Natalie Wexler

Interested in education, cognitive science, literacy--and fairness? Me too! And I have a free newsletter (no ads), where I post about those topics regularly. To make sure you don't miss an issue, please consider subscribing: nataliewexler.substack.com

Can generative AI rot your brain? Click below to listen to my recent conversation with Cynthia Dvorak on the Screen Less Play More podcast. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how…

🥣🧂Students need 2 ingredients to make retrieval practice a meaningful learning opportunity: 💡Something to learn. 📝Challenging AND successful practice retrieving what was learned. @natwexler talks writing + retrieval practice w/ Purdue Researcher, Jeff Karpicke, in Ep. 5!🎯

Worth reading this piece about England embracing cognitive science in ed, vs U.S. This shouldn't be political. But I wonder: are there risks to having an administration (especially a conservative one) embrace evidence-backed teaching? Could it lead some educators to reject it ?

Have students to read complex history texts with confidence by teaching them to write with complexity first. Writing fuels not only reading, but use of advanced syntax and vocabulary. @natwexler 🔗: tinyurl.com/49rrw7m8 #HistoryMatters

Been a minute since your Hochman Method training? Like a "was it 2024...or maybe 2023" kind of minute? Yeah, we get it. That’s why we created the Refresher Training + MyTWR Tools membership — a flexible, self-paced way to revisit the strategies you meant to keep using (no…

It’s the foundation for participation. That foundation is built in social studies. #HistoryMatters @icivics @CivicEducation @BRInstitute

Have students write about history. Writing helps move knowledge into long-term memory, boosting comprehension, recall, and critical thinking. Listen to the latest episode of the Knowledge Matters podcast! ➡️tinyurl.com/49rrw7m8 @natwexler @KnowledgeMatrs #HistoryMatters

✍️Sentence structure in written language is almost always more complex than syntax in conversational language. ➕In Ep. 5 @natwexler discusses the benefits to READING when we teach complex syntax and vocabulary in WRITING. 🎧Listen here: tinyurl.com/ynnhd8jd

In history classrooms, students don’t just memorize. They wrestle with ideals and contradictions. With choices and consequences. With humanity. Read @levey_matt48204 thoughtful article here: tinyurl.com/438ku7ht @KnowledgeMatrs #HistoryMatters

In this episode @natwexler applies research on cognitive load theory to writing in powerful and practical ways!

Perhaps we've been thinking about you more than you have been thinking about us, and that’s exactly how it should be. 😀 Because behind the scenes, we have been reflecting, reimagining, and building. Now, we are proud to introduce the next evolution of The Writing Revolution to…

Have you ever wanted to just ask Judy? Now you can. ✨ Meet Judy — our new AI-powered coach and activity generator, named after Dr. Judith Hochman, co-author of The Writing Revolution. Judy brings the Hochman Method to life with real-time support and custom writing activities…

Want to explore the links between literacy & cognitive science? This new 6-episode podcast provides an accessible way to do it. My 2 episodes focus on writing. The first drops today & the second on 7.29. @TheWritingRevol Find out more in my new post: open.substack.com/pub/nataliewex…

✏️🪩Are you ready for it?!?📕⌨️ 🎉Episode 5 of the #KnowledgeMatters Podcast is LIVE! Host @natwexler discusses Memory and the Writing Effect with guests Jeff Karpicke from @Purdue and John Sweller, Developer of Cognitive Load Theory! 📝🧠 🎧Listen here: tinyurl.com/ynnhd8jd

Suppose AI *does* totally obliterate the economic value of being a good writer. Even if that happens, I still think there is a powerful argument for teaching writing because it's a really valuable life skill. substack.nomoremarking.com/p/what-is-the-…

💡Lori’s reflections about her class reminded us of this school tour in Sumner County a few years ago. This student had a similar reflection! “When someone doesn’t understand, other people who get it more can help explain it better…” We spy @scottlangford72 in the back, too!

What happens when classrooms read a novel together? @Doug_Lemov speaks w/ Lori Hughes, an educator in @AmarilloISD about the classroom improvements she noticed when students were reading + learning w/ whole books! Listen to the Knowledge Matters Podcast: tinyurl.com/ynnhd8jd

Really important insights in this episode--which, by coincidence, I listened to while attending an education conference near @AmarilloISD . I hope other districts (and schools within the district) are paying attention to what's happening at Eastridge Elementary!

📖Persistence in a challenging text is a gift in education! All students should have this opportunity!💙 🔋@Doug_Lemov discusses the POWER of whole BOOKS in Episode 4 of the #KnowledgeMatters Podcast. 🎧Listen here or on your favorite streaming service: tinyurl.com/ynnhd8jd

Writing is obviously a tool for communication. But it is so much more than that. It is a means of expanding limited working memory and a tool for thinking. AI can write really well - but if you want to develop your own thinking you need to be able to write yourself!…