Show notes
Susan and Dr. Bruce McCandliss, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, chat about combining neuroscience with education. How does neuroscience help us understand the changes going on in the brain of a child learning to read? Why do some children struggle so profoundly? He shares his research into focusing the student’s attention on letters and sounds versus on the word as a whole.Quotes: “Teachers play a huge role in shaping brain development for reading.”“This is where education and neuroscience are coming together to create a dialogue in the space of how we support children.”Resources:Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel BeckWhere Is Educational Neuroscience? by John T. Bruer, PhD2019 Education Trends by Carrie Gajowski, MAMinds, Brains, and Learning: Understanding the Psychological and Educational Relevance of Neuroscientific Research by James P. ByrnesPodcast discussion guideWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.Episode timestamps*02:00: Introduction: Who is Bruce McCandless?02:00: Bruce's Journey into Early Literacy and Neuroscience05:00: Cognitive Science vs. Neuroscience07:00: Educational Neuroscience and Brain Development22:00: The Role of Teachers in Shaping Brain Development39:00: Future Directions in Educational Neuroscience45:00: Conclusion and Takeaways*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute