Spring ’24 Rewind: Deconstructing the Reading Rope: Background knowledge, with Susan B. Neuman
Join Susan B. Neuman, professor of early childhood and literacy education at the Steinhardt School at New York University, in the sixth episode of our Deconstructing the Reading Rope series. She explains the important link between background knowledge and reading comprehension in the Science of Reading, and shares her five research-based principles to build knowledge networks in literacy instruction. She also highlights the connection between speech and reading, and previews her upcoming studies on the role of cross-media connections in children’s learning.
Meet our guest(s):
Susan B. Neuman
Susan Neuman specializes in childhood education and early literacy development. She has been a Professor at the University of Michigan and has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. In her role as Assistant Secretary, she established the Early Reading First program, developed the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program, and was responsible for all activities in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act. She has served on the International Reading Association’s Board of Directors (2001–2003) as well as numerous other boards of non-profit organizations, and served as co-editor of Reading Research Quarterly (2011–2018), the International Literacy Organization’s flagship research journal. Her research and teaching interests include early childhood policy, curriculum, and early reading instruction for children who live in poverty. Neuman has received two lifetime achievement awards for research in literacy development and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. She has written over 100 articles, and authored or edited 12 books. Her newest is the three-volume Handbook of the Science of Early Literacy (2023) published by Guilford Press.
Meet our host, Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been 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. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Lambert is 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.
