Screen readers, magnification software and close captioning systems are some common assistive technologies developed to enable people with disability to read but have benefited all people. This episode examines how technology can make reading more inclusive.   Episode Guests: Josh Tseng,  Director of Accessibility Services, Etch Empathy; Creative Director, Blind Mice Media  Victor Zhuang, Assistant Professor, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University  Wong Meng Ee, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education   Recommended Reads: Effects of assistive technology for students with reading and writing disabilities Effectiveness of Mobile Assistive Technology on Improving the Self-Perceptions of Students with Dyslexia in Singapore

Children’s books are often a child’s first exposure to the world, delighting with their whimsical and imaginative ways of looking at the world. In this episode, we take a look at the process of making and selling children’s books. Episode Guests: Shannon Ong, Owner of Woods in the Books Quek Hong Shin, Illustrator  Alan John, Author, Journalist  Recommended Reads: Your Kids Aren’t Too Old for Picture Books, and Neither Are You How Childhood Books Influence Us as Adults

In this bonus episode, Gene Tan, Chief Librarian and Chief Innovation Officer at the National Library Board, discusses the evolving role of librarians beyond traditional stereotypes, emphasising their impact on digital literacy, community engagement, and lifelong learning. Gene explores how modern libraries are innovating to foster inclusive learning environments and adapt to the challenges of the digital age. Episode Guest: Gene Tan, Chief Librarian & Chief Innovation Officer, National Library Board 

The mandate of libraries has been to make reading and knowledge available to all. This episode examines innovations by the National Library Board to increase the reach of books to all Singaporeans.   Episode Guests: Brendan Luyt, Associate Professor, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University   Gene Tan, Chief Librarian & Chief Innovation Officer, National Library Board    Recommended Reads: Thinking Beyond the Scroll: The Ancient Library at Alexandria  The Remaking of Singapore's Public Libraries National Library Board

In this bonus episode, author Neil Humphreys shares insights on his diverse writing journey across fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature, emphasising the importance of finding a unique voice amid the evolving landscape of reading and emergence of AI. He discusses the challenges writers face today and the vital connection between reading habits and creative expression. Episode Guest: Neil Humphreys, Author, Columnist 

In this bonus episode, Professor Simon Chesterman discusses the intersection of law, fiction, and artificial intelligence. From legal reading strategies to the future of literacy in an AI-driven world, he explores how reading and writing shape critical thinking and empathy. Episode Guest: Professor Simon Chesterman, David Marshall Professor of Law & Vice Provost (Educational Innovation), National University of Singapore 

With the rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence, some folks have suggested that a good prompt and internet access are all that is required to write a good story. How has technology changed the way we read? What implications are there for writing and publishing?  Episode Guests: Professor Simon Chesterman, David Marshall Professor of Law & Vice Provost (Educational Innovation), National University of Singapore  Neil Humphreys , Author, Columnist  Chang Qizhong, Lecturer, English Language & Literature, National Institute of Education  Recommended Reads: Reading, Writing, and Thinking in the Age of AI Teaching During the “Rise of AI” and the “End of Reading”   Fact check acknowledgements: Dr Chang Qizhong & Professor Looi Chee Kit 

In this bonus episode, Charisse Aquino Tugade, cultural worker and Executive Director of the National Book Development Board of the Philippines (NBDB), explains how the NBDB spearheads reading access and representation. Amid challenges faced by the publishing industry, Charisse shares innovative strategies for enhancing reading access and supporting Indigenous communities. Episode Guest: Charisse Aquino-Tugade, cultural worker, Executive Director, National Book Development Board (NBDB), The Philippines 

One way to building a national reading community is to create a vibrant reading community that celebrates national literature. This first episode of the 2nd season of the HWR podcast examines the work of the Singapore Book Council and National Book Development Board in developing local and regional initiatives around books and reading.    Episode Guests: Charisse Aquino-Tugade, cultural worker, Executive Director, National Book Development Board (NBDB), The Philippines William Phuan, Executive Director, Singapore Book Council    Reccommended Reads: AFCC 2025

Despite laments about the decline of reading, book clubs are having a renaissance moment in Singapore. Who goes to book clubs and why do they attend these sessions? What do the popularity of book clubs tell us about reading in this day and age?   Episode Guests: Alex Chua, co-founder of Book Bar Ibrahim Tahir, Founder of Wardah Books  Myra Garces-Bascal, Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University Gan Sujia, PhD Student, National Institute of Education Recommended Reads: From Laufey to Dua Lipa—all the celebrity book clubs to join now Commentary: What is a book club for, really? The new book clubs in Singapore centred on representation and inclusivity  

Rent and raising costs are a perennial issue for bookstores who have to compete with e-books and online vendors. How will physical bookstores survive? What forms of technology and tricks of the trade can they turn to improve profits and for sustainability? And do we still need physical bookstores?    Episode Guests: Ibrahim Tahir, Founder of Wardah Books   Alex Chua, co-founder of Book Bar  Sung Yuen Ling, Manager of Maha Yuyi   Recommended Reads: The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore “Book City” in Two Streets: The Chinese Bookstore Scene in Postwar Singapore Passage of Time: Singapore Bookstore Stories 1881-2016

In this bonus episode, Professor Tommy Koh speaks about why reading literature is vital for understanding technology, mastering a language and comprehending the world. A top-notch negotiator and seasoned diplomat, Professor Koh believes that the study of literature is one of the best investments he has made. Episode Guest Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rector of Tembusu College at the National University of Singapore and Chairman of the National Heritage Board Recommended Reads Humanities at the heart of a holistic education in a tech-driven world by Professor Tommy Koh. Literature in the 21st Century Professor Tommy Koh’s Recommended Reads for Understanding America

This episode re-imagines the future of reading. We examine whether reading in print or digitally has an impact on the way we read, and on the evolution of our species as a learning species. We ask, what does the skills future of reading look like? And how do we ensure we embrace all the different complexities and elements of reading as parents, educators, learners, and citizens? Episode Guests Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rector of Tembusu College at the National University of Singapore, and Chairman of the National Heritage Board Dr Angelia Poon, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education Dr Victor Lim Fei, Assistant Professor, National Institute of Education Ng Kah Gay, Publisher, Ethos Books Recommended Reads Links 7 ways the printing press changed the world What my students taught me about reading: old books hold new insights for the digital generation Reading literary fiction improves theory of the mind EU Common Framework for Intercultural Digital Literacies Mark Pegrum Overview of Digital Literacies  

In this world of ceaseless information, how do we make sense of what we read and decide what counts, what works and what is real? In this episode, we break into the world of journalism to find out how these investigators sieve truth from falsehood and decide what counts as news. We explore how online reading has changed our reading consumption and learn how to be critical readers. Episode Guests Dr Csilla Weninger, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education Mr Tan Tarn How, Former Journalist, Playwright and IPS Fellow Mr Jaime Ho, Chief Editor, CNA Digital Dr Jiow Hee Jhee, Associate Professor, Singapore Institute of Technology and Member of the Media Literacy Council (IMDA)  Recommended Reads S.U.R.E., the National Library’s Learning and Information Literacy Resources Quick Tips on Fact-Checking by Media Literacy Council Factitious, an online game that tests your ability to detect fake news Singapore MOE National Digital Literacy Programme Tandoc, E.C, Jr., Lim, Z.W., & Ling, R. (2018). Defining “fake news.”Digital Journalism, 6(2), 137-153. doi: 10.1080/21670811.2017.1360143

In this episode, we examine the power of poetry and ask why we should read poetry in today’s fast-paced and multicultural world. What does poetry do for the soul, the mind and the heart? We interview professors and personalities to inspire us to get started on our own poetic reading journey. Episode Guests Dr Joel Gwynne, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education Ms Esther Vincent, Poet, Teacher and Editor-in-Chief of The Tiger Moth Review Mr Marc Nair, Poet and Photographer Recommended Reads Orality, Literacy, and the Memorized Poem poetry.sg, a home for Singapore poetry Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, an online literary journal Humanities at the heart of a holistic education in a tech-driven world by Professor Tommy Koh

The Adventures of Sherlock Sam is a bestselling adventure series about a 10-year old boy detective. Join us for this bonus episode with author Felicia Low-Jimenez as she shares about how she, together with Adan Jimenez, comes up with ideas for their books. Episode Guest Ms Felicia Low-Jimenez, co-author of The Adventures of Sherlock Sam

Why do people read comics or graphic novels? Is there a distinction between the two? Who reads comics? This episode delves into the world of comic reading to explore why comics hold such attraction for not just children and teens, but adults and seniors. We make a case that comics have a place for the entertainment, education, and edification of children and adults. Episode Guests Ms Felicia Low-Jimenez, Children’s Book Author and Founder of Difference Engine Mr CT Lim, Educator and Country Editor for International Journal for Comic Art Ms Teo Xing Zhi, Associate Librarian, NLB Ms Sarah Mounsey, Director of Libraries at Dulwich College (Singapore) Mr Tay Tze Ern and Ms Tay Min Ern To find out more about the National Library Board comic and book offerings, you may refer to the following websites: https://childrenandteens.nlb.gov.sg www.facebook.com/publiclibrarysg/ To read more about comics, you can explore the following links curated by Teoh Yong Qin: A Brief History of Comics and Graphic Novels The Power of Comics How Comics Help Students Learn Better comix.sg, an online database of Singapore comic creators

Worldwide figures estimate that dyslexia, a learning difficulty related to language learning, affect 5-15% of the population. This bonus episode features an interview segment with Mr Edmen Leong, Director of Specialised Educational Services at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore, sharing about how we can help dyslexic children learn to read. Episode Guest Mr Edmen Leong, Director of Specialised Educational Services, Dyslexia Association of Singapore Recommended Reads Supporting Students with Dyslexia by Dr. Tan Chee Soon, NIE

Children come to school differently resourced. Many children come to school knowing their ABCs and a rare few can read chapter books by the age of six. But what about children who have difficulty learning to read because of home circumstances? This episode explores the work of educators and volunteers who make it their mission to make reading for all a reality. Episode Guests Ms Michelle Yeo, Lawyer and Co-founder of ReadAble Ms Joy Tan, Teacher Volunteer at ReadAble Dr Tan Chee Soon, Lecturer, National Institute of Education Recommended Reads Neuman, S. & Celano, D. C. (2012) Worlds Apart: One City, Two Libraries, and Ten Years of Watching Inequality Grow. American Educator, 13-23. This is What Inequality Looks Like by Teo You Yenn The Tyranny of Merit by Michael J. Sandel Why Bedtime Stories are so Important to Helping our Children have a Headstart in Life

In this episode, we delve into the world of experts who work with pre-schoolers and primary school children to uncover how young children learn to read. We examine how the human brain learns to read, and ask how the capacity to read in different languages has an impact on our brain and social and cultural development. Episode Guests Dr Beth O’Brien, Principal Research Scientist, National Institute of Education Dr Sun Baoqi, Research Scientist, National Institute of Education Dr Mukhlis Abu Bakar, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education Dr Maryanne Wolf, Professor and Director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies Ms Ling Xin Jin & Nadia Recommended Reads Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf The Reading Brain by Staislas Dehaene The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read Whorfian Hypothesis Sun, B., Loh, C. E. & Curdt-Christiansen, X. L. (2020) Leisure reading in multilingual Singapore: Reading Enjoyment, Habits and Preferences of Singaporean Children. Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices 1(2), 313-339.

We’ve heard many times the need for the bedtime story, and the importance of reading to children from a young age. But why is it important? How do we choose the right books? And is there a better way to read? In this episode, we learn just how important the bedtime story is, and invite guest storytellers to share with us their secrets to making a story come alive. Episode Guests Dr Jo Ann Shek, Lecturer, National Institute of Education Ms Lianne Ong, Children’s Author Mr Dwayne Lau, Actor, Performer and Storyteller Mr Hossan Leong, Actor, Producer and Comedian Mr Brendon Fernandez, Theatre Performer Mr Remesh Panicker, Theatre Performer Mrs Valerie Yong and children Resources recommended by Dr Jo Ann Shek Sim, S., & Berthelsen, D. (2014). Shared book reading by parents with young children: Evidence-based practice. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(1), 50-55. doi: 10.1177/183693911403900107 Hoff, E. (2006) How social contexts support and shape language development, Developmental Review, 26, 55– 88. Reading acquisition by Gough, P.B., Ehri, L.C., & Treiman, R McArthur, D., Adamson, L., & Deckner, D. (2005). As Stories Become Familiar: Mother-Child Conversations During Shared Reading. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 51(4), 389-411. 

Hi, I’m Loh Chin Ee and welcome to the How We Read Podcast. I started this podcast because I wanted to help people better understand the art and science of learning to read.   In my work as an educator and researcher at the National Institute of Education, people often ask me: How do I get my child to read? Can you recommend a book to make me a better reader? Does reading literature make a difference to my life?   Join me as I interview experts and educators who share their rich experiences with us.   The How We Read podcast launches on the 4th of January.