Science of Reading: The Podcast S10 E9: From research to reality: Breaking down comprehension barriers, with Phil Capin, Ph.D.
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Jan 14, 2026 In this engaging discussion, Phil Capin, Ph.D., a literacy researcher at Harvard, shares his insights on reading comprehension. He highlights the gap between research and classroom practices, emphasizing the importance of knowledge building and effective instructional strategies. Capin advocates for the active involvement of students in discussions and stresses the power of writing in enhancing comprehension. He introduces a framework for reading instruction and discusses how domain knowledge is crucial for understanding, revealing how strategies should support rather than dominate the learning process.
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Teacher-Led Talk Mirrors Durkin's Findings
- Phil recounts observing classrooms where teachers do most of the talking and summarizing during reading.
- He connects this pattern to Dolores Durkin's finding that post-reading questioning often functions as testing, not instruction.
Use Before-During-After Sequencing
- Organize comprehension instruction into before, during, and after reading phases.
- Make students do the heavy lifting via motivation, vocabulary, discussion, and structured writing.
Build Targeted Background First
- Build background knowledge and teach critical vocabulary briefly before reading.
- Focus on what the writer assumes the reader already knows, without giving away the whole text.
