Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning

by Natalie Wexler

Genres: Education

240 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2025

About the author

Natalie Wexler is the author of The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and How to Fix It. She is the co-author, with Judith C. Hochman, of The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades, and is a senior contributor on education to Forbes. Her op-eds and articles have appeared in a number of publications, including The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

She is also the author of three novels: A More Obedient Wife, The Mother Daughter Show, and The Observer.

Reviews

[Annebet Pettit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful, clear, less ground-breaking than an excellent compendium of research and thinking on reading. Very helpful for high school teachers as it emphasizes the role of content knowledge in creating fluent, literate students. Alongside Reading Reconsidered, must-reads for English teachers and administrators who care about literacy.

[Kristin Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Beyond the Science of Reading by Natalie Wexler, and it really gave me a lot to think about. It goes deeper than the usual phonics conversation and focuses on what really helps students become strong readers: building knowledge. One of the key takeaways for me was that kids can’t understand what they don’t know, so we have to give them access to content-rich learning across subjects, not just isolated reading skills.

Wexler also makes a strong case for the importance of writing, not just as a way to improve literacy but as a powerful tool for thinking and learning. She brings in insights from cognitive science in a way that’s easy to understand and really practical—things like how memory works, why background knowledge matters, and how we can actually help students retain and apply what they learn.

If you’re an educator looking to go beyond the basics and dig into what really supports long-term literacy, this book is definitely worth the read.

[Tamara Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a lot to consider as an educator weeding through what I was taught and what research tells us about learning. As I am navigating the SoR movement and the implications on my instruction, O was pleased to come across a text that went beyond foundational reading skills. I have many launch points to continue my research and improve my instruction. Great resource for those recognizing the need for something different in their classrooms or schools, and looking for somewhere to begin. A nice summation of research findings and perspectives with actionable suggestions to improve practice.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this one! It reinforced how important it is to teach knowledge-rich content—not just skills—and gave me a better understanding of how kids actually learn through writing and background knowledge. A little repetitive if you’ve read The Knowledge Gap, but still worth it. Now I want to read The Writing Revolution and Make It Stick next!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book does not necessarily cover a ton of new ground, it succinctly and clearly points to concerns and issues in education, curriculum, and pedagogy. It would be an excellent overview for someone new to the topics.

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was captivated by the title of this work but I was left feeling quite disappointed.

The thrust of it is that "knowledge" subjects such as science, social studies, history etc. should be used as comprehension texts, which has been all over social media for a couple of years.

There was one study in there that I was not familiar with, but the rest was wash, rinse, repeat, as far as I am concerned.

Might be ok if you are new to education or reading studies but I don't really think that it adds anything to the literature or the field that hasn't been stated much more succinctly elsewhere.

[Hilmg · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is pretty much a very long infomercial, and I continued reading it anyway. I appreciate her invitations to question our assumptions as teachers & the reminders of the value of research (in this case, on the effectiveness of schooling). The author speaks strongly about the value of equity, the frequent overtasking of classroom teachers, & accounting for the realities of students’ working memory. The author acknowledges that a lot of evidence is anecdotal, & has perspectives why this is so. Nothing here is radical, something is definitely for sale.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to. For work. And it was painful.
Also, there's such a disconnect between the classroom, the university, and the government, and we all know -- the twain shall never meet. This is your realism for the day.

[Jenna Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any educator who cares about student learning needs to read this book.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chapters 4 and 5 are important reads

[Hilary McDevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a retread of her previous works. I didn’t find much new material here, but it could be a good overview for someone new to the topic.

[Erin McNeill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this, and it spent 9 chapters talking educators into buying one of her previous books or the curriculum she endorses. Disappointing

[Erin McDonnell-Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ More of a subtle diatribe against current literacy theories rather than a handbook or guidebook, with specific steps and concepts woven throughout, for integrating literacy instruction

[Kaitlin Rowland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean I was already on board with knowledge building curriculums alongside phonics instruction but it’s still good stuff!!