麻豆番外

The core of our work and mission at 麻豆番外 is to make literacy accessible to children, especially those who are underprivileged, have been victims of society disparities, or are just running behind on their reading skills by third grade. We all know that, right? (Everyone please say, “right!”)

It鈥檚 also safe to say we all agree that the nature of our work is highly rewarding. We love our jobs because we have a career that allows us to be of service. We have a purpose in the work we do. It鈥檚 a machine, where we all do our parts and keep the engines going fort an outcome that is highly rewarding. But it鈥檚 also very important to keep being conscious of what we do inwards to help us show up to fulfill this purpose. What are we doing to walk the walk and talk the talk?听

Often, we talk about the . Reading is the foundation for all learning, so for kids, it鈥檚 of utmost importance that they have strong literacy skills before their school curriculum changes from learning to read to reading to learn. But what about adults? As champions of educational equity and literacy for all, by doing exactly what we鈥檙e encouraging our students to do, we can bring ourselves closer to a world where everyone benefits from reading.听

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Literacy in adults听

Many of the benefits found from reading in adults are those similar to the ones for children, with the difference being that our brain development and stimulations needed to 鈥渟trength train鈥� our brains are highly different than those of children. Below are three of the main reasons why you should get back on your reading journey if you haven’t picked up a book in a whole, or just begin one.

Mental & physical health听

On the physical side, with lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, and improving sleep quality. On the mental side, it builds character, teaches us how to navigate difficult situations and emotions, releases endorphins, helps us develop critical thinking skills, stimulates our imagination, prevents memory loss, and in general, makes us An active brain will promote mental and emotional fitness.听

Develop empathy for others听

Reading fiction specifically allows you to live experiences and step into the minds of characters that can be very different from yourself. This is a simulation of real-life social interactions and struggles that enable you to understand and

Improve vocabulary and writing skills

When you鈥檙e persistent with reading, it makes you more fluent while speaking and your word flow is more consistent. You will discover new words you may not encounter in everyday conversation and understand their context and how to use them.听

are some practical ways you can improve your vocabulary and writing skills.听

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Kickstart your reading journey

Don鈥檛 feel discouraged if you feel challenged or are falling behind in your reading journey. Life can catch up to us easily and derail us from things that bring joy and are good to us. Just as you are keeping up with your physical health, diet, and close relationships, make sure you take some daily time to stimulate your brain, give it a little workout, and take advantage of all it has to offer. Here are some small ways you can ease (back) into reading books:听

• Swap your daily phone scrolling for reading just one time per day.
• Choose your books on topics that spark your interest.
• Find out what people you admire or look up to and connect with them through reading books, or just get inspiration from them to find books you鈥檒l be interested in.
• Make it a habit or create a routine before bedtime or while sipping your coffee.

Books stimulate your mind, support mental health, uplift your mood, and provide limitless opportunities for discovery. Whether you鈥檙e drawn to novels or short stories, fiction or non-fiction, grab a paperback or an e-reader to enjoy the countless mental and physical perks of reading.

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