S5 E20 - If They Knew It, They Would Do It

In this episode of the Structured Literacy podcast, Jocelyn challenges the common teacher assumption that students "know" content simply because it was taught, arguing that if students truly knew it, they would demonstrate it consistently. Drawing on cognitive load theory and John Sweller's research that learning is a permanent change to long-term memory, she critiques language like "we've taught that" or "they've done that" which focuses on teacher actions rather than student outcomes.

Jocelyn provides five practical steps for shifting from content coverage to ensuring genuine learning: noticing and reframing deficit language, evaluating plans for depth over breadth, working collaboratively to address "box-ticking" instruction, planning regular retrieval and consolidation opportunities, and collecting evidence of actual student learning rather than relying on assumptions.

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

We have released Spelling Success in Action 1, a catch-up program for phonics, early morphology, and orthographic conventions for years 3 to 8. This program can be used one-on-one, in small groups, or as a whole class and is built on what the evidence tells us is the critical knowledge students need for strong spelling and the type of instruction that makes learning stick.

Learn more about this resource and order your copy at www.jocelynseamereducation.com

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