There's a 'blind spot' in the science of learning

The science of reading has mostly focused on the importance of phonics, says journalist Natalie Wexler in this interview. But if schools are really committed to improving literacy, they need to grapple with what cognitive science suggests can improve learning beyond phonics, including the importance of understanding cognitive load theory and working memory, the role knowledge plays in reading, and how explicit writing instruction makes better readers.

In this Bell Ringer Interview with an Expert, The Knowledge Gap author talks about the key ideas in her new book, Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning.