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Narrowing the Knowledge Gap With Natalie Wexler
Season 2, Episode 8 • May 7, 2024 • 44 min
What is the “knowledge gap” and how can educators minimize its impact? Education writer Natalie Wexler joins host Dr. Liz Brooke in Episode 8 of All For Literacy® to discuss using content-centric instruction to achieve educational and social equity in the classroom..
You see how excited kids are, how engaged they are, and how proud they are of acquiring this knowledge and that they can definitely do it… you come back feeling like we’ve got to do this!
Natalie Wexler, Education Writer
All For Literacy, Season 2, Episode 8:
Narrowing the Knowledge Gap With Natalie Wexler
What would it take to narrow the knowledge gap between high-achieving and struggling students when it comes to reading and writing?
Education writer Natalie Wexler joins host Dr. Liz Brooke in Season 2, Episode 8. Wexler is author of “The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It.” Her writing focuses on content-centric education and charts possible routes to achieving educational and social equity.
Gain a critical understanding of how content-focused instruction improves student success. Wexler and Brooke break down the findings behind several in-classroom studies that have changed how certain curriculums approach instruction while providing actionable tips for ensuring every student has an equal opportunity to excel.
Explore the impact of content knowledge, including:
- How teachers can assess if they are narrowing the knowledge gap
- Why the science of reading is not just “more phonics”
- How to combine reading comprehension and foundational skills to improve literacy skills
- Why standardized reading comprehension tests are flawed
Listen to Episode 8 of All For Literacy® to understand how to narrow the knowledge gap, increase student literacy skills, and set up the classroom for equitable education.
Episode Breakdown
(01:48) – What sparked Wexler’s interest in education
(03:17) – Study that inspired “The Knowledge Gap”
(07:00) – Content-centric studies from the classroom
(12:06) – The broad spectrum of skills required for literacy
(16:59) – How curriculums are changing due to the science of reading
(21:01) – Wexler’s book and the related podcast
(22:49) – The flaws of reading comprehension tests
(26:54) – How teachers can assess if they are narrowing the knowledge gap
(37:36) – What makes Wexler hopeful for the future
About Natalie Wexler
Natalie Wexler is an education writer and author of “The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It.” She also is co-author of “The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades” with Dr. Judith C. Hochman.
Related Resources
Mentioned in This Episode
Liz Brooke, Twitter @LizCBrooke
“The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It,” by Natalie Wexler
“The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades,” by Dr. Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler
Reading Comprehension Revisited Podcast
Dr. Hugh Catts, Florida State University
Florida Center for Reading Research
“The End of the English Major,” by Nathan Heller for The New Yorke
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