What are we getting wrong about literacy? @natwexler joins Michelle Brown on her Substack to talk about what real knowledge building looks like and why more isolated skills practice isn’t the answer. Build knowledge. Build comprehension. michellebrowncl.substack.com…

“What good readers know” matters just as much as what good readers do. @rpondiscio makes the case that reading comprehension is inseparable from background knowledge. Knowledge builds comprehension. And knowledge compounds over time. Read more: aei.org/research-products/re…

Differentiation is a hot topic. But knowledge-building means keeping content rich while adjusting the support students need to access it. As knowledge, skill & confidence grow, scaffolds come down. From @mcglynn3: kristenmcquillan.substack.co…

“Phonics is necessary but insufficient.” England’s results reinforce a critical truth: reading comprehension depends on knowledge. History, science, literature, geography, art, and music build the knowledge and vocabulary that make comprehension possible. nationalreview.com/2026/09/w…

If your phonics lesson feels clunky or hard to follow, the fix might be simpler than you think: less teacher talk, more student practice. Listen now! 🎙️ ow.ly/FSa250ZCHZW

Every year I take a picture of the spine of each book read in my class. I usually clumped the books together in a classroom chart. This year students are putting the books that they have read on their individual lockers. It also serves as an easy visual to see at a quick glance what each student is reading.

"Decades of polling has shown Americans have a miserable opinion of public education (although they often exempt their children’s schools and teachers from that harsh judgment). England’s reforms provide a clear example that America shouldn’t ignore." nationalreview.com/2026/09/w…

Come for the Sandlot meme, stay for the argument about why “differentiation” so often misses the mark. Same bar. Better support. More chances to get there. New from Quill and the Classroom: The Differentiation Trap kristenmcquillan.substack.co…

🍂 Fall is officially here! Find a cozy spot, grab something warm, and catch up on Season 2 of the #HistoryMatters Podcast. Six episodes exploring how history builds knowledge and strengthens literacy. 🎧 Listen now: knowledgematters.org/history…

We 👀 background knowledge explicitly included in the federal definition of the science of reading. YES. 👏 Knowledge belongs in the science of reading conversation. Let’s make sure it stays there. edweek.org/teaching-learning…

"Children who come to school with less knowledge understand less of what they encounter. That makes it harder to acquire new vocabulary and information....They grow poorer and fall further behind." New from yours truly for @AEIeducation aei.org/research-products/re…

Reading is more than decoding the words. Students need foundational skills AND the knowledge, vocabulary, and stamina that come from spending time with whole texts. When reading becomes mostly excerpts and test prep, what gets lost? chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/0…

Policy decisions matter. England emphasized knowledge rich curriculum, expanded choice, ensured better teacher training (aligned to cognitive science) by breaking the cartel of providers and relied on wide ranging assessments in which students also had a stake. Kudos to Nick Gibb for his vision. US states could do this too.

Critical thinking doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Students need knowledge to have something to think critically about. All six episodes of the History Matters Podcast are out now. 🎧 Listen: knowledgematters.org/history…

Strong reading schools get a lot of things right: strong leadership, foundational skills, high expectations, quality curriculum and a focus on student outcomes. And underneath it all? Knowledge. Because it takes knowledge to gain knowledge: the74million.org/article/new…

Promising developments in social studies: A new KY curriculum. A new DE program combining civics & literacy. A free webinar on a new US history curriculum from @4qmTeaching teaching on 8.13! More in my new post: nataliewexler.substack.com/p…

T3 groups are at the same time as social studies at my school. So, while students are receiving intervention lessons, they miss the beneficial background knowledge introduced in SS. I understand the time constraints, yet wish students could have both lessons for exactly 👇🏼

Knowledge is the missing piece in a lot of reading work. A refrigerator story gives kids science, history, vocabulary, and a reason to ask why. Background knowledge makes decoding worth the effort.

Natalie Wexler argues social studies boosts literacy: more social studies time raises reading scores (unlike extra reading time), especially for low-income kids, by building knowledge/vocabulary. Louisiana, Massachusetts, Kentucky created state curricula; Delaware pilots "Literacy for We the People," pairing civics/history with writing/speaking skills via simulated hearings. nataliewexler.substack.com/p…

Yes! I’m gonna be putting together some days for ELA and History to connect to push students for more elaboration and analysis in their writing. Already recommending #HistoryMatters to my fellow colleagues.