Beyond Words Ep. 8 | Memory, Language, and Meaning with Dr. Charan Ranganath

Join the Beyond Words Newsletter

Get ASHA CEUs: Speech Therapy PD

Watch on YouTube

In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Charan Ranganath (author of Why We Remember) joins Garrett Oyama to explore how schemas, event boundaries, and the structure of language shape what we remember — and why. We discuss how memory works not just in the brain, but in real life: through storytelling, attention, emotion, and meaning. SLPs, therapists, and educators will also gain practical tools for supporting memory using language — from narrative scaffolds to emotional salience and linguistic cues that enhance recall.

Topics include:

• How the brain chunks experience into events
• Why schemas help (and sometimes distort) memory
• The blurred line between cognition and memory
• How to use language to support clients with memory difficulties
• Memory as prediction, not just storage

Learn more about Dr. Ranganath’s work:

https://www.charanranganath.com/

https://dml.ucdavis.edu/

https://www.charanranganath.com/book

Please like, subscribe, and share it with anyone curious about language, memory, and the brain. Your support helps keep the podcast going and growing.