Log inSign up
Natalie Wexler
5,963 posts
user avatar
Natalie Wexler
@natwexler
Free newsletter: nataliewexler.substack.com. Author, Beyond the Science of Reading & The Knowledge Gap; co-author, The Writing Revolution.
Washington, DC
nataliewexler.com
Joined May 2011
418
Following
18.8K
Followers

New to X?

Sign up now to get your own personalized timeline!

Create account

By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, including Cookie Use.

Terms·Privacy·Cookies·Accessibility·Ads Info·© 2026 X Corp.
Don't miss what's happening
People on X are the first to know.
Log inSign up
  • Pinned
    user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Nov 1, 2022
    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:
    Minding the Gap | Natalie Wexler | Substack
    From nataliewexler.substack.com
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Jul 28, 2019
    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. forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Sep 4, 2023
    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:
    More Evidence That Our Approach To Reading Comprehension Is All Wrong
    From forbes.com
    78K
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Apr 9, 2023
    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: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
    107K
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Jun 6, 2020
    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 forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Sep 23, 2022
    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: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    May 22, 2022
    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.
    nytimes.com
    In the Fight Over How to Teach Reading, This Guru Makes a Major Retreat (Published 2022)
    Lucy Calkins, a leading literacy expert, has rewritten her curriculum to include a fuller embrace of phonics and the science of reading. Critics may not be appeased.
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Apr 29, 2019
    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 Forbes.com: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
    forbes.com
    Forbes
    Forbes is a global media company, focusing on business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and lifestyle.
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Jul 18, 2022
    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 forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Nov 14, 2021
    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: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Mar 1, 2023
    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: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
    61K
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Nov 19, 2022
    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: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Apr 1, 2022
    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. forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
  • user avatar
    Natalie Wexler
    @natwexler
    Jan 3, 2022
    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: forbes.com/sites/nataliew…