Science of Reading: The Podcast

S8 E11: Cognitive load theory: Four items at a time, with Greg Ashman


Listen Later

Greg Ashman—author of multiple books including A Little Guide for Teachers: Cognitive Load Theory, deputy principal, and professor—sits down with Susan Lambert on this episode to discuss cognitive load theory and how it applies to how students learn and how to best teach them. Together their conversation covers cognitive load theory, including an exploration of working memory and long-term memory; intrinsic load and extraneous load; biologically primary vs. biologically secondary knowledge; and how to apply these concepts in the classroom. Ashman also provides listeners with helpful advice on ensuring their teaching practices are based on evidence.

Show notes:

  • Book:  “A Little Guide for Teachers: Cognitive Load Theory” by Greg Ashman
  • Read: Greg Ahsman’s “Quick Insight Series” 
  • Subscribe: Greg Ashman’s Substack “Filling The Pail” 
  • Read: Barak Rosenshine’s “Principles of Instruction” 


Quotes:
“I now know I shouldn't have felt guilty, but I also know that I could have taught that from the outset in a much more structured way where the students would have left understanding the concepts better without wasting time.” —Greg Ashman

“This idea that kids don't need to know anything anymore, they just need to practice skills is really quite a pernicious and damaging idea.” —Greg Ashman

“Think about the teaching methods that you're being presented with. Ask about the evidence and question whether this is really the optimal way of teaching literacy or whatever it is, or whether it's more based on wishful thinking.” —Greg Ashman

Episode timestamps*
2:00 Introduction: Who is Dr. Gregg Ashman
5:00 Feeling guilty about the way you had been teaching
7:00 Book talk: A Little Guide for Teachers on Cognitive Load Theory
8:00 Defining cognition
11:00 Working memory and long-term memory
13:00 Retrieval of long-term memory
15:00 What is cognitive load?
19:00 Working memory holds 4 items: What is an item?
24:00 Automaticity
26:00 Biologically primary vs biologically secondary knowledge
31:00 Mythbusting: “Long-term memory is like a computer system”
34:00 How can educators use cognitive load theory?
38:00 Explicit teaching
42:00 Productive struggle and productive failure
49:00 Final advice
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

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

Science of Reading: The PodcastBy Amplify Education

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

573 ratings


More shows like Science of Reading: The Podcast

View all
The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast by Jennifer Gonzalez

The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast

2,380 Listeners

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers by Angela Watson

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

1,249 Listeners

10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher by Vicki Davis

10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher

270 Listeners

Making Math Moments That Matter by Kyle Pearce & Jon Orr

Making Math Moments That Matter

411 Listeners

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ™ by Presented by Great Minds

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ™

389 Listeners

Teaching to the TOP by Teaching on the Double

Teaching to the TOP

644 Listeners

Triple R Teaching by Anna Geiger

Triple R Teaching

189 Listeners

The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar by Elena Aguilar

The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar

544 Listeners

Literacy Talks by Reading Horizons

Literacy Talks

53 Listeners

The Literacy View by Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner

The Literacy View

61 Listeners

The Unteachables Podcast by Claire English

The Unteachables Podcast

38 Listeners

Sold a Story by APM Reports

Sold a Story

7,259 Listeners

Chalk & Talk by Anna Stokke

Chalk & Talk

36 Listeners

Shanahan on Literacy by Timothy Shanahan

Shanahan on Literacy

43 Listeners

The Knowledge Matters Podcast by Knowledge Matters Campaign

The Knowledge Matters Podcast

154 Listeners