Emily, thanks for your fascinating analysis of the research. The Texas case studies showing 120-228 point Lexile gains through large print adoption support a thesis about cognitive load redistribution. Iām particularly intrigued by how the reduced decoding effort might be creating a virtuous cycle ā as comprehension improves, students experience more reading success, further boosting engagement. I like your curb-cut effect analogy that text accessibility features could help all readers, not just those with visual impairments. This research deserves greater consideration in education policy, especially for populations facing linguistic or cognitive barriers. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Great point, cognitive load could well be reduced, especially for people who don't yet decode automatically. I didn't mention it in the post, but studies find that making print *harder* to read affects people differently, depending on their reading skill.
I think so much of mental illness and school failure are vicious cycles, so I love the idea that making reading easier this way could start a virtuous cycle! I'd love to see a longitudinal study follow these students and see how their reading skills, engagement, and confidence grow.
Would love to hear more of your thoughts about virtuous cycles!
Emily, thanks for your fascinating analysis of the research. The Texas case studies showing 120-228 point Lexile gains through large print adoption support a thesis about cognitive load redistribution. Iām particularly intrigued by how the reduced decoding effort might be creating a virtuous cycle ā as comprehension improves, students experience more reading success, further boosting engagement. I like your curb-cut effect analogy that text accessibility features could help all readers, not just those with visual impairments. This research deserves greater consideration in education policy, especially for populations facing linguistic or cognitive barriers. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Great point, cognitive load could well be reduced, especially for people who don't yet decode automatically. I didn't mention it in the post, but studies find that making print *harder* to read affects people differently, depending on their reading skill.
I think so much of mental illness and school failure are vicious cycles, so I love the idea that making reading easier this way could start a virtuous cycle! I'd love to see a longitudinal study follow these students and see how their reading skills, engagement, and confidence grow.
Would love to hear more of your thoughts about virtuous cycles!