill when reading in English (Riches & Genesee, 2006; Silverman, 2007).

2. First Language Scaffolds Support Comprehension and Reduce Cognitive Overload

To learn new content in English, multilingual students need to grapple with new vocabulary, grammatical structures, cultural references, and new materials—all at once. Translanguaging reduces this cognitive overload, allowing learners to focus more on content rather than decoding every word from scratch (Fillmore, 1991; García, 2009).

3. Translanguaging Supports Higher Academic Achievement

Because it takes time to master a new language (between 5–7 years for academic mastery), allowing multilingual learners to use all their language resources helps them understand complex content more easily.

Research further suggests that when translanguaging is implemented in classroom instruction, it improves overall academic performance over time, particularly among multilingual learners (Palmer et al., 2020).

4. Students show Increased Engagement and Confidence

When students are allowed to rely on their home language, they feel more validated and competent. This increases their willingness to take risks in learning the second language (Bell & Bogan, 2013; Woodall, 2002).

Studies have shown that students who receive first-language support experience lower anxiety and are more likely to engage in meaningful interactions in the new language.

5. Strengthens Cultural Connections

Allowing students to use their first language in the learning process helps them retain their cultural heritage while acquiring new linguistic skills (García, 2009).

A few practical suggestions for teachers:
  • Use bilingual texts and translations – Providing first-language translations at the start enables students to comprehend texts more quickly and reinforce meaning.
  • Incorporate audio scaffolds – Platforms that include audio support enable learners to hear both languages, strengthening skills in both.
  • Allow use of home-language for writing and speaking tasks – Especially early on, encourage students to brainstorm in their home language before expressing ideas in the target language.
  • Highlight cross-linguistic connections – Teach similarities between languages (e.g., shared root words or grammar structures) to deepen understanding.
  • Gradually reduce first-language support – As learners gain confidence, lessen their reliance on home-language scaffolds to encourage independence.

So how did things turn out for me? I never gained total fluency — but I was able to teach children English by using their first language as a bridge.

That accomplishment was its own reward.

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

My son “translanguaging” with his teacher at school in China.

References:

August et al., 2005; August & Shanahan, 2006; Bell & Bogan, 2013; Cook, 2001; Cummins, 2001; Cummins, 2015; Fillmore, 1991; García, 2009; García & Wei, 2014; Palmer et al., 2020; Riches & Genesee, 2006; Seltzer & García, 2020; Silverman, 2007; Thomas & Collier, 2002; Ulanoff & Pucci, 1999; Woodall, 2002

The Learning Power of Stories

Posted on by StoryWorld
The Learning Power of Stories

When I taught English to young language learners overseas, I taught the usual words: colors, numbers, basic vocabulary, and common phrases. But, despite my valiant efforts, I struggled to keep their attention.    

Then I discovered the power of stories!

One day, I grabbed a book to read aloud and everything changed.  Suddenly, the words “big” “and “small” came alive with meaning. Almost immediately the entire class was excited.  Every eye was on the story, and every mind was fully focused.

This wasn’t the way the school was used to teaching English! At first, I had some pushback. But it worked. Over time, the faculty saw how the children were more engaged, how they began to speak more fluently. By the end of the year, the parents were delighted.

Now neuroscience is revealing just how powerful stories really are. It turns out stories actually shape the way our brains work. They affect how we learn, what we remember, and even how we feel toward each other.

How stories shape our brains

Stories light up our brain in ways that facts and figures don’t. According to brain science, when we dive into a story, we don’t just process the words — we imagine the sounds, sights, and movements. So, it’s not just the language center of our brain that gets involved when we listen or read a story. Brain scans show that stories also engage different parts of our brains that handle movement, emotions, and even our senses. 

The mental “movie” created by stories actually helps students focus better, remember details more clearly, and understand concepts more deeply. Stories build those important learning skills like growing vocabulary and recall. And, when stories are paired with visuals — such as illustrations or diagrams — they are even more impactful. 

In short, stories make learning stick.

Why stories make learning a language easier

Learning a new language can be hard — unless it’s wrapped in a story! Stories give language learners real-life context for new words and grammar, making it easier to understand and remember them more naturally. According to researchers, exposure to narratives enhances language fluency, vocabulary acquisition, recall, and even concentration (Farrell & Nessel, 1982; Maguire, 1985; Wright & Dunsmuir, 2019).

Stories also promote deeper engagement. When learners care about the story, they naturally want to know what the words mean — and that motivation boosts learning (Immordino-Yang & Damasio, 2007).

Stories also build empathy

Beyond their cognitive benefits, stories also teach feelings. Neuroscientific studies suggest that compelling stories actually activate brain regions associated with the ability to understand and predict the thoughts and feelings of others (Mar, 2011). 

That suggests that when students step into a different character’s world, they learn to understand things from another perspective and this builds empathy, emotional intelligence, and even helps students make sense of their own lives. 

So, whether it’s reading a fairy tale or sharing a personal memory, stories can help students deal with their own challenges, understand relationships, and grow as people.

Why stories matter

The amazing power of stories lies in their remarkable ability to engage, inspire and teach all at once. From enhancing cognitive ability and language acquisition to fostering emotional intelligence, stories are one of the most powerful learning tools we have as educators. 

Through StoryWorld we work to capture the learning power of stories by combining compelling, meaningful narratives with visuals and follow-up activities to reinforce skills development and strengthen recall. 

As research continues to affirm their impact, educators can use the transformative impact of stories to help to build both the “brains and hearts” of our students at the same time, enriching both their personal lives and academic future.

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards for educational programs. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

My first class of language learners at Soong Ching Ling Kindergarten, Shanghai China, 2005

References:

Boulenger & Nazir, 2010; Carney & Levin, 2002; Farrell & Nessel, 1982; González, Barros-Loscertales, Pulvermüller, Meseguer, Sanjuán, Belloch & Ávila, 2006; Immordino-Yang & Damasio, 2007; Maguire, 1985; Mar, 2011; Wright & Dunsmuir, (2019).

Can Science of Reading help multilingual learners?

Posted on by StoryWorld
Can Science of Reading help multilingual learners?

Absolutely!

As teacher of English language learners, and a parent of a multilingual learner, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of Science of Reading (SoR) principles — as well as the perils of missing out.

It’s why I started StoryWorld!

My son, who grew up in Shanghai China, did not learn phonics in school and was falling behind in English.  When we returned to the U.S. mid-way through his 3rd grade, his teacher told me: “Well, his Chinese is great, but he can’t read.”  

So, he was moved back to 2nd grade, but he had clearly missed the basics.  He could not even get through a 1st-grade level book.  It took every creative approach and resource I could find to help him. He had to catch up, and we had to do it quickly.

What was the secret? Stories!  What was the glue? Phonics!

After much trial and error, it worked.  Stories became the hook with phonics carefully woven in. Eventually, I decided to put everything that worked into StoryWorld.  Through the program, I share all the activities and resources that I’ve found to make a difference: engage through compelling stories, focus on core literacy skills, include all modalities, grow crucial vocabulary, and secure a strong foundation in decoding with as much practice as possible. 

I’m happy to say he caught up, and can now speak, read, and write fluently in two languages.

I can personally attest to how effective these core Science of Reading principles are, especially when applied in concert. I’ve seen the immense benefits for multilingual learners including my son. And, if it helped him, I believe they will help others as well.

So, how does a teacher incorporate Science of Reading principles for MLLs?

First, Science of Reading is not phonics, nor is it a “program.” SoR is an evidence-based framework that recognizes that reading is a multilayered process that encompasses five key literacy principles: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. 

The task of teaching all these processes is not easy, especially to multilingual students who have many diverse linguistic challenges. But to succeed, we must apply our best.  MLLs need to navigate the complexities of converting new sounds into new words, decode those words from symbols (sometimes having to learn an entirely new alphabetic system), and at the same time comprehend what is being communicated. 

To break down the process, here is how each of the five key Science of Reading principles can be applied to MLLs and help them read English more quickly:

Step 1: Phonological Awareness

By first deconstructing the sounds of words into recognizable phonemes educators provide MLLs (along with all students) with a solid foundation for learning how to decode words, a crucial step toward reading proficiency. For these students, being able to listen to the sounds of individual letters is extremely helpful. This process is also crucial for students who are not familiar with the alphabetic system. 

Step 2: Phonics Instruction

Explicit and systematic phonics instruction is also critical for MLLs, and especially for those who struggle with the phonetic intricacies of the English language. By teaching the basic word-sound relationship, educators provide MLLs with a coherent approach to decoding written words.  For these students, being able to listen to individual words in a sentence — and in context — is very useful.  But an over-emphasis on phonics at the expense of basic English language practice, can quickly reach a point of diminishing returns.  Which leads to the importance of vocabulary…. 

Step 3: Vocabulary Development 

Vocabulary development is critical for all learners — and especially MLLs! The Science of Reading recognizes the importance of vocabulary development including practice in word meaning, usage, and especially high-frequency words. By incorporating relevant, content-specific vocabulary activities into lessons, educators can support MLLs in expanding their linguistic skills and comprehension, thereby creating a stronger foundation for reading as well as verbal and written expression.

Step 4: Fluency Building

Fluency means being able to read aloud a text accurately and with meaning. I’ve worked with many English learners (both native-English speakers and MLLs) who can read aloud fluently but have limited knowledge of what they actually read!  MLLs can especially benefit if they understand generally what they are reading in advance of having to read the text in order to reduce the cognitive load required to decode.  

MLLs should be expected to practice more than their native English peers through repeated oral reading of texts to demonstrate both oral fluency and meaning.  (Native English speakers also benefit by this practice!) Using read-aloud texts narrated by native-English speakers to model oral fluency, can further help fluency especially at the early stages of literacy development.

Step 5: Comprehension Strategies:

Ultimately reading is about comprehension. For MLLs, comprehension is the last important hurdle, especially as vocabulary becomes more complex. Because MLLs are often shy about expressing themselves verbally, their lack of oral fluency can slow down English proficiency. However, targeted practice like retelling a story, answering open-ended answers that require use of a broader lexicon (e.g., depth of knowledge or inference questions), not only reinforces language recall, it significantly improves the ability of MLLs to develop more confidence in language usage as their English proficiency grows.

Multilingual learners face distinct challenges, particularly in mastering the intricacies of language acquisition.  However, with practice in all modalities (listening, speaking, writing, as well as reading) combined with tenacity and our encouragement, they will succeed!

Cynthia Harrison Barbera

Cynthia Harrison Barbera is President and CEO, StoryWorld International.  She served as VP Educational Technology for Scholastic and is the recipient of two US Presidential awards. An Emmy-award winner for a television series on education, she has taught English to native-speakers and ELL students in the US and overseas.

Cynthia and son in front of a statue that was based on the same tale as the StoryWorld book Four Friends.

References:

Linklater, et al., 2009, Yeung & Ganotice, 2014; Shanahan & Beck, 2008; Chiappe, Siegel, & Wade-Woolley, 2002; Shanahan, 2019; Hakuta et al., 2015; Townsend et al., 2012; Geva, et al., 1997; Geva & Yaghoub-Zadeh, 2006, Wolf & Katzir-Cohen, 2001; Farnia & Geva, 2011; IES/NCEE, 2022.