Episode Details

Literacy and history go hand-in-glove. And when educators experience the multiplier effect of evidence-based, knowledge-building instruction in these subjects, they are moved to prioritize instructional time for both. In this episode, host Barbara Davidson speaks with a New Jersey educator whose district has experienced this firsthand: Anthony Fitzpatrick, Assistant Superintendent for the Delsea Regional and Elk Township School Districts. 

Anthony argues that history is far more than a standalone subject—it is the foundation for literacy, critical thinking, and informed civic participation. Drawing on his district's experience implementing a knowledge-rich literacy curriculum, he describes how educators saw how much reading comprehension depends on students' background knowledge. The district established a dedicated daily history block where students engage with complex historical texts, primary sources, discussion, and content-rich writing. This "double dose" of literacy and social studies strengthens vocabulary, deepens comprehension, and helps students build lasting knowledge.

Throughout the conversation, Anthony challenges the misconception that children must first learn to read before they can read to learn. Instead, he explains that reading skills and knowledge-building develop together. By studying history through rich narratives and multiple perspectives, students become more engaged readers, ask better questions, and develop the background knowledge needed to tackle increasingly complex texts.

Barbara and Anthony also discuss the importance of high-quality curriculum, teacher preparation, and professional learning in supporting this work. The episode concludes with a call for educators to reject the false choice between literacy instruction and content knowledge, arguing that history provides the meaningful context that builds stronger readers, more thoughtful learners, and engaged citizens capable of participating in a healthy democracy.

This podcast is produced by Knowledge Matters on behalf of the History Matters Campaign. Follow Knowledge Matters on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X. Search #historymatters to join the conversation.

Production by Tressa Versteeg. Original music and sound engineering by Aidan Shea.

Resources:

By Anthony Fitzpatrick:

• The Evolving Science of Reading: Building a Continuum from Foundations to Fluent Thinking. Inedvation. 2026.
• “Finding Time for History: How Building Knowledge in ELA Fueled Our Passion for the Past,” Knowledge Matters. 2025.
• Text InSPECtion on the Core: Close Reading Strategies for Unlocking Informational Text. Inedvation. 2015.

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