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Reading comprehension isn’t a checklist skill. It’s an active process shaped by what students know and how they think. With the nation's attention laser focused on promoting literacy outcomes in K-12 education, too often, comprehension is treated as a skill to be mastered through activities such as finding the main idea or making inferences. Rather than viewing it as a one-size-fits-all skill, reading comprehension needs to be recognized as an active process that involves both the text and the reader and that emphasizes its complexity, context-dependency, and developmental nature.

In this episode, Dr. Hugh Catts, professor at Florida State University School of Communication Science and Disorders, highly published researcher, prolific author, and leading investigator in literacy and language development, challenges the way we think about reading comprehension and shares insights from decades of research that have practical implications for educators, parents, and anyone invested in promoting student competence and confidence as readers and learners. Dr. Catts explains why comprehension actually is an active process and why strong executive function skills like attention, working memory, and self-regulation, together with robust language abilities, are critical for helping students move beyond decoding words to truly understanding texts.

About Hugh Catts, Ph.D.
Dr. Catts is Professor of the School of Communication Science and Disorders at Florida State University. His research interests include the early identification and prevention of reading disabilities. He is a past board member of the International Dyslexia Association and past board member and President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. He has received the Samuel T. Orton Award from the International Dyslexia Association and the Honors of the Association from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for his career contributions in each of these disciplines. His current research concerns the early identification of reading and language disabilities and the nature and assessment of reading comprehension problems.

Books:

• Language and Reading Disabilities (3rd Edition)

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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Children in general, and students to be specific, are incredibly sensitive to the expectations of the adults in their lives; particularly their teachers. A study by Rubie-Davies and colleagues showed that in two sets of 2nd through 7th grade students, in spite of the similar levels of reading achievement at the start of the year, the achievement results at the end of the year markedly differed ~ simply driven by one variable ~ the teacher's expectations. Those with teachers who overestimated the students’ ability outperformed those whose teachers didn’t have high expectations.

In this episode, 2020 Grammy Music Educator Award Recipient, seven-time Teacher of the Year, Cannonball Saxophone Educator, Assistant Director of Instrumental Arts at The King’s Academy and author, Mickey Smith Jr., not only has high expectations from his students but has made it his mission to show his students that they matter. Mickey unveils his educational philosophy that modern day teaching is a relationship-based approach, and that more than ever, teaching cannot simply be about the subject matter, but also about showing students that they matter and good teachers help learners “know their sound.”

About Mickey Smith Jr.
Educator and Encourager. Those are two words that describe Mickey Smith Jr. The Louisiana-native is a 7-time Teacher of the Year and recipient of the prestigious GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Mickey inspires audiences across North America with his motivational mixture of music and message. Mickey is not only an international keynote speaker and presenter, but he is also a full-time teacher at The King’s Academy in West Palm Beach, FL. Mickey blends the roles of educator and entertainer to create a one-of-a-kind, dynamic experience that entertains, educates, and elevates everyone to excellence. No matter the challenge, Mickey encourages everyone everywhere to keep on going.

Mickey lives in West Palm Beach, Florida with his wife of over 20 years and their two kids. Find out more at mickeysmithjr.com

Books:

• The Adventures of Little Mickey: Keep on Going

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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As students get ready to return to school this fall, the post-pandemic norm of plummeted student engagement rises to the top as a deep and wide concern for teachers, parents, families, educational leaders, and policymakers. However, we should be careful about HOW we describe, assess, or remedy engagement. Stakeholders need to be cautious in not letting students’ behavioral engagement in the form of physical signals of attentiveness or compliance with class activities take precedence over their cognitive engagement in the form of love for learning, curiosity around challenges, and a willing exploration for personal satisfaction.

In this episode, Garry McGiboney, Chief of Operations for Health Security Dynamics, Executive Director of Government Programs at Sharecare, consultant for the United States Department of Education and past Deputy State Superintendent for the Georgia Department of Education, discusses what gets students engaged and how educators and school leaders can reimagine learning environments by building relationships and modeling ways in which learners can become agents of their own success. We all play a role in improving educational outcomes in all children and we have to rise above the sentiment that ‘everything is falling apart’ or ‘nothing will have a lasting impact.’ Dr. McGiboney invites us to invest our effort in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the system, build on what works, and build on our strengths to move the needle forward.

About Dr. Garry McGiboney
Garry McGiboney, Ph.D., is the Chief of Operations for Health Security Dynamics and Executive Director of Government Programs at Sharecare and a consultant for the United States Department of Education. He was Deputy State Superintendent for the Georgia Department of Education for 14 years. He serves on the Behavioral Health Reform Commission, State Juvenile Alternatives to Detention Committee, Council on Alcohol and Drugs, and Georgia Parent Support Network Board. Dr. McGiboney co-founded the Georgia Education Climate Coalition with a membership of over 80 organizations. He has several professional journal publications and several books. His book The Psychology of School Climate is referenced by the United States Department of Education and researchers. His book An Epidemiological Study of Leadership is used by graduate schools. He also authored an inspiration book, Leading Us Out of Darkness and a book of poetry, Timberline of the Mind. He has been interviewed by CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, NPR, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Le Devoir, Japan Press, and others. He has received state and national awards and was inducted into the Board of Regents Alumni Hall of Fame. The Dr. Garry McGiboney Outstanding Leadership Award is given annually by the Georgia Association of Positive Behavior Supports.

Books:

• The Psychology of School Climate 2nd Edition
• An Epidemiological Study of Leadership
• Timberline of the Mind
• The Psychology of Leadership Principles, Practices, and Priorities

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Fu

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If an American 10th grader is assigned to read the autobiography "Virat Kohli: Legend of a Great Player," about the world-famous Indian cricketer known as the best limited-overs batsman in history, they might read the pages, but would they truly grasp the meaning of Kohli’s remarkable accomplishments on the global sports platform? Americans who don’t play cricket, let alone know much about its rules, may struggle to comprehend due more to unfamiliarity with the context and meanings of terms such as "wicket," "innings," and "century" than an inability to read the words, sentences, paragraphs, or chapters. In short, knowledge matters when it comes to learning and deriving meaning through reading.

In this episode, Dr. Gene Kerns, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Renaissance Learning and co-author of the 2021 book "Literacy Reframed: How a Focus on Decoding, Vocabulary, and Background Knowledge Improves Reading Comprehension," returns to discuss the role of knowledge in building literacy competence and the urgency of making knowledge the cornerstone of learning. Once students have mastered the mechanics of reading, their literacy development depends on educators’ ability to enhance their background knowledge and expand their vocabulary. Executive function plays a crucial role in students’ ability to monitor comprehension and bridge knowledge gaps. Together, these skills enable students to become competent learners who understand how to persist and achieve their goals.

About Dr. Gene Kerns
Gene is a third-generation educator with teaching experience from elementary through the university level and K-12 administrative experience. He currently serves as Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Renaissance Learning.

With more than 20 years of experience in leading staff development and speaking at national and international conferences including South by Southwest (SxSW) EDU, London’s Westminster Education Forum, the ASU/Global Silicon Valley (SGV) Summit, the 42nd Annual Mexico TESOL Conference, and the Global Education Technology Forum of China. His former clients include administrators’ associations across the country and the Ministry of Education of Singapore.

Gene received his Bachelor's degree and Master's degree from Longwood College in Virginia, and also holds a Doctor of Education (Ed .D.) from the University of Delaware with an emphasis in Education Leadership.

His most recent work has been focused on assessment and literacy. His first book, inFormative Assessment: When It’s Not About a Grade is published by Corwin Press in both English and Arabic. His second book, Unlocking Student Talent, was released by Teachers College Press in December of 2017. This newest book, Literacy Reframed, was released in 2021 through Solution Tree.

Books:

• Unlocking Student Talent: The New Science of Developing Expertise

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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Indian-American author and wellness expert, Deepak Chopra, says, “Find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.” The big challenge for educators and parents alike is how do developing brains become all that they have the possibility of becoming? Is this simply a mindset or is reaching one’s own full potential a story of building skills with practice? What are sure-fire ways for each and every child to tap into their own human potential and stretch themself to the limit to reach the pinnacle of their performance?

In this episode, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Renaissance Learning and co-author of the 2017 book, “Unlocking Student Talent: The New Science of Developing Expertise”, Dr. Gene Kerns, discusses guidelines to help teachers spot and encourage "all" students to attain their personal best despite all the odds and how best to promote greater motivation for learning and success in our young scholars. Since Executive Function skills are essential in enabling children to persist to achieve goals; students need skill building to learn to persist and these same set of skills go into unlocking their true potential.

About Dr. Gene Kerns
Gene is a third-generation educator with teaching experience from elementary through the university level and K-12 administrative experience. He currently serves as Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Renaissance Learning.

With more than 20 years of experience in leading staff development and speaking at national and international conferences including South by Southwest (SxSW) EDU, London’s Westminster Education Forum, the ASU/Global Silicon Valley (SGV) Summit, the 42nd Annual Mexico TESOL Conference, and the Global Education Technology Forum of China. His former clients include administrators’ associations across the country and the Ministry of Education of Singapore.

Gene received his Bachelor's degree and Master's degree from Longwood College in Virginia, and also holds a Doctor of Education (Ed .D.) from the University of Delaware with an emphasis in Education Leadership.

His most recent work has been focused on assessment and literacy. His first book, inFormative Assessment: When It’s Not About a Grade is published by Corwin Press in both English and Arabic. His second book, Unlocking Student Talent, was released by Teachers College Press in December of 2017. This newest book, Literacy Reframed, was released in 2021 through Solution Tree.

Books:

• Unlocking Student Talent: The New Science of Developing Expertise

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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It’s human to crave connections. If there’s a silver bullet that comes closest to protecting kids, it’s the art of making meaningful connections with adults in their lives. This provides children with a sense of closeness and belonging ,which in return, contributes positively to their physical, social, psychological, and emotional health. Effective communication is the key ingredient to forming deep connections and parents, teachers and mentors need insights and tools to know ways to communicate that helps create a safe space for children to express themselves.

On this episode, neuropsychologist and coauthor of the books “What Do You Say? Talking with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home” and “the Self-Driven Child”, William Stixrud, Ph.D. returns to discuss the parenting language of a consultant and ways in which kids benefit when their parents serve as a non-anxious presence in their lives. Family dynamics and effective modeling by parents can lead to cultivating strong Executive Function enabling questioning the validity of one’s decisions, rethinking positions or points of view, and changing one’s own mind with ease, persistence, and courage.

About William R. Stixrud, Ph.D.
William R. Stixrud, Ph.D., is a clinical neuropsychologist and founder of The Stixrud Group, as well as a faculty member at Children’s National Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine. He is also the co-author, with Ned Johnson, of the national best-selling book, The Self-Driven Child, which is published in 18 countries and 17 languages and has sold more than a half-million copies in China alone. He and Mr. Johnson have also co-authored a critically-acclaimed second book, What Do You Say? Talking with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home.

Dr. Stixrud’s work has been featured in media outlets such as NPR, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times of London, The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, Time Magazine, Scientific American, Business Week, Barron's, New York Magazine, and Vogue. He is a long-time practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, and he plays in the rock band Close Enough.

Books:

• The Self-Driven Child
• What Do You Say? Talking with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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Reading comprehension is unequivocally the foundation of all other learning, not just during the formal years of education, but in creating socially engaged communities and an inclusive world. The ‘Active View of Reading’ framework suggests that complex executive function skills such as goal setting, planning, organizing, and sequencing information critically supports goal completion, mental flexibility, and learning how to learn underneath the reading and writing processes. New findings suggest that despite having age-appropriate word reading, poor reading comprehension might be explained by executive function challenges in children, which is disrupting their learning success.

On this episode, author, director of READLab, and Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Teacher Preparation at Christopher Newport University, Dr. Kelly Cartwright, Ph.D., discusses how executive function infuses and supports human reading processes and how educators must consider remediating Executive Function as a means to promote literacy outcomes in K-12 education. Fortunately for us all, executive function skills can be explicitly taught and doing so will accentuate academic success for all learners.

About Kelly B. Cartwright, Ph.D.
Kelly B. Cartwright, PhD is Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Teacher Preparation at Christopher Newport University, where she directs the Reading, Executive function, And Development Lab (READLab), and is a Research Scholar for the Center for Education Research and Policy. She is the recipient of numerous educational awards, including the 2023 State Council of Higher Education in Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award. Her research, supported by grants from the US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, explores neurocognitive and affective factors that underlie reading processes and difficulties across the lifespan. Her groundbreaking book, Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators, now in second edition, is the first comprehensive text at this intersection. Kelly has served on the Board of Directors of the Literacy Research Association and as Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. She regularly works with K-12 teachers throughout the US to understand and improve reading for struggling students, and these experiences inform her research. Kelly can be followed on Twitter at @KellyBCartwrig1

Books:

• Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators (2nd Edition)
• Word Callers: Small-Group and One-to-One Interventions for Children who "Read" but Don't Comprehend

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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Modern living means living with uncertainty. We are surrounded by progress, yet the things we are unsure of keeps growing, needing us to skillfully cope; hence, making hard decisions without all the answers requires skill and courage. On the other hand, the world measures certainty as the mark of expertise and celebrates those who exude the attitude of invincibility through a firm disposition of ”be fast, be right, and be without a doubt.” So, how do we widen our personal cognitive horizons and become more open and curious in spite of internal and external unpredictability?

On this episode, award-winning author, journalist and thought leader with a global reach, Maggie Jackson, returns to the Full PreFrontal Podcast with Sucheta Kamath to discuss her latest book Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure. Together, they explore the definition of uncertainty, the ties between executive function and the wisdom of uncertainty and finally, ways in which people can build a healthy relationship with the state of ‘not-knowing’. In times of flux, it’s strong Executive Function skills that enable everyone to question the validity of their decision, rethink their position or point of view, and change their own mind with ease, persistence, and courage.

About Maggie Jackson
Maggie Jackson is an award-winning author, journalist and thought leader with a global reach. Her new book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, explores why we should seek not-knowing in times of flux. Nominated for a National Book Award, Uncertain has been named a Best Book of 2023 by Library Journal and The Next Big Idea Club. Library Journal calls the book "remarkable and persuasive." Maggie’s acclaimed book Distracted sparked a global conversation on the steep costs of fragmenting our attention. A former columnist for the Boston Globe, Maggie has written for The New York Times and many other publications worldwide. Her writings have been translated into multiple languages and widely covered by the global press. She lives in New York and Rhode Island.

Websites:

• www.maggie-jackson.com

Books:

• Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure (Nov. 7, 2023)
• Distracted: Reclaiming Our Focus in a World of Lost Attention (2nd Ed, 2018)

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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