Some children in the U.S. grow up under severe disadvantage in terms of the amount and quality of language they are exposed to in their earliest years. Researchers have documented that some children are exposed to roughly 30 million fewer words than other children during years that are critical for learning language. Researchers call this the “word gap” and say it portends lifelong consequences.
Two-year-old Baylee Shriner plays with toys like other children her age now, but that wasn’t the case several months ago. Baylee, who has autism spectrum disorder, had trouble interacting with the world around her and could not communicate with her mother, Linzi Shriner, of Tonganoxie, Kan. …
When students have more time to focus on class material and are not interrupted by inappropriate behavior, it stands to reason teachers will have more time to engage them and boost achievement. Researchers at the University of Kansas have secured an $8 million grant to expand a program that has been proven effective at boosting engagement and reducing disruptive behaviors to schools across the nation.