The lack of word study in grades 3-8 is the biggest 'own goal' of the entire industry.

Been calling this education malpractice for years. Nick Gibb got a big round of applause at ResearchED Toronto when he said England made it's schools of education reapply for accreditation after they brought the Science of Learning expectations.

Research without action is just talk. ResearchEd Toronto made space for the candid, sometimes uncomfortable truths that actually move practice forward. @nsachdeva2019 @researchED_US @researchEDCan #rEDTO2026 @researchED_US

“Teach the stuff and cut the fluff!” ~Dr. Anita Archer Very wise words BUT I think this advice should apply to more than just classroom instruction- it should apply to teacher professional learning, too!! That’s one of the reasons why I love the researchED Canada conference so much! I truly learn more in one day at a researchED conference than I learn in an entire year of district-wide professional development. Why? Because the focus is on bringing in education experts and leading researchers in the areas of cognitive science, literacy, mathematics and evidence-informed instruction, and not on creating an elaborate venue complete with expensive frills! A fancy conference venue, white linen tablecloths and a 3-course meal do not help me become a better teacher-access to knowledge, empirical research and practical instructional strategies does. If we genuinely believe that every student deserves a knowledgeable, well-trained teacher, shouldn’t we be working to make high-quality professional learning affordable and accessible to EVERY teacher? Teachers shouldn’t have to spend hundreds—or thousands—of dollars out of pocket to access the knowledge they need to improve student outcomes- Professional learning shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for those who can afford it!! So perhaps it’s time we applied Anita Archer’s advice to teacher training and conferences, too: TEACH THE STUFF. CUT THE FLUFF. Because ultimately, the measure of a successful conference isn’t how impressive the venue was or how inspired teachers felt when they left. It’s what teachers learned, what they changed in their classrooms, and whether those changes improved student learning. Thank you @nsachdeva2019 and @researchEDCan, as well as @tombennett71 at @researchED1 for continuing to prioritize substance over spectacle. You are leading the way for affordable, high quality conferences for educators across Canada and the world! #TeacherTraining #AnitaArcher #TeachTheStuffAndCutTheFluff

Every curriculum publisher throws around the word vigor. I think this word is pretty meaningless in education now. I just wish curriculum developers showed you clear examples of materials that they consider challenging. Below is a picture of the words I'm teaching my 5th graders in our next word study unit. The bolded words will be on the spelling quiz at the end of the unit. A few of my students are already strong spellers so they will be taught challenging words like acquiescence, effervescence, obsolescence, luminescence, reminiscense, verbose, grandiose, comatose, lachrymose, fructose, dispense, rescind, ascertain, oscillate, scintillation, and susceptible. Many in the class will learn additional vocabulary during our MTSS block. These words are grouped by category as shown. Knowledge of individual word meanings accounts for as much as 50–60 percent of the variance in reading comprehension.

That's why I think opportunity cost is the single most important idea in school improvement. Every hour our teachers—and our students—spend on one thing is an hour they don't have to spend on something else. And this matters most of all for students who find learning hardest...

Does direct instruction work? Some claimed Stockard et al. (2018) meta-analysis didn't compare DI to inquiry-based teaching for math. We reanalyzed the data. DI was significantly MORE effective than inquiry-based (d = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.49 to 0.70). @CECMembership @NCTM @ehanford

I honestly think Matt Burns deserves paper of the year for this one. This paper was years overdue. His secondary meta analysis directly compares IBL and DI. It showed that DI outperformed. No other meta, to my knowledge has made this direct comparison before. researchgate.net/publication…

Ben Solomon: Memorization should not be a dirty word in math. Adults are the problem, NOT kids. Kids are proud when they memorize math facts. This is essential for later math.

Timed practice is the core for mastering math facts. Ben Solomon: “as Anita Archer says, we have no documented cases of students dying from timed practice”

“Models that take the teacher out of the picture produce abysmal results.” -Amanda VanDerHeyden

I need to repost this as Anita Archer's keynote yesterday at ResearchEd Toronto discussed the convergence of the three sciences.

1/2 Misssed #rEDTO2026 Here's the stream to watch! @researchED1 @tombennett71 Morning Sessions: vimeo.com/1237720080/f524573… Includes: Welcome Opening Remarks Keynote 1 (Kareem Weaver) Breakout 1 (Barbara Oakley) Breakout 2 (Nidhi Sachdeva) Keynote 2 (Nick Gibb)

2/2 Afternoon Sessions: vimeo.com/1239102697/82e9edf… Includes: Breakout 3 (Pedro De Bruyckere) Keynote 3 (Zaretta Hammond) Keynote 4 (Anita Archer)

“The problem with math education is there is very little overlap with the science of learning….the science of learning is not a fad”-Amanda VanDerHeyden

When first reported, 2025’s jobs reports added up to 1.2 million new jobs. After revisions, the economy added just 116,000 — 90% less.

We’ve lost our damn minds

This part is like a glass of fresh water. Critical thinking is the *outcome* of secure domain knowledge, not its replacement.

Remember: no evidence fidget devices help; some evidence they actually hinder.

The closer you get to the impact of illiteracy in people's lives, the less you're willing to tolerate and stay silent about.