CHICAGO – As a single mom who works full-time, Elizabeth Diaz doesn’t always have time to read bedtime stories to her four children each night.
But a few years ago, the time Diaz spent reading to her children increased sharply. As part of a local study, Diaz was receiving text alerts on her phone that urged her to read stories loaded on an iPad researchers had given her.
“When they reminded me, I wanted to do more of the reading goals,” said Diaz, 35.
Amid today’s advanced technologies, the humble text message is offering new promise for closing gaps in achievement among students – by targeting the behavior of their parents. Informed by science, several new texting programs have helped parents and caregivers develop habits at home that best help kids succeed.
