5/7/2024

S2E8 Narrowing the Knowledge Gap With Natalie Wexler

“I think we have been underestimating what young children, and sometimes older children, can do if you give them the raw material, guidance, and practice they need to reach their full potential.”

—Natalie Wexler

44 minutes

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 the Guest

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.