The Science of Reading Reconsidered

12 May, 2026

The Science of Reading Reconsidered

Chris Colley & Timothy Shanahan

https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2026/05/shifted-podcast-94-in-conversation-with-timothy-shanahan-the-science-of-reading-reconsidered/

In a moment when almost everything seems to be labeled a “literacy” — AI literacy, media literacy, digital literacy, financial literacy — it can become easy to lose sight of the foundational act underneath all of them: reading.

That tension sat at the heart of a recent conversation on the ShiftED Podcast with Timothy Shanahan, one of the leading voices in literacy research and instruction. Across the discussion, Shanahan returned to a simple but increasingly important point: reading is not a natural process. It is learned, cognitively demanding, and deeply connected to background knowledge, vocabulary, and explicit instruction.

Throughout the episode, Shanahan unpacked some of the assumptions that have shaped literacy education over the past two decades. Referencing ideas explored in his book Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives, he reflected on how certain classroom practices became widespread despite limited long-term research support. His critique was not aimed at teachers themselves, but at systems that often promoted programs and approaches before the evidence had fully caught up.

The conversation arrives at an important moment for Québec educator