This week is jam-packed with instructors’ insights and ideas, like how to get students to write with passion and stimulating students through syllabi.

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A Georgetown University researcher is testing new interventions to improve how people with dyslexia read, which could be a breakthrough for people with the learning disability. (nprEd)

Harnessing students’ emotions can provoke curiosity and create positive learning experiences. (Vitae)

Small group work and color-coded sticky notes are two techniques for teaching complicated technical skills in large classroom settings, according to George Williams. (ProfHacker)

Lectures are most effective when the instructor presents the content clearly, explains its value, and offers opportunities for reflection. (The Scholarly Teacher)

Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary, has well-established views on elementary and secondary education, but her perspectives on higher education remain unclear. (The Chronicle of Higher Education — Paywall)

Connecticut College’s revamped curriculum helps students see how their academic experiences are relevant to their lives outside of the classroom. (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

Rather than merely conveying information, a syllabus should demonstrate how the course will stimulate and challenge students, Kevin Gannon suggests. (Vitae)

Thanks to databases of published materials, many instructors are turning to peers’ teaching portfolios to redesign their own lessons. (edSurge)

An English professor reveals how she encourages all students, even those who are not self-described writers, to craft essays with passion and conviction. (Inside Higher Ed)

Joshua Kim envisions a higher education classroom of mixed learning, where remote and residential students can learn together synchronously. (Technology and Learning)

Colleges should prioritize and create better systems for helping students develop critical thinking skills, Ben Paris argues. (Inside Higher Ed)