Welcome to Digital Learning Today. In this episode, Jeff Bradbury explores the strategic systems that shape the future of education, focusing on Instructional Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, Professional Learning, and the latest Educational Technology Trends.
In this podcast episode, Rebecca Earnshaw, a senior director for product at World Book, shares insights on integrating reading and literacy strategies into content-area teaching, the role of AI in education, and how to support diverse learners in the classroom.
Become a High-Impact Leader:
This episode is just the beginning. To get the complete blueprint for designing and implementing high-impact systems in your district, get your copy of my book, "Impact Standards."
- Strategic Vision for Digital Learning:Learn how to create a district-wide vision that aligns digital learning with your educational goals, transforming how standards-based instruction is designed and supported.
- Curriculum Design and Implementation:Discover practical strategies for integrating digital learning into existing curricula, creating vertical alignment of skills, and mapping digital learning across grade levels.
- Effective Instructional Coaching:Master the art of coaching people rather than technology, building relationships that drive success, and measuring impact through student engagement rather than just technology usage.
Purchase your copy of “Impact Standards” on Amazon today!
In This Episode …
- Why every teacher plays a role in helping students read and understand classroom content
- How reading in science, social studies, and other subjects helps students think more deeply
- Why short, consistent reading practice can build student confidence and stamina
- How trusted informational text helps students build background knowledge
- How ClassMate uses World Book content and AI-supported assignments to save teachers time
- Why students need scaffolds such as audio support, vocabulary help, and translated assignments
- How supporting a student's first language can strengthen comprehension and classroom learning
- Why reading, writing, and critical thinking matter even more in an AI-supported world
Chapters:
- 00:00 Introduction and Personal Journey
- 00:53 Reading stamina and literacy challenges
- 04:19 Classmate for content-area reading
- 06:08 AI and trusted classroom content
- 06:43 Building background knowledge
- 09:27 Reading stamina: consistency over length
- 11:34 Why informational reading matters
- 13:33 Supporting readers below grade level
- 15:00 Supporting multilingual learners
- 16:32 What educators value in Classmate
- 17:58 What’s next for Classmate
- 24:19 Exploring Innovative Teaching Methods
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
About our Guest: Rebecca Earnshaw
Rebecca Earnshaw is the Senior Director of Product at World Book. Her career began in the classroom, where she spent more than a decade teaching and connecting with students firsthand.
That experience shaped everything that followed. Rebecca moved into curriculum development and instructional design before stepping into educational product leadership, always keeping the needs of teachers and learners at the center of her work.
Today, she leads the development of ClassMate by World Book.
Meet ClassMate by World Book
Meet ClassMate by World Book — the reading and learning platform built for and trusted by middle school teachers!
For over 100 years, World Book has inspired curiosity and built reliable knowledge. ClassMate carries that legacy forward.
Unlike AI tools built on the open web, ClassMate works exclusively within World Book's expert-written, editorially reviewed content library. Teachers create engaging classroom activities quickly and with confidence.
The result: students build knowledge, strengthen literacy, and think critically, while educators spend more time teaching.
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Jeff Bradbury (ISTE “20 to Watch” Award Winner and ISTE Certified Educator) is available for keynote speaking, workshop facilitation, and live event broadcasting. With expertise in educational technology and professional development, Jeff brings engaging content and practical strategies to conferences and professional learning events.
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