Shows
The Knowledge Matters PodcastBuilding Stamina for Deep Reading | Know Better, Do BetterSeason 2 Episode 6 | Explorers boldly venture into unfamiliar worlds, where confidence, curiosity, knowledge, and persistence are rewarded. When students approach texts like explorers, they bring these same qualities to the task—a mindset cognitive scientists call the “standard of coherence.” Such reading is purposeful, engaging, and expands the reader’s horizons. Reading anywhere, anytime is not just doable. It’s joyful.In this episode, hosts David and Meredith Liben discuss the key ingredients that power persistent reading and support students to apply the “standard of coherence” mindset when they read, including how the standard of coherence and related pr...
2024-11-1925 min
The Knowledge Matters PodcastHow Rich Texts Fuel Stronger Comprehension | Know Better, Do BetterSeason 2 Episode 5 | Have you ever read something and then realized you didn’t totally understand it? That’s the hallmark of a challenging text, and it’s something students encounter all the time.In this episode, David and Meredith Liben discuss three ways to connect students with sophisticated texts, even if they can’t yet read or comprehend them on their own: juicy sentences, explain your answer, and structured journaling.First, linguist and language scholar Lily Wong Fillmore shares the origin story of her “juicy sentences” strategy, where teachers divide content-rich sentences into “chunks” and hel...
2024-11-1227 min
The Knowledge Matters PodcastMaking Reading a Social Experience | Know Better, Do BetterSeason 2 Episode 4 | How do actual teachers and students “center the text” in reading classrooms? In this episode, David and Meredith Liben get specific with teachers and experts about how read alouds and close reading can connect students of all ages and literacy levels to a text—and to one another.Two ideas animate the discussion. First, theory is not terribly helpful without practice. And second, learning to read is (and should be!) a social experience.First, the Libens explore the power of read alouds with three guests, who share real-life examples of interactive ways to...
2024-10-2925 min
The Knowledge Matters PodcastWhy Strategy-First Reading Instruction Holds Students Back | Know Better, Do BetterSeason 2 Episode 3 | When’s the last time you finished a chapter of a book and thought, “Hmmm, what was the main idea?” Competent readers don’t ask themselves this question. They’re too busy focusing on the text itself, not the component strategies that help us understand them. But that’s not how traditional curriculum and instructional practices work. Instead, they teach reading through a strategy-first approach that focuses on skills like making inferences and predictions, not the text itself.In this episode, David and Meredith Liben explore what Meredith calls “the tail wagging the dog”...
2024-10-2224 min
The Knowledge Matters PodcastVocabulary’s Central Role in Developing Strong Readers | Know Better, Do BetterSeason 2 Episode 2 | Imagine reading a story about a trial, but not knowing the meaning of “indicted” or “exonerated.” Without a lot of determination and a dictionary, you’d be lost. The knowledge and vocabulary readers bring to a text substantially determine how readily they comprehend it–a fact that’s just as relevant in ELA as it is in social studies and science class.In this episode, David and Meredith Liben walk us through the relevant research and talk with three teachers whose innovative practices intentionally build vocabulary and knowledge across subjects:Erin Hanrahan, an 8th-grade EL...
2024-10-1530 min
The Knowledge Matters PodcastA Reading Comprehension Call to Arms | Know Better, Do BetterSeason 2 Episode 1 | In today’s reading classrooms, too many kids are not alright. One of the biggest challenges is comprehension–or rather, its absence. Students don't understand what they read well enough to think deeply, connect what they are learning to the wider world, and prepare for the futures they want. On this episode, hosts David and Meredith Liben break down reading comprehension: they explain what it is and how it works in the mind of the reader, based on cognitive science. They map this understanding to the classroom experience and share specific ways to suppor...
2024-10-1528 min
The Knowledge Matters PodcastTrailer | Introducing Season 2: Know Better, Do Better: ComprehensionSeason 2 of the Knowledge Matters Podcast is here! Teachers and reading experts David and Meredith Liben host “Know Better, Do Better: Comprehension,” a six-part podcast series based on their book of the same name.With their signature charm and straight talk, David and Meredith take on an urgent problem in American schools today—kids not understanding what they read—and how reading comprehension can be taught more effectively. Over six digestible episodes, David and Meredith explore how comprehension works in the mind of the reader, the roles...
2024-10-0803 min
Reading Teachers LoungeBuilding Knowledge with Linda RhyneShannon and Mary are joined in by Linda Rhyne in the Reading Teachers Lounge. They share a deep dive of information from the book, The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler. This episode is full of information and strategies to increase your student's knowledge helping them dive deep into comprehension and knowledge building. Linda Rhyne is a returning guest to the show and shares her expertise in guiding professional discussions to help educators meet their student's literacy goals. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODEThe Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler *Amazon affiliate l...
2024-02-091h 04
Science of Reading: The PodcastS4-E10: What we’ve learned and the guests we’re grateful forIn this episode, we join Susan Lambert as she rewinds the tape and highlights some of the standout learning moments that have occurred throughout this season of the podcast. Guests like Sue Pimentel, Julie Washington, Nadine Gaab, and more have all taught us invaluable lessons about the Science of Reading. You’ll hear top takeaways from each of their episodes as they cover topics such as literacy accelerators, learning to read digitally versus in print, teaching reading to multi-language learners, dialectical variety, and so much more.Quotes: "My gratitude extends to th...
2021-11-1735 min
Reading Teachers LoungeSeason 4 Opener: Back To School & Together AgainIn their Season 4 opener, Shannon & Mary update listeners on their summer activities and their plans for the upcoming school year and podcast season. They share what they've been reading and learning about lately, which leads to a discussion about differentiating for students at various points on the Reading Ladder.Episode Links for Resources mentioned:Link to our MAP episode from Season 1Heggerty Phonemic AwarenessLLI kits by Fountas & PinnellHD Word by Really Great ReadingJennifer Serravallo Complete Comprehension KitsWhat To Do About Dyslexia by Richard Selznick *Suddenly Diverse: How Districts Manage Race and Inequality by Erica O...
2021-09-0649 minScience of Reading: The PodcastS1-28. A look back at Season OneJoin us in reflecting on Season One and preview what’s in store for an exciting Season Two. In this special episode, we visit the highlights of Season One, with key clips from Emily Hanford, Natalie Wexler, Ernesto Ortiz, David and Meredith Liben, and Shawn Joseph, and other moments that inspired us and changed how we think about literacy.Quotes:“When our first episode launched last year, we had no idea what it might become, only hope that you would find it helpful to grow your knowledge and impact."“So much progre...
2020-08-2621 min