Chalk & Talk

Why reading became a human rights issue in Canada with George Georgiou (Ep 59)

12 snips
Nov 21, 2025
Guest
George Georgiou
Dr. George Georgiou, an educational psychologist from the University of Alberta, discusses why reading has become a human rights issue in Canada. He highlights alarming gaps in teacher training concerning literacy. Recent human rights investigations in provinces reveal failures in teaching effective reading methods. Alberta's new literacy reforms, including universal screening, show promise with declining rates of struggling readers. Georgiou also emphasizes the need for reforms in math education, advocating for a comprehensive approach to literacy and numeracy across curricula.
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INSIGHT

Research-To-Practice Gap In Reading

  • Canadian Human Rights reports exposed a large research-to-practice gap in reading instruction across provinces.
  • Early assessment, updated curricula, and improved teacher training were the consistent recommendations.
ADVICE

Hold Universities Accountable To Research

  • Governments and certification bodies should require universities to align teacher training with science-based reading methods.
  • If universities won't change, external accountability must push them to adopt evidence-based content.
ANECDOTE

Nationwide Pre-Service Teacher Study

  • Georgiou describes running a nationwide survey of pre-service teachers using an established literacy knowledge instrument.
  • Nearly 900 students from 11 universities scored about 54% correct, showing persistent gaps since 2015.
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