S9 E10: Phonology as a settled science, with Jane Ashby, Ph.D.

Feb 12, 2025

In this discussion, Jane Ashby, Ph.D., a professor at Mount St. Joseph University and expert in reading science, delves into the concept of 'settled science' and its implications for teaching phonology. She emphasizes the significance of phonology in reading comprehension and vocabulary growth, arguing for practical teaching methods over the latest research trends. Ashby also introduces insightful strategies for helping students transfer oral skills to literacy tasks, making a compelling case for the lasting impact of phonemic awareness on literacy development.

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ANECDOTE

From Adult Literacy To Reading Research

Jane Ashby began in adult literacy and taught adults reading at fourth–sixth grade levels.
That early work showed rapid gains from targeted vocabulary and decoding instruction.

INSIGHT

What Settled Science Really Means

Settled science means findings replicated and convergent across methods and labs.
Practitioners should avoid chasing single new studies until they replicate and converge.

INSIGHT

Phonology Is The Doorway To Language

Phonology is the language sound system that underpins reading, spelling, and writing.
Problems in phonology will cascade into higher-level literacy skills and comprehension.

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In this episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Jane Ashby, professor in the Reading Science doctoral program at Mount St. Joseph University. They define the concept of “settled science” as a jumping-off point before digging into phonology and the argument for not always basing your teaching practice on the newest research. Dr. Ashby touches on the impact of phonology on comprehension, the Matthew Effect, and why the term “instant words” is more accurate than “sight words.” You’ll walk away from this episode with two practical exercises Dr. Ashby recommends for teaching students to transfer oral segmenting and blending to reading and writing tasks.

Show notes

Connect with Jane Ashby:
- Mt. St. Joseph University
Resources
Join our community Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreading
Connect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/
Want to hear more of Dr. Ashby? Listen to the bonus episode!

Quotes

“To store a vocabulary word, it's not enough to have the meaning. You have to have the entry for it, and the entry for it is the sound form of the word.” —Jane Ashby

“The greatest gift you can give a kid is letting them know that you see that they're special and that they have something unique that they bring to the world. But the second piece is really, can you help them become a confident, independent reader?” —Jane Ashby

Episode timestamps*

2:00 Introduction: Who is Jane Ashby?
6:00 Defining and contextualizing “settled science”
13:00 Phonology as settled science
17:00 Instant words vs sight words
20:00 How phonology impacts comprehension
26:00 Connection to the Matthew Effect
31:00 Listener mailbag question: How do you suggest teachers teach students to transfer oral segmenting and blending to reading and writing tasks?
37:00 Teaching phonemic awareness guide
39:00 Research that should influence teacher practice
41:00 The greatest gift you can give a child

*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute