Science of Reading Essentials: Comprehension
In this special Essentials episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert digs into the archives to find reading comprehension insights from experts Hugh Catts, Ph.D.; Sharon Vaughn, Ph.D.; and Reid Smith, Ph.D. Listeners will get a foundational introduction to the complexities of reading comprehension and come away with an understanding of how to reframe comprehension as an outcome rather than a skill, choose the right texts and ask the right questions, and cultivate long-term memory and knowledge recall.
Meet our guest(s):
Hugh Catts
Hugh Catts, Ph.D., studies the early identification and prevention of reading disabilities. Catts is a former board member of the International Dyslexia Association and former president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. He has received the Samuel T. Orton Award (the International Dyslexia Association’s highest honor) and the Honors of the Association Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for his career contributions to these disciplines. His current research concerns the early identification of reading and language difficulties and the nature and assessment of reading comprehension problems.
Sharon Vaughn
Sharon Vaughn, Ph.D., serves as the Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education and the Executive Director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, an organized research unit that she founded with a Make-A-Wish gift the Meadows Foundation family. She’s the recipient of numerous awards, including the University of Texas Distinguished Faculty and Research Award (which she was the first woman to receive), the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Special Education Research Award, the American Educational Research Association’s Special and Inclusive Education Research Distinguished Researcher Award, and the Jeannette E. Fleischner Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Learning Disabilities from CEC. She is the author of more than 40 books and 350 research articles, six of which have met the What Works Clearing House Criteria for their intervention reports. She has conducted technical assistance in literacy in more than 10 countries and 30 state Departments of Education and has worked as a literacy consultant on more than 50 technical assistance projects.
Reid Smith
Reid Smith, Ph.D., is an elementary school teacher and curriculum leader at a school in Australia. He holds a doctorate from La Trobe University’s Science of Language and Reading Lab, where his research focused on the contribution of background knowledge to the act of reading. He is also co-CEO of Ochre Education, a not-for-profit organization committed to closing educational gaps by providing teachers with free, high-quality curriculum materials.
Meet our host: Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert is Chief Academic Officer of Literacy at 尖叫视频app and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.
As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. A former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, she’s dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.
