We often talk about the joy and power of reading. But how does a child get there? How do kids cultivate the skills they need to recognize words and make sense of them on a page?
In this episode, Dr. Julia B. Lindsey talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the science of reading and how she recommends putting it into practice. Dr. Lindsey is a leading expert on foundational skills and early reading. She is also the author of an invaluable new book for educators, Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills.
A former kindergarten and first-grade teacher, Dr. Lindsey earned her PhD in Literacy Education at the University of Michigan School of Education. She now works with teachers, district personnel, and curriculum developers to translate reading research into practice. You can follow her on Twitter @JuliaBLindsey.
→ Resources
What is the Science of Reading? Learn more about how children learn to read.
Reading Above the Fray: Reliable Research-Based Routines for Developing Skills:A link for educators to purchase Dr. Lindsey’s book
Reading Above the Fray: Purchase the book on Amazon.
→ Highlights
Dr. Julia B. Lindsey, author, Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills:
“Reading is a deeply unnatural process. Our brains were not set up to do this. And it's incredible that we're at a place in human history where we do learn to read and we do learn to write. But it is a hard process that we’re still learning a lot about how to do it better and what our brains are actually doing in order to both read words and comprehend them.”
“You should not try to learn English for the sole purpose of teaching your child to read English. If you want to go down that path, that’s awesome, and I applaud your multilingualism. But if you are a Spanish-speaking home, and you read in Spanish, as well, read those Spanish books with your child. Support your child in learning how to read in Spanish.”
“If we're able to give children culturally responsive texts that reflect their background, they're more likely to succeed in those texts and experience those early, joyful, motivating moments of becoming a reader that they need to fuel them through all of the challenges associated with learning how to read.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving • Dr. Karen Mapp on Family and School Partnerships
