E74 | Robust Comprehension Using HQIM Featuring Dr. Dan Reynolds, Dr. Anna Jennerjohn, & Dr. Sara Rutherford-Quach

About this episode

The episode discusses the gap between high-quality instructional materials and achieving deep reading comprehension with insights from the SRI Education research team.

In this episode I sit down with the SRI Education research team—Dr. Dan Reynolds, Dr. Anna Jennerjohn, and Dr. Sara Rutherford-Quach—to unpack their learning brief, Beyond the Surface . This episode explores the gap between using high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and achieving deep, robust reading comprehension. Read the Brief Here: https://www.sri.com/publication/education-learning-pubs/beyond-the-surface-leveraging-high-quality-instructional-materials-for-robust-reading-comprehension/ Quick Summary: Actionable advice for coaches and school leaders to build systems that support genuine meaning-making in the classroom. The Study: Analyzed 111 comprehension lessons across districts with mature HQIM implementation and surveyed 500+ teachers. The Central Finding: While HQIM was consistently used, 64% of lessons focused only on surface-level objectives (completing tasks) rather than robust comprehension (building a mental model). Episode Highlights: Defining the crucial distinction between Surface and Robust comprehension. Introducing the 6 high-leverage instructional practices that move the needle toward deep understanding. Timestamps [0:00] – Teaser: Surface vs. Robust…

People in this episode

Host: Jake Downs

Guests: Dr. Dan Reynolds, Dr. Anna Jennerjohn, Dr. Sara Rutherford-Quach

Topics covered

• reading comprehension
• high-quality instructional materials
• educational research
• instructional practices
• teacher training

Keywords

• comprehension lessons
• surface-level objectives
• robust comprehension
• instructional materials
• educational strategies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: SRI Education, Schusterman Family Philanthropies

Books & works: Beyond the Surface