The skill and ability to read is important to people of all ages and in every culture around the world. Reading is essential to function properly in society. However, unfortunately, there is a huge percentage of individuals who have reading difficulties and cannot read properly. In fact, the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that fourth- and eighth-grade reading levels are critically low. To address this problem and ensure that all students from elementary to high school are adequately prepared for college in the future, the Common Core State Standards were established. These common core guidelines will help provide clarity on what is consistently required across the country regarding student learning. Until the adoption of the Common Core Standards, most states had their own set of standards for ELA. However, with the establishment of the Common Core, children around the world will be given equal opportunities in language learning, in order to adequately prepare them for their best future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay When looking for ways to teach students to read well, the first step is to look at the brain. Using technologies like functional MRI, we are now able to monitor brain activity and see patterns in a child's brain, which can tell us whether they are good readers or bad readers. The brain is a very complex and intricate organ made up of many parts. A brain is made up of two hemispheres and in each hemisphere there are many sections called lobes such as frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobe. Each part of the brain has a very specific function and job. Sally Shaywitz, an expert in dyslexia research, found that good readers show that the highest level of activity in the brain is in the occipital temporal area. He goes on to explain that good readers activate the back part of their brain while poor readers cannot use the back part of the brain properly. In order to change brain activity in children who struggle with reading, phonics and evidence-based instruction in phonemic awareness is used to help activate the back of these children's brains. Educators must use scientifically based reading instruction to make sure their teaching methods are effective. There are three ways educators can tell if research proves effective. First, if the research has been peer-reviewed and exposed to other scientists in the same field, it is considered effective research. Secondly, if the research has been copied and used by other researchers, who then obtained the same results, it is an effective research method. Finally, if the research is supported by other studies it can be considered an effective teaching practice.