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At Maple Elementary School, situated in a lower-income region, purchasing additional learning materials beyond the standard curriculum was not always feasible. Even more, Covid-19 related constraints and remote learning demands led the school to seek affordable, effective online resources. They decided to integrate free online reading comprehension passages into their 3rd-grade curriculum for their convenience, affordability, and user-friendly interactivity.

One significant development in good study habits is the shift from passive to active learning. Active learning emphasizes the precept of 'learning by doing.' Unlike passive learning where the focus is on absorbing information, active learning enriches students' understanding by engaging them in activities such as discussions, problem-solving, and experimentation. A 2014 report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences points out that students involved in active learning showed increased academic performance and lesser failure rates than those taught passively, proving its effectiveness.

The development of technology has also enabled the use of multimedia in learning. When appropriately used, incorporating audio, video, graphics, and text can significantly augment understanding and retention. The Journal of Applied Psychology revealed that individuals tend to recall only 10% of the read materials after three days but can remember 65% of the same materials if presented as visuals. Employing multimedia in study habits like video tutorials, is homeschooling beneficial for children infographics, and audio lessons thus proves to be a productive advancement.

2. Physical Activities and Games: Exercises involving different physical activities such as dancing, yoga, or playing focus-enhancing games like Simon Says, or Memory Cards can stimulate brain activities and significantly improve concentration skills in kids.

The interactive nature of these educational apps enhances students' engagement levels, making reading and writing exercises less of a chore and more of an attractive challenge. Notably, platforms like Epic! have enticed countless children to read with their extensive library of over 40,000 books ranging from picture books, chapter books to read-to-me books, audiobooks, and more.

Using prompts related to everyday life is also helpful to enhance their observing and analytical skills. For instance, "Write about a day in the life of your pet from their perspective" or "What new rule would you introduce at home or school, and why?"

For younger learners, apps such as ABCmouse.com offer comprehensive curriculums covering reading, writing, math, and more. They use colorful and engaging animations to maintain children's interest while subtly developing their reading and writing skills. Capable of tracking progress for up to three children, ABCmouse.com is a favorite among parents for its cohesion and ability to keep kids interested in learning.

Mind mapping, an advancement in note-taking techniques, also serves as a game-changer in promoting effective study habits. A study published in the Journal of Science and Technology showed that using mind mapping improved students' creative thinking and comprehension. Mind maps help learners visualize relationships between theories and concepts, facilitating better comprehension and recall. Thanks to technology, many digital mind-mapping tools like XMind and MindMeister have come up, making the process easier and more accessible.

Further, not all educational apps are created equal – quality and effectiveness can vary greatly. Before integrating any app into a learning plan, due diligence is necessary to ensure it's suitable, effective, and safe for students to use.

Children are known for their vivid imagination and boundless creativity; therefore, whimsical prompts like "If animals could speak, what would they say?" or "Create a new planet and describe its habitants" could foster compelling responses.

Moreover, prompts that encourage children to retell their favorite book or movie, but with a twist, can be very engaging. This is not only amusing but also allows children to challenge themselves and bolsters their problem-solving skills.

In conclusion, educational apps for reading and writing have brought radical advancements in literacy learning. They offer personalized, engaging, and readily accessible learning resources that can supplement traditional education methods effectively. However, it's important to bear in mind moderation and quality assessment when employing these tools. With the right approach, they can undoubtedly help shape well-rounded, literate individuals ready to navigate the world.

The school partnered with several online platforms specializing in offering free educational resources. These platforms provided a wide array of themed reading passages for various comprehension abilities, facilitating differentiated instruction. Each passage was attached with comprehension questions testing students on key details, vocabulary used, and the text's purpose and meaning.