We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode The future of learning to read

The future of learning to read

2025/5/30
logo of podcast The Future of Everything

The Future of Everything

AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
J
Jason Yeatman
R
Russ Altman
Topics
Russ Altman: 我观察到孩子们的阅读能力存在差异,有些孩子很早就掌握了阅读,而另一些孩子则面临挑战。阅读障碍通常被认为是阅读效率低下的表现,但如果能及早识别并进行干预,问题是可以解决的。然而,准确诊断阅读障碍并非易事。 Jason Yeatman: 我认为阅读障碍并非简单的“有”或“无”的问题,而是一个连续体。它更多地描述了阅读进展不如预期的情况。许多发展障碍都具有相似的特性。是否将阅读障碍定义为一种疾病,以及在何处划定界限,更多地取决于公共政策和资源的分配,而非纯粹的科学问题。关键在于,我们希望社会提供何种水平的识字支持,以及如何帮助个体成为社会中有功能的成员。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the neurobiology of reading, highlighting its unique complexity and societal importance. It discusses the relatively recent invention of reading and how it repurposes existing brain systems for a new function.
  • Reading is a relatively recent invention using older brain systems.
  • Learning to read involves connecting vision, hearing, and language in a new way.
  • Reading is critical to success in modern society.

Shownotes Transcript

Jason Yeatman) is an expert in the neurobiology of literacy whose lab is fostering a virtuous research cycle between academia and school communities, aligning scientific inquiry with real-world needs of students, parents, and educators. His lab has developed ROAR – the Rapid Online Assessment of Reading—a gamified, web-based dyslexia screening tool. ROAR provides fast, precise, and scalable assessments, helping educators identify and get support to struggling students. We’re aligning cutting-edge reading science with the challenges teachers face every day, Yeatman tells host Russ Altman) on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

*Listen to the end to hear a question from one of our listeners for Professor Renee Zhao, as well as Professor Zhao's response. *

Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected]).

Episode Reference Links:

Connect With Us:

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces Jason Yeatman, a professor of pediatrics education and psychology at Stanford University.

(00:03:12) Why Reading?

Why Jason dedicated his career to studying reading acquisition.

(00:04:12) Are We Built to Read?

How reading is a relatively new invention using older brain systems.

(00:06:41) Reading as a Continuum

Whether reading ability is distributed like other genetic human traits.

(00:07:53) Defining Dyslexia

Reframing dyslexia as a label for support, not a binary diagnosis.

(00:10:19) Phonological Awareness

Understanding how speech sound recognition underpins reading.

(00:13:37) Nature vs. Nurture

The influence of both genetics and environment in reading ability.

(00:16:40) The Origin of ROAR

An online reading assessment tool created during the pandemic.

(00:19:06) ROAR’s Effectiveness

The accuracy in which ROAR can assess reading capability.

(00:22:45) Reading Interventions That Work

Expanding support with evidence-based interventions for all ages.

(00:25:25) Personalized Diagnoses

Tailoring interventions based on detailed individual skill diagnostics.

(00:26:36) Scaling ROAR

Scaling ROAR via an academic research-practice partnership model.

(00:29:34) Infrastructure Behind ROAR

The team and technology required to scale ROAR in schools.

(00:31:54) Future of Reading Assessment

Expanding ROAR to include other dimensions of reading development.

(00:33:44) Reading Across Languages

Why English poses more reading difficulties than many languages.

(00:35:34)** Listener Q&A**

New segment answering audience questions from past episodes.

(00:37:46) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website)

Connect with Russ >>> Threads) / Bluesky) / Mastodon)

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X) / Instagram) / LinkedIn) / Facebook)