Science of Reading Leadership

Bridging the Knowledge Gap with Natalie Wexler


Listen Later

“We have lots of evidence that having knowledge of the topic really helps you with reading comprehension.”

In this powerful Science of Reading Leadership episode, we welcome Natalie Wexler, an esteemed education writer and author of "The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—And How to Fix It." Natalie shares her extensive experience and dives into how we can bridge the educational divide with effective knowledge-building strategies.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding the Knowledge Gap: Natalie explains the knowledge gap concept, highlighting the disparity in background knowledge that contributes to the reading comprehension gap between socioeconomically diverse groups.
  • Importance of Early Knowledge-Building: Discover the necessity of starting knowledge-building in early education to close the comprehension gap between different student demographics effectively.
  • Strategies for Building Knowledge: Natalie provides practical advice on constructing knowledge in the classroom, emphasizing the importance of starting early and using engaging, content-rich materials.
  • Role of Writing in Learning: Gain insights into how writing significantly boosts learning and retention by helping transfer and retrieve information from long-term memory.
  • Curriculum Development: Learn about the pivotal role of adopting content-rich, knowledge-building curricula in schools.


Important Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction of Natalie Wexler and her contributions to education.

04:26 - Explanation of knowledge-building in K-12 education and its significance.

07:10 - Natalie highlights the importance of comprehension and vocabulary alongside phonics in reading education.

18:25 - Discussion on using a content-rich curriculum and the role of teachers.

21:55 - Natalie's advice for district leaders to accelerate reading achievement.


Connect with Natalie Wexler

Website

LinkedIn

X


Science of Reading Resources

What You Need to Know About the Science of Reading

A Guide to High-Quality Structured Literacy Materials

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Science of Reading LeadershipBy Just Right Reader

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

4 ratings


More shows like Science of Reading Leadership

View all
The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,356 Listeners

Reading Teachers Lounge by Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi

Reading Teachers Lounge

123 Listeners

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® by Supported by Great Minds

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ®

433 Listeners

Science of Reading: The Podcast by Amplify Education

Science of Reading: The Podcast

660 Listeners

Triple R Teaching by Anna Geiger

Triple R Teaching

210 Listeners

Literacy Talks by Reading Horizons

Literacy Talks

60 Listeners

Sold a Story by APM Reports

Sold a Story

7,533 Listeners

The Literacy View by Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner

The Literacy View

82 Listeners

Route2Reading by Amie Burkholder

Route2Reading

22 Listeners

Shanahan on Literacy by Timothy Shanahan

Shanahan on Literacy

51 Listeners

The Knowledge Matters Podcast by Knowledge Matters Campaign

The Knowledge Matters Podcast

159 Listeners

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators by Michelle Sullivan • Literacy Coach & Science of Reading Advocate

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators

42 Listeners