Florida Collages
Demystifying the Science of Reading with Doug Lemov, Founder of Teach Like a Champion
Mike Palmer welcomes Doug Lemov, founder of Teach Like a Champion, to the podcast. Lemov discusses his journey from teacher to education innovator and the evolution of Teach Like a Champion. He highlights the importance of the new book, The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading, co-authored with Colleen Driggs and Erica Woolway. The conversation delves into the critical role of attention in reading, the impact of technology on cognition, and the power of shared reading experiences in the classroom. Lemov also explains the significance of close reading and knowledge-based comprehension, advocating for bringing complex texts, whole books, and writing back into the classroom.
Key Takeaways:
- The Science of Reading: The importance of understanding the research behind reading acquisition and applying it to teaching practices beyond early elementary grades.
- Attention in the Digital Age: How screens and social media fragment attention, and the need to rebuild students’ capacity for sustained concentration through practices like reading physical books and extended reading periods.
- The Social Nature of Reading: The value of shared reading experiences in fostering connection, meaning-making, and enjoyment, contrasting with individual, choice-based reading that can isolate students.
- Knowledge-Driven Comprehension: The understanding that reading comprehension is primarily driven by background knowledge, not just transferable skills, emphasizing the need to build students’ knowledge base to improve their understanding of complex texts.
- The Power of Writing: The benefits of slow, durable, and difficult writing in the classroom for deep thinking, memory encoding, and improved discussion, especially in contrast to the shortcuts offered by AI.
Why You Should Listen: Discover how to reignite joy and meaning in the classroom by understanding the science of reading and practical strategies for improving student comprehension and engagement. Doug shares insights on combating the challenges of modern attention spans and leveraging the power of shared experiences and knowledge-building to cultivate lifelong readers.
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Timestamps:
- 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
- 01:01 Doug Lemov’s Professional Journey
- 02:05 Founding a Charter School
- 03:02 Teach Like A Champion: Origins and Impact
- 07:36 The Science of Reading: New Book Insights
- 09:46 Challenges in Reading Education
- 13:49 The Importance of Attention in Reading
- 19:22 Social Aspects of Reading and Meaning Making
- 20:31 The Social Power of Books in the Classroom
- 21:09 The Debate on Book Choice in Education
- 22:06 The Importance of Shared Reading Experiences
- 23:22 Understanding the Role of Complex Texts in Education
- 26:38 The Cognitive Science Behind Close Reading
- 31:13 The Impact of Writing on Learning and Memory
- 36:37 The Role of Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehension
- 42:38 Concluding Thoughts and the Importance of Whole Book
Episode References
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Lemov, D., Driggs, C., & Woolway, E. (2025). The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading: Translating Research to Reignite Joy and Meaning in the Classroom. Jossey-Bass.
