THE READING BRAIN by Camelia Walker

A recurring theme these days is that the growing use of tools like computers and smartphones, along with using web search engines like Google is making people less literate.  By less literate they mean, we have trouble focusing on long paragraphs of complex information and ideas. Even when people can get through the reading, they have difficulty remembering and understanding what they’ve read.

How is this possible,you wonder? And why would anyone say that as you sit here…reading this article?

Maryanne Wolf, a neuroscientist at Tufts University, said "I worry that the superficial way we read during the day is affecting us when we have to read with more in-depth processing. In her book, Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Wolf describes how, in terms of evolution, reading is a recently acquired skill. Her work with a wide variety of readers leads her to argue that while we humans have learned to read, our brains were not necessary designed for it. If we don’t exercise that skill, we may lose it altogether.

Before we humans got so efficient with web-surfing, we read in sequential ways, page after page, chapter after chapter. But have a look at the average webpage and it’s a celebration of non-linear, non-sequential reading: you have bulleted lists, glowing links, photos, pop-up videos, and a scrolling display of text and a flashing ad. Reading online involves bold points, graphics and short sentences and ideas. The brain gets used to jumping around the page/screen, popping from one idea to the next.

Through our time on the internet we’ve developed the skill and habit of quickly scrolling, visually finding the key words, looking for key information points and gathering data. That’s a useful way to experience the internet but it does not work for reading books. Reading a book requires some level of sustained focus and attention—the very opposite of useful/skillful use of internet and social media sites.

Developing the skill to efficiently navigate websites, email and social media is different from the skill of reading. Are we doomed to only be able to surf the web and read only short snippets of information?

Luckily, contrary to popular belief, old dogs can learn new tricks and the brain can change throughout life. Wolf encourages people to aim for ‘bi-literacy’, becoming fluent in both print and digital reading. Wolf describes having to force herself to sit and read a novel. It required learning how to slow down, to read each word rather than scanning the page. She had to force herself to stay with the process long enough to comprehend what she read. Before long, she was able to regain the skill of reading and comprehending, but it was a process.

What can we do?

Smartphones and computers are a part of life, so it’s unreasonable to imagine getting rid of the digital tools in favor of books and paper reading only. Instead, we can follow Wolf’s lead and develop bi-literacy. Leave smartphone and computer use for work purposes only and commit some portion of each day to reading printed books. You might try reading poetry and short stories to get your brain back in shape and build up to novels and literature or non-fiction. Let us know how it goes and let us know if you need help with reading or want to improve your reading comprehension. Happy reading! 

GET TO KNOW A CONTRIBUTOR

Camelia Walker is a lifelong reader and lover of books, tech toys and ginger snap cookies. She works at the Goldsboro Public Library. http://www.wcpl.org/

5 Foods for Optimum Cognitive Health

We all know that staying active and doing crossword puzzles will help keep our brains stay sharp, as we get older.  But did you know that certain dietary components have positive effects on cognitive function while others promote cognitive decline?  They do.  Here is a list of five foods that will help keep your brain proficient.

BLUEBERRIES have been coined “brainberries” by Dr. Steven Pratt, MD.  He swears that they reduce the effects of age-related cognitive diseases such as dementia.  Add a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries to your morning smoothie, oatmeal, or eat them alone as an afternoon snack every day to ftheir full benefits.

SALMON contains Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are imperative for normal brain function.  Think of the fatty acid as motor oil for your brain; if you run out of oil, it won’t work efficiently.  If you’re not a fish-fan, try adding flax seed, chia seed, or walnuts to your daily diet.

SPINACH is a brain-health powerhouse containing vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta-carotene which all assist in abating cognitive decline. Add a handful of spinach (or any dark leafy green) to your morning shake, sandwich, or salad for the added benefits.

AVOCADO Yay!  Another reason to enjoy this fan-favorite.  Avocados contain monounsaturated fat and vitamin E, which contribute to healthy blood flow and has been shown to reduce cognitive decay in elderly patients. Make avocado toast, add it to your salsa, or top your salad with avocado to receive the brain gain.

DARK CHOCOLATE contains impressive antioxidant properties, flavonoids, as well as caffeine, and other natural stimulants to help you focus and improve your mood.  Enjoy one ounce of dark chocolate every day to improve your brain function, increase your energy level, and because it’s delicious!  

REFERENCES

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/

https://www.brainmdhealth.com/blog/vitamin-d-fish-oil-for-double-header-brain-and-mood-boost/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/eat-smart-healthier-brain#2 

GET TO KNOW A CONTRIBUTOR!

My name is Tiffany Cleveland, and I am an adult literacy tutor at Literacy Connections.  I’m also a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Air National Guard, a business owner, a Frito Scoops addict and a lifetime learner. I’m educated in the realm of Environmental Science and Sustainability, and I have called Goldsboro home, with my husband and cats, for the last two years.  The opportunity to become a tutor at the Literacy Connection called to me as soon as I heard about it, and it has meant a lot to me ever since.   I struggled through high school and college with anxiety, and I know that I couldn’t have gotten through them without the encouragement of a few people.  I think that it’s our responsibility to pass on the knowledge and inspiration that we have within us and learn from everyone that we’re blessed enough to meet.  

My First Love by Dawn Amory

"It was 1978, I was six years old and thought    our new house on       Peachtree Street         was haunted."

We had moved into the city limits from the county, from the only house I had ever known, into this new house with the scary upstairs, tiny yard and the neighbors that you could reach out and touch.  We had only been there a few months when Dad left in the middle of the night.  I was frightened of my upstairs’ bedroom, so I was asleep on the couch downstairs. I woke up as he was leaving and asked him where he was going.  He said he was leaving for a while.  I didn’t see him again for several years.

I was the baby in the family and I loved my Dad fiercely.  I knew that he came home some nights, smelling funny and laughing too loud.  Sometimes, he would be fun and throw me in the air and give me candy from his pocket.  Other times he would yell, and my mother would cry.  The next morning, she would wake with bruises.  In his absence, all I could think of was the Saturday morning when he took me to the park and the library.  We got books and he taught me how to read.

The only redeeming quality I could find about the new house was that it was exactly 6 blocks from the park and the library.  The park was a vast wonderland covering two city blocks, with a train that ran on weekends and snow cones for a quarter.  There were swings, slides, merry go rounds, and an old cannon that we could climb all over.  But the best part of the park was the little red bridge that led to the public library. One Saturday, after Dad left, when Mom was at work and my brothers and sister were otherwise occupied, I walked those six blocks, running when the barking dogs made me jump, with a determination I didn’t know I had.  I reached the park and tried to pretend I was a little blond girl, happy and skipping, swinging and laughing.  When I felt the cautious eyes of the parents playing with their children, I decided to try the library.   

I walked through the automatic doors that led to the reception desk where the unsmiling clerk sat. To the left was the adult section, all orderly rows, monotone, and intimidating. When the lady behind the desk asked me if I wanted help, I said I just wanted to look at the books.  She pointed me towards the children’s section on the right.  It was a fairyland with brightly colored carpet, shelves of books arranged by age and interest, captivating pictures depicting the adventures to be found within.  There were bean bags, foam squares, and chairs, in red, blues and greens, begging me to flop down on them.  I walked along every section, as I had when I came with Dad, engrossed in the titles and pictures, carefully pulling a book from the shelf when my interest was piqued. I decided I wanted them all, so I walked back to the front desk and waited until the lady saw me.  I asked if I could check some books out, but she said I had to be seven years old and have a parent sign for me to get a library card. She said I was welcome to stay there and read if I wanted.  

She must have made me feel welcome because I went back and found Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Ronald Dahl and a blue foam cushion by the window and I started to read.  I was transported, I was no longer in that library, I was Charlie with his sick grandparents, praying for a golden ticket.  I could taste the chocolate on my tongue and see Wonka’s wonderland.  There were some words I didn’t know but I kept going, devouring the phrases I understood to garner the meaning.  I remember being stiff at times so I would get up, stretch, and walk around, never taking my eyes from the page.  I don’t know how long I stayed, I don’t know where anyone thought I was, but I finished that book that day and floated out of the library. I made my way home, giddy from the adventure I just taken.

That was the beginning of my love affair with words, stories, characters, places that took me far away from my little town, scary house, and missing parents.  I’ve never felt lonely with a book in my hand.

GET TO KNOW A CONTRIBUTOR!

DAWN AMORY is a lifelong lover of the written word and its power to make you feel something other than your own reality.  After ending her longtime career in Operations and IT at a local manufacturing company, she became a volunteer tutor at Literacy Connections.  Soon afterwards, she began consulting on their software system.   She enjoys the welcoming atmosphere, working with students, and listening to the sounds of people learning and growing, while working at the computer.