The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study was just released. It is a wide survey focusing on primary school reading standards, conducted every five years. It also surveys aspects such as how safe children feel. At right is a summary table extracted from the press release pack (zip). The executive summary is here. Other links …
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Category:7 Holonics and Life
Literacy is declining rapidly in developed economies.
The following extract from PPI Trade Fact of the Week makes sobering reading. While the data is for the US, I am sure that it reflects similar trends in other wealthy nations, certainly anglophone ones. The culprits of declining literacy are presumably attractive TV, movies and video games combined with lowering of scholarship standards by …
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Nature’s Investment Bank – marine habitats
The Nature Conservancy has published a report Nature’s Investment Bank, which examines four marine protection areas in Fiji, Indonesia, Philippines and the Solomon Islands, to assess what constitutes a successful community conservation scheme that provides sustainable economics. Research into four successful schemes showed that getting villagers involved in protection projects reduced harmful overfishing and protected …
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Addicted
I’m addicted, you’re addicted, we’re all addicted. But not addicted to love, sadly. We might like to think that we’re immune, but facing the truth, we must own up that our addictions are open secrets. Let’s touch a few bases to see where addiction might be in our lives. From personal to popular, from body …
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Oxfam report urges pragmatic drug pricing in emerging economies
A new report by Oxfam, Investing for life: Meeting poor people’s needs for access to medicines through responsible business practices, urges pharmaceutical companies to lower retail prices for drug in emerging economies. At current levels, the drugs are not affordable by 85% of people who could benefit from them, and whose alternative is often death. …
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Lower stress and lower calories to live longer, again
New research again supports the notion that eating less and having lower stress are significant factors in extending longevity. In a study detailed in the journal Nature, US scientists from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, exposed nematode worms were exposed to 88,000 chemicals in turn and mianserin, an antidepressant drug, extended lifespan by …
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Weight influences self-esteem in young children because of social pressure
A study Girls shout out! Under ten and under pressure, published by Girlguiding UK and eating disorders charity beat, found girls associated being overweight with being bullied and sad, while families and friends make them feel happy and good about themselves. Girls as young as seven believe being slim and attractive will mean you are …
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Education should provide more support for experiential learning over academics in early years
Dr Lilian Katz, a professor of education at the University of Illinois, USA who addressed an international conference on foundation-stage learning at the University of Oxford, spoke out against plans to teach reading at pre-school and said there is a danger that children could be put off reading for life. She said: “The evidence we …
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Emotional intelligence at 6 months
According to new research, 6 month old babies can already assess someone’s intentions towards them, deciding who is a likely friend or enemy, even though they are barely able to sit up. Like all social creatures, humans are able to make rapid judgements of other people based on how they behave towards others, but the …
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Making sense of the right to carry weapons
The US Supreme Court is to consider Americans’ right to bear arms for the first time in nearly 70 years. It has agreed to rule on whether a ban on handguns by the city of Washington, DC (since 1976) complies with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it …
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