Ep. 123: Beyond the Gap: Grade-Level Access, Scaffolding, and What Today’s Learners Need, with John Almarode
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. John Almarode, an internationally recognized expert in student engagement, visible learning, and the science of how the brain learns best. With years of research, countless publications, and extensive work alongside districts across the globe, John brings a grounded, evidence-based perspective to the challenges schools are facing today. Few people are more qualified—or more courageous—when it comes to asking the hard questions about teaching, learning, and what actually works.
Together, we explore some pressing questions sitting at the center of today’s educational landscape:
Are students truly further behind than ever before—or are we simply measuring the wrong things?
How can educators provide students access to grade-level learning while simultaneously filling in the gaps that widened over the past several years?
What does real scaffolding look like—not as hand-holding, but as intentional, temporary supports designed to help students reach higher levels of learning?
John helps us cut through the noise with science, clarity, and a refreshing level of honesty.
This episode challenges long-held assumptions, reframes the conversation around student ability, and calls for a more accurate, forward-thinking understanding of what it means to learn—and thrive—in today’s world.
And how we can help them get there.
Dr. John Almarode brings a rare combination of research expertise and real-world classroom experience. As a professor at James Madison University and the Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professor of Education, he has spent his career studying how the brain learns, what truly drives student engagement, and how to translate the science of learning into practices that work for every student. Before entering higher education, John taught in public schools — grounding his research in the day-to-day realities teachers face.
He is a bestselling author with Corwin, contributing to more than two dozen books on visible learning, assessment, clarity, and instructional design. His work with John Hattie, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and others has positioned him as one of the leading voices on evidence-based teaching and the question every school is wrestling with: What actually works for learners today?
John’s insights, publications, and ongoing work can be found at johnalmarode.com and through his extensive collection of books at Corwin Press.
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Show Sponsors:Schurtz and Ties is a proud partner with TeachBetter.com:
“The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom.”
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