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Natalie Wexler Profile
Natalie Wexler

@natwexler

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Free newsletter: . Author, The Knowledge Gap, co-author, The Writing Revolution. Forbes contributor. Website: .

Washington, DC
Joined May 2011
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Interested in education, cognitive science, literacy--and fairness? Me too! And I have a free newsletter (no ads), where I post about those topics regularly. To make sure you don't miss an issue, please consider subscribing:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
When teachers read challenging novels aloud, poor readers made 16 mos. of progress on a standardized reading test in 12 wks. Comprehension instruction made no difference. Just one study, but maybe it's an approach worth trying.
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Natalie Wexler
8 months
A new study confirms that reading comprehension strategies work best if combined with background knowledge. And: the effect of 55 hours of instruction is the same as 1 hour. Kids get WAY more than 55 hrs in school. @DTWillingham More in my Forbes post:
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Natalie Wexler
1 year
Wondering if knowledge-building curriculum can really boost reading comprehension? New RCT shows kids who started in K made significant gains after 4-7 yrs, & income-based gaps were ELIMINATED. @ClassroomWonder @DTWillingham @amplify More here:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
It's not as obviously racist as the brutal murder of a black man by police, but the way we teach "reading" is oppressing millions of kids and depriving us all of their potential. More in my latest post for Forbes. @Ready4rigor @karenvaites @ehanford
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Why do kids struggle w/reading comprehension? One overlooked reason: they're unfamiliar with the syntax of written language. We can fix that by teaching kids to WRITE complex sentences. @TheWritingRevol @ClassroomWonder More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Glad to hear Calkins is rethinking her approach to phonics, although I'd like to hear what phonics experts say about her revisions. But the NYT story gives the impression that phonics is the ONLY problem with her approach. That's definitely not the case.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Clearly, #CriticalThinking is important. But if we want kids to become critical thinkers, we need to get them to learn and retain information. In other words--dare I say it--they need to MEMORIZE stuff. My latest for :
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Small groups & rotation thru "centers" are standard in elementary classrooms. But does the resulting noise make it harder for kids to learn? Evidence suggests the answer is yes. More in my latest Forbes post. @anniemurphypaul @ReadingShanahan
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Two popular reading curricula have recently been criticized--for good reason. But if we want to change teacher practice, we also need to be clearer on some widespread misconceptions about how reading works. My latest post for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
There are effective ways to teach vocabulary, but the only way to enable kids to learn the vast number of words they need to be fully literate is to build their knowledge. @ClassroomWonder More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
Learning to read & write is hard. Most schools make it even harder by having kids read & write about unfamiliar topics. Cognitive load theory explains why that's hard--& what works better. @ClassroomWonder @TheWritingRevol More in my new Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
At a top-performing high school in a wealthy district, many students can't name 5 countries in Europe or list 3 notable American authors. But they still might get A's. I wish this was an April Fool's joke not, but it's not. More in my latest Forbes post.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
What teachers & students THINK is working often conflicts with what scientists have discovered about the learning process. That can make teaching and learning harder than it needs to be. More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
9 months
Data-driven instruction only makes sense if the data makes sense. And much of the data used to guide reading instruction doesn't. My latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Sometimes when kids can't do a math problem, it's not because they can't do the math. It's because they can't read or understand the instructions. We can do something about that. My latest Forbes post. @GreatMindsEd @KUnews @TheWritingRevol
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
Some say there's little evidence that building knowledge boosts reading comprehension. A new study suggests the problem is that we've been using too blunt an instrument to measure progress: standardized tests. More in my latest post. @ClassroomWonder
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
Secondary teachers often get student papers they can't understand--and they haven't been trained to teach writing. But new research shows promising results from two simple interventions. @TheWritingRevol @jillbarshay More in my new Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
10 months
Only 14% of 8th graders read on their own almost every day, according to the NAEP--a new low. One reason? A focus on teaching comprehension "skills" has drained the joy from reading. And it hasn't boosted comprehension. More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
US schools are about to get historic levels of federal $. If they want to address Covid learning loss AND longstanding inequities, their best bet is to spend it on knowledge-building elementary curriculum. @NDE_TLA @ClassroomWonder My latest for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
"All too often ... children ... of lower socioeconomic status ... are penalised for not knowing what their more affluent peers know. What’s often perceived as a difference in children’s ability is actually a difference in the quality and quantity of what they know."
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Recent coverage of reading has done a great job uncovering problems w/phonics instruction. But if we're going to help all kids read, it needs to mention that std comprehension instruction conflicts w/science. @ehanford @Stephen_Sawchuk @LianaLoewus 1/4
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Ed schools have long trained prospective teachers to believe in methods that conflict with what scientists know about how learning works. Is that finally changing? Read more in my piece for @TheAmScho , now freely available online. @NCTQ @deansforimpact
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
A truly groundbreaking study of the long term effects of knowledge building curriculum. I’ll be writing about it soon!
@P_A_Kirschner
Paul A. Kirschner
1 year
New working paper from @DTWillingham Gist: A knowledge-rich curriculum leads to better reading scores, but most importantly (for me) is that while the effect size was large for kids in high-income schools it was gigantic for kids in low-income schools!
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
8 months
And: Teachers "don’t teach writing by having students respond to random prompts. Instead, students write about what they’re reading, carefully drawing evidence from multiple text sources." A great description of how schools can shift to a more effective approach.
@ClassroomWonder
Knowledge Matters Campaign
8 months
"Teachers no longer teach skills such as vocabulary and grammar as isolated exercises. Instead, they tie the skills instruction back to the books." @pentucketteach #CurriculumMatters @natwexler
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
9 months
Great news: for a limited time, the e-book version of The Knowledge Gap will be available for $1.99, wherever books are sold. Spread the word!
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
"Turn & talk." You'll hear lots of that in almost any elementary school classroom. Teachers have been told it's an effective technique. But where's the evidence? My latest for Forbes. @jillbarshay @tombennett71 @greg_ashman
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
A terrific new podcast from @ehanford delves into why reading instruction has diverged from science. Complex & fascinating as it is, it only scratches the surface of the reasons behind our current literacy crisis. More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Most parents are happy with their kids' schools, raising Qs about who's driving agitation at school bd mtgs. In the TN county where 31 books were challenged & where >17K kids attend elem school, 37 people complained & only 14 had kids in elem schools.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
7 months
About 2K students in England answered the questions below. 91% got the 1st one right. Only 13% got the 2nd one right. Why? If you don't know what a sentence is, observes @daisychristo , you go by length.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
@markseidenberg I won't take a position on the dispute on PA, etc., but what concerns me most about "science of reading" efforts is that they often omit the need to start building academic knowledge early. The evidence is clear. Focusing on decoding alone won't ensure literacy for most kids.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
States are adopting policies to improve phonics instruction. That's crucial, but the gains fade out by middle school. We need to systematically build kids' knowledge AND teach phonics. @AERA_EdResearch @ClassroomWonder @HKorbey More in my latest post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Last week's news stories on schools in Finland and England suggest that teachers actually do need to stand in front of a class and explain things. @Miss_Snuffy @greg_ashman My latest for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Teachers say kids in K-3 need science & social studies but still spend little time on them--largely b/c of testing. And if they do cover, e.g., animals, they're likely to focus on a "skill" like "author's purpose," not animals. My latest for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
10 months
Knowledge-building curricula do incorporate comprehension strategies. But they bring them in to help kids think about a specific text or topic. That's not the case with typical strategy instruction. @ClassroomWonder More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
Some reading experts admit background knowledge factors into comprehension but say there's no evidence that building kids' knowledge LEADS to better comprehension. But there is--and there may soon be more. @Smithre5 @SoniaCabell @ckschools @Amplify
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
By popular demand: Why Lucy Calkins' "workshop" approach to writing instruction has at least as many problems as her approach to reading, & some background on where it all came from, in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
#Writing is hard, & writing at length is harder. But we expect kids in K to do it. Why no research on whether it's best to teach kids to write sentences before asking for paragraphs & essays? More in my latest post. @jillbarshay @TheWritingRevol
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
A new study makes the case for teaching social studies as a way to improve reading. Given that the elementary social studies curriculum is so weak, the case is even stronger than it seems. @MiriamFein @ClassroomWonder @educationgadfly @NCSSNetwork
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
An easy way to help turn kids into good readers while they're stuck at home? Turn on captions on TV shows & videos. This push began in the UK. Let's bring it to the US. My latest for Forbes. @TotsCampaign @TimRasinski1 @TNedu @ClassroomWonder
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Given dismal #reading scores, there's little evidence teaching comprehension #skills & #strategies has worked. But that doesn't mean we should ignore that kind of instruction. Let's try doing it thru history, science, etc. instead. My latest post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
#Schoolclosures will exacerbate huge gaps between haves & have-nots. Now more than ever, teachers & parents need to understand that the many hours spent on reading comprehension are mostly wasted. @Standards_Work @ehanford
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
Next on my reading list! ⁦ @greg_ashman
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
11 months
To truly improve literacy, we need to talk about ALL the science relating to reading. And we need to advocate for curricula that cover "phonics" AND build the knowledge that enables reading comprehension. @ClassroomWonder My latest post in Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
Now on Minding the Gap: We do need to teach vocabulary, but it's impossible to directly teach kids all the words they need to be proficient readers. That's why the only effective way to expand vocabulary is to systematically build knowledge.
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Natalie Wexler
3 years
Good piece on why spelling instruction is key to reading. It's even MORE important when it comes to writing. It's easier to read a word when you're not sure of the spelling than to write it! Not knowing the rules of spelling imposes a huge cognitive load on writers.
@RaiseReaders
Dr. Richard Gentry
3 years
Why Spelling Instruction Should Be Hot in 2021 | Psychology Today
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Interested in a discussion guide for The #KnowledgeGap ? There's now one available on my website! Click here:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
If you look at standard approaches to literacy instruction through the lens of cognitive load theory, it's clear why so many kids struggle--& how to make it easier for them. @greg_ashman and @ollie_lovell -- would love to hear your thoughts!
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
A recent @nytimes story made some troubling--and unfounded--connections between #phonics instruction and conservative politics. We've been here before--and we don't want to go there again. My latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
To improve reading instruction, states/districts need to: 1. (Briefly) explain the problem. 2. Adopt curriculum that aligns with the explanation. 3. Provide good on-the-job support to teachers. @ClassroomWonder @TNTP More in my latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
7 months
Journalists are beginning to include "building knowledge" in their definition of the #scienceofreading . That's great. But if we want things to change for the better, we need to get more specific about what that means. @alexanderrusso My latest post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Wow! I don't know who this teacher is (I assume it's a teacher), but she really nails it on Tik Tok, explaining in this video & the next why phonics alone isn't enough to solve our reading crisis. Thank you, whoever you are! The rest of you, please watch:
@mandy_mclaren
Mandy McLaren
2 years
Related (Part 1):
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
Why has #edtech failed to boost learning, despite massive $ and high expectations? As @daisychristo argues in her latest (excellent!) book, the problem is a disconnect btw ed tech (& ed as a whole) & the science of learning. More in my latest post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Kudos to @DanaGoldstein for the @nytimes front-page piece on reading instruction. Tough to please all readers on a topic like that! And so ... here's what I wish it had mentioned--and why. @ehanford My latest piece for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Now on Minding the Gap: If students struggle with a math problem, does that mean they can't do the math? Not necessarily. Often it means they can't understand the instructions.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Teachers should know about the science of learning. But not all aspects of it are equally useful to them, & we shouldn't waste their time. We do enough of that already. @DTWillingham @dylanwiliam
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
This is a problem with teacher preparation (as with so many problems in education). Most teachers get little or no training in how to teach writing. What guidance they do get is often misleading. E.g., "just have kids write a lot & they'll pick it up." For most, that doesn't work
@karenvaites
Karen Vaites
4 years
Funny... one of the more powerful themes of the pandemic ‘distance learning’ era has been parents – incl journalists – talking about how they are realizing that their kids need very basic writing coaching.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
Yet MORE evidence that building knowledge can boost reading comprehension, from a study of @AmericanReading 's science-focused lit curriculum in kindergarten. @SoniaCabell @ClassroomWonder @TNTP My latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Why couldn't a Pulitzer-Prize-winning reporter do his kindergartner's reading assignment? Because of a widespread (and mistaken) approach to reading comprehension that wastes time & frustrates kids--and now parents, too. (Thanks for the tip, @lkcrouch !)
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
6 months
This is a TERRIFIC new resource for schools and districts looking for a reliable guide to choosing a truly knowledge-building curriculum! Please check it out.
@ClassroomWonder
Knowledge Matters Campaign
6 months
BIG NEWS: We are pleased to introduce an important new resource: The Knowledge Matters Review Tool A Guide for Evaluating K-8 ELA Curriculum Explore this new resource here: #KnowledgeMatters
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
What's the difference between comprehension "skills" & "strategies"? There's evidence behind strategies but NOT the "skills" most schools focus on. Many aren't aware of this distinction, & some experts' "clarifications" don't help. New post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
Delighted to be back on the hugely popular Science of Reading podcast. I was its very first guest, ~3 years ago! @Amplify Host Susan Lambert & I talk about what's changed, what hasn't, & what might happen in the future. Listen here:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
What teachers learn about reading comprehension instruction is dangerously inaccurate, and the National Reading Panel report has a lot to do with that. @ehanford @HKorbey My latest post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
New data show we've made NO progress in narrowing the rich-poor test score gap or raising outcomes for HS students in 50 years. Time to switch gears & focus on building #knowledge beginning in elementary school. My latest for :
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
One caveat here: if teacher prep programs interpret “science of reading” to mean that teaching comprehension = “skills & strategies,” that’s a dangerous development. Teachers need to know that comprehension requires building kids’ knowledge.
@NCTQ
NCTQ
4 years
. @natwexler 's #KnowledgeGap covers the fact that teacher prep programs are not spending nearly enough time on decoding skills. NCTQ's #2020TPR has more on how teacher prep programs need to adhere to the science of reading. Explore the report:
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Natalie Wexler
5 years
Yes, but: as @ehanford discovered, what works for most kids diagnosed as dyslexic--systematic phonics--would also prevent reading problems for most "garden variety" poor readers. We shouldn't reserve phonics for kids labeled dyslexic. It benefits most kids & doesn't hurt any.
@alexanderrusso
Alexander Russo
5 years
After years on the sidelines, dyslexia/reading problems is definitely a hot topic for 2019 among education journalists via @nuzzel
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Natalie Wexler
4 years
Keeping schools closed this fall could inflict serious harm on millions of kids. But unless schools change their approach to teaching reading, many kids may continue to fall behind even if they're back in classrooms. More in my latest post for Forbes:
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Natalie Wexler
11 months
NYC is requiring its elementary schools to choose 1 of 3 approved literacy curricula. Why are almost all of them choosing the least effective option--at least when it comes to reading comprehension? @ClassroomWonder My latest post on Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Kids from wealthier families will always enjoy advantages, but a different approach to education could do a lot to level the playing field. My latest for @Forbes_Edu @clairecm
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Natalie Wexler
4 years
Out of the mouths of babes! Student: "Before it was just always something new; this topic one day, another topic the next. How am I supposed to make a connection with the main idea when there’s so little information?”
@The74
The 74
4 years
Despite a rough first year, a tougher curriculum completely changed student literacy in a Tennessee school @ClassroomWonder #TNBestForAll
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Natalie Wexler
1 year
“Systematic phonics instruction coupled with a program that coherently builds background knowledge and vocabulary are critical components if we truly want students to be successful.”
@SarfdeK
Kimberly Sarfde
1 year
Read my article below 👇🏽 For too long, we have been teaching students the skills of struggling readers. The science of reading is much more phonics. We must build background knowledge and vocabulary. #KnowledgeGap @natwexler @achievethecore
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
The National Reading Panel's finding on phonics were solid. But its work on comprehension--& the infographic based on it--leaves out important factors. And it's been misunderstood. @CattsHugh @markseidenberg Is it time to move on to a different image?
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Natalie Wexler
3 years
Students need to "understand what the mainstream narrative has" AND what it's missing, says @SonjaSantelises . That's what @BaltCitySchools is trying to achieve thru content-rich curriculum. @ClassroomWonder @WitWisdomELA More in my latest Forbes post:
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Natalie Wexler
2 years
The @usedgov What Works practice guides are a great idea: connect research & practice. But some recommendations on reading overlook key evidence about how learning (& thus reading comprehension) actually works. @MaryMyatt My latest post on Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
Classroom projects & 'simulations' can be powerful in engaging students. But if we want them to LEARN something, explicit teaching is a lot more reliable. My latest for Forbes. @greg_ashman
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
A dangerous old idea may sound appealing during #Covid & school closures: put kids in charge of their own learning. But it conflicts with science & holds many back. My latest for Forbes. @researchED_US @ClassroomWonder 1/4
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
8 months
Kudos to Ed Week for defining "Science of Reading" to include building knowledge! Would love to see that happen more often.
@ClassroomWonder
Knowledge Matters Campaign
8 months
The #ScienceOfReading “movement endorses a systematic, explicit approach to teaching students letters & sounds, coupled with efforts to give all kids a broad base of content knowledge critical for comprehending what they read.” By ⁦ @s_e_schwartz ⁩:
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Natalie Wexler
2 years
A bunch of states are now ensuring kids get systematic phonics--which is great. But what about building the knowledge & vocab that enables comprehension? States need to focus on that too--& some are. See my post on Minding the Gap @ClassroomWonder
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Natalie Wexler
5 years
I think most people assume elementary schools are trying to build kids' knowledge of the world. Why WOULDN'T they? For me, it was a shock when I found out most weren't--and what the consequences were. Find out more in my book The #KnowledgeGap , due out Aug. 6.
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
"What Calkins was proposing, it seems to me, was literacy by vibes." Check out this illuminating account of the rise & apparent fall of literacy instruction's most influential guru, by @winterjessica in @NewYorker . Honored to have my book quoted in it!
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
A couple of otherwise admirable efforts to boost history & civics ed miss the mark when it comes to K-2. If we keep assuming young kids can't handle history, we'll make little progress. @educationgadfly @EADRoadmap @ClassroomWonder My latest Forbes post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
1 year
I don't remember recording the narration in this video, but it covers some essential and often overlooked points about what goes into reading comprehension. Thanks, Edutopia, for creating and posting it!
@edutopia
edutopia
1 year
Are we doing elementary students a disservice by focusing on discrete skills over rich background knowledge when we teach #reading ? Education writer @natwexler weighs in.
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Natalie Wexler
5 years
Lots of hand-wringing about the decline in #NAEP reading scores but little attention to a fundamental reason--even though @NAEP_NCES itself convened a panel last year that identified it. @Standards_Work @CurriculumMatrs
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Natalie Wexler
4 years
This is something I hear repeatedly from ELA teachers who switched to a focus on content over comprehension skills. Not only do all kids get access to the same content, the "low achievers" (SPED, ELL) often make the most insightful contributions to class discussions.
@ClassroomWonder
Knowledge Matters Campaign
4 years
. @Deloris83818301 "values the equity in giving all children access to the same content, regardless of individual reading ability." @natwexler #KnowledgeMatters
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Natalie Wexler
4 years
Wow! 3rd graders in TN districts using high quality ELA materials grew at a rate 25X the TN average! Looking forward to speaking at SCORE’s event in Nashville on 3/9.
@CourtneyLearns
Courtney Bell
4 years
I'm so proud to read this powerful reflection from my mentor and friend @drsroberts about what she's learned about the #ScienceofReading and how she hopes to help others learn it too. Please take a moment to read: #TNLIFT #MaterialsMatter #TNLiteracyCrisis
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Natalie Wexler
3 years
If Biden wants to have a positive impact on US education, he needs an Ed Secretary who understands the importance of WHAT teachers are asked to teach. @SonjaSantelises @scontrerasGCS @CurriculumMatrs My latest for Forbes:
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Natalie Wexler
2 years
Why should teachers attend an event where they learn about cognitive science? It can make their jobs easier--& they didn't learn this stuff in ed school. And--like #researchFRED last weekend--it's fun. @ClassroomWonder @researchED_US More in my post:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
I wanted to pick a pithy quote to highlight from @CattsHugh 's new article on reading comprehension in American Educator, but there's so much great stuff it's impossible to pick just one. Read the whole thing! @AFTunion
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
10 months
When you give kids meaty content to write about & teach writing skills explicitly, beginning w/sentences, "it's a beautiful thing to watch in your classroom." Listen to Cassidy describe her experience using @TheWritingRevol w/her 3rd graders. More at
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Ed journalists need to start covering WHAT is taught. It's our only hope for understanding the root cause of many problems. But it's complicated. @alexanderrusso @SonjaSantelises @philissa @ehanford My latest for :
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Natalie Wexler
4 years
What's behind the mediocre performance of US teenagers in reading and math on #PISA2018 ? Maybe something few are focusing on: how and what we teach in elementary school. @DTWillingham @ClassroomWonder My latest for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
Everything you ever wanted to know about #reading comprehension--plus comments on proposed changes to the nation's preeminent reading test that could make it hard to tell if schools are improving. @ClassroomWonder My latest post for Forbes:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
6 years
There's a clear scientific consensus about the best way to teach reading, but many teachers are unaware of it--or even resist it. Read my latest Forbes post, then listen to the new documentary from @ehanford at
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
4 years
"Paying too little attention to younger students is like focusing antismoking efforts on 70-year-olds b/c teenagers rarely get lung cancer or emphysema." Great observation from ACT report focusing on the lack of science/social studies in K-3. More here:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
3 years
Some news: I'm starting a Substack newsletter, called "Minding the Gap." It's about education, cognitive science, and fairness--and it will be free, with no ads. You can sign up here:
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Yes, we need more research on writing instruction! But the question isn't just "how much should kids be writing." If they're not getting explicit instruction beginning at the sentence level/grounded in content, it may not matter how much they write. @TheWritingRevol @jillbarshay
@hechingerreport
The Hechinger Report
5 years
14 high-quality studies of writing instruction point to "exciting, social and noisy" classrooms
Tweet media one
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
10 months
Think you know what the Science of Reading has to say about phonics? Think again. A history of the field reveals that for most of the 20th century, prominent reading scientists favored whole-word methods. My review is now out on @EducationNext :
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
5 years
Delighted to have an article in the latest issue of @researchED1 magazine. The topic: Writing and cognitive load theory
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@natwexler
Natalie Wexler
2 years
Skilled-job training programs work great for high school grads who aren't interested in a 4-year BA. But too many people are shut out because our education system has failed to teach them how to read. More in my latest Forbes post. @hechingerreport
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