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    How We Broke Reading Comprehension -- and How We Can Fix It

    October 31, 2026

    Online

    Learning & the Brain education webinars
    ProgramCreditsRegistration

    This webinar will run from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm ET / 7:00 am - 9:00 am PT on October 31, 2026 for a total of 2 credit hours. 

    Register Now
    On Site PD
    On Site PD

    For those who cannot attend the live webinar on October 31, a recording of the webinar will be available for 7 days following the live webinar, beginning the following Monday.
    CE credit is only available for live attendance.

     

    What if many of our well-intentioned literacy practices have unintentionally weakened reading comprehension instruction? In this session, we’ll examine a research-based definition of comprehension and how many schools inadvertently shifted away from instruction that develops it. Most importantly, we'll focus on what educators can do instead: practical, evidence-informed approaches rooted in the science of comprehension and tested in classrooms. Together, we'll tackle one of the most common challenges teachers face: "My students don't get it. Now what?" Participants will leave with a framework for analyzing comprehension challenges, along with concrete strategies and resources they can use immediately.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    Participants will be able to:
    Identify what makes reading comprehension complex
    Evaluate the limitations of skill-based models of comprehension instruction
    Apply a framework for analyzing and responding to students' comprehension challenges

    WHO SHOULD ATTEND

    This seminar is applicable to teachers K-12, with particular emphasis on grades 5+
    Instructional leaders
    Literacy coaches and interventionists
    School and district administrators
    Tutors and those who work in literacy-related non-profits

    Stephen Chiger

    Stephen Chiger is the Senior Director of 5–12 Humanities at Uncommon Schools, where he supports literacy instruction across more than 30 high-performing schools working to close the opportunity gap. Having trained thousands of teachers and school leaders internationally, he is the co-author of Team Up with the Text (forthcoming winter 2026); Love and Literacy, a guide to English pedagogy; and Gram and Gran Save the Summer, a middle grades mystery focused on media literacy. Chiger was named Educator of the Year by the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English and currently serves on NCTE’s Assessment Committee.