July 2024 -

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Episode 337 – The Summer Slump

Sara Fade
July 25, 2024

Have you heard of the term “Summer Slump?” It’s something that actually exists, and we […]

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Episode 336 – Less Screen Time, More Talk Time

Sara Fade
July 18, 2024

On this week’s show, Nicole discusses the importance of monitoring your child’s screen time, and […]

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Episode 335- Watch Kanopy & Eat Ice Cream!

Sara Fade
July 11, 2024

Did you know library cardholders have access to a Netflix-like streaming service that allows you […]

Decoding the 4th Grade Slump + New Music on Hoopla | Ep. 430 - Middle Country Public Library Podcast

Nicole explores the "Fourth Grade Slump"—the well-documented drop in reading comprehension scores that often occurs when students shift from learning to read to reading to learn. Drawing from Daniel Willingham’s book "Why Don’t Students Like School?", she discusses how background knowledge is essential for understanding texts, why the gap widens along socioeconomic lines, and how prior exposure to ideas, vocabulary, and experiences gives some children a significant advantage. Then, Sara highlights popular music available to stream instantly on Hoopla Digital, playing a game of name-that-tune, along with plenty of "singing."