Have you ever seen a child hunched over a book, giggling all by themselves? When you look closely, you’ll notice the expression of their feelings while reading – smiles during funny parts or frowns and tension during the exciting and anxious parts. I think it is a clear indication of reading and comprehending.

Writing is more than just putting words on paper. It is an important stage in communication. As parents we tend to forget that writing is a complex cognitive task. It requires putting to use a variety of mentally and physically demanding skills all at once.

School can be a strange and uncertain environment to parents whose primary language is other than English. Though unable to bridge language barriers, parents feel the need to be part of a system which socializes their children. For many, education is viewed as their family’s path to success. Like parents everywhere, Krishna’s parents also wanted him to do well, yet felt uncertain about a language and culture that was different from their own.