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The Brain Science of Reading
We’re incredibly excited to announce Dr. Jason Yeatman as our 2025 ReadingPals Conference & Celebration keynote speaker! Dr. Yeatman completed his Ph.D. in Psychology at Stanford where he studied the neurobiology of literacy and developed new brain imaging methods for studying the relationship between brain plasticity and learning.
His keynote presentation “The Brain Science of Reading” will examine how the brain learns to read, why some children struggle, and the vital role of brain plasticity in early literacy development. Drawing on neuroimaging research from the Brain Development and Education Lab, he’ll explain how reading instruction shapes brain circuitry and highlight targeted intervention strategies to support diverse learners effectively.
Feel free to share this with anyone that has a shared interest in early brain development,
early learning or literacy.
*Please select United Way of the Big Bend Region (Leon County) as the program during registration.
The cost of NOT educating children is high and lasts a lifetime
A child living in poverty who cannot read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade is more likely to fall behind, become frustrated with school, and drop out before graduating high school. High school drop-outs are more likely to engage in criminal behavior, require social service assistance and/or be employed in low-wage jobs thereby perpetuating a cycle of poverty. United Way changes the lives of children in low-income families by increasing access to high quality early childhood education, funding youth development and early intervention programs, and identifying strategies to keep older youth in school and on track to graduate.
What we are achieving
The ReadingPals program provides volunteer mentors for students from pre-K to 3rd grade who may need extra help—operating in 22 counties through 15 regional programs. Over the last 13 years, more than 33,000 students have received a ReadingPals mentor and a share of 572,000 donated books.
Through compassionate and caring mentors, ReadingPals is continuing to work to improve the reading ability of children in the Big Bend region. Every year, ReadingPals relies on a community of mentors who assist one-to-one with the development of literacy skills of students in prekindergarten through third grade who have been identified as struggling readers. ReadingPals mentors commit to reading and working with children for one hour a week through the course of one school year using a structured reading lesson guide. Each participating child takes home a new book every week to build their home library and encourage a love of reading!
MENTORING: To build genuine, impactful relationships between students and volunteer mentors.
EARLY LITERACY: To guide and reinforce students’ love of reading.
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: To help support a strong social-emotional foundation through self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making.
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Sign up to be a ReadingPal and help change a child’s future!
For more information and to register to become a ReadingPals volunteer, please contact CommunityImpact@uwbb.org or (850) 414-0844, option 4
