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Lawton Smith is a literacy advocate focused on adolescent reading engagement and the co-founder and CEO of Literal (LiteralApp.com). Praised as a “game changer”, a “Top Tech for Advanced Learners of ELA”, and awarded a rare five stars out-of-five for “Student Engagement” by Common Sense Media, Literal is an all-in-one digital reading platform for modern classrooms that is fundamentally changing what it means to read books on screens.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why reading scores have declined for over a decade
- How Literal makes classic texts engaging through chat-based formats
- The impact of long-form reading on soft skills and mental health
- How AI is used to scaffold texts with translation, rephrasing, and leveling
- Why playful, personalized reading boosts student engagement
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:01:17] What Literal is and how it's addressing the reading crisis
[00:04:45] Key factors behind the long-term decline in reading
[00:09:45] Adapting books to match students’ media habits
[00:16:20] Lawton’s personal journey losing and regaining reading focus
[00:23:12] Turning novels into chat conversations with avatars
[00:32:56] Expanding the Literal library beyond public domain
[00:36:31] How AI powers Literal’s reading support tools
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🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.
