Using Advances in Cognitive Science to Improve Students Study Skills and Reading Comprehension

National and international assessments of reading, science and math indicate that students and adults in the United States lag behind citizens of other developed nations. While there are many reasons for this lag, recent advances in cognitive science and technology have uncovered promising ways to intervene and help struggling students. This chapter will review recent developments from the cognitive literature that can potentially shed light on solutions for improving students' study skills, as well as their general reading comprehension. We draw upon the available literature from reading strategy research and recent advances in assessment. Collectively, while this research indicates that the construct of reading is evolving, modern reading interventions are positioned to help prepare students for 21st Century literacy activities. [This manuscript is an early draft of a paper published in: R. Schiff and R. M. Joshi (Eds). "Interventions in Learning Disabilities: Literacy Studies," 13, (pp. 139-158). Switzerland: Springer International.]