Beyond the Science of Reading: A Conversation with Natalie Wexler

Today, I have the absolute pleasure of speaking with Natalie Wexler, an acclaimed education writer and thought leader whose work has shaped conversations around literacy, cognitive science, and equity in education. Natalie is the author of Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning and The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—And How to Fix It. She also co-authored The Writing Revolution and The Writing Revolution 2.0.

Natalie’s insights have reached audiences across the U.S. and beyond, and she continues to share her expertise through her Substack newsletter Minding the Gap and as host of the Knowledge Matters Podcast.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Natalie wrote Beyond the Science of Reading as a follow-up to The Knowledge Gap
• The critical role of writing in learning- Why writing reinforces reading comprehension, boosts memory, and encourages deeper thinking—and why it’s often overlooked.
• Practical advice for teachers