E. D. Hirsch Jr

The founder and chairman of the Core Knowledge Foundation, E. D Hirsch is one of the most highly regarded and respected educational professors in the world. A globally renowned author of several acclaimed books on education issues, Hirsch's works have included the best-seller, Cultural Literacy as well as The Schools We Need and Why We Dont Have Them in addition to the The Knowledge Deficit and The Making of Americans. Having solidified his reputation as one of the most influential education reformers of our time, E.D. Hirsch is now an incredibly sought after and demanded keynote speaker that is available to hire for all manner of events and functions through the Champions Speakers agency.

A much respected English professor and literary critic earlier in his career, during his work as a keynote speaker Dr. Hirsch describes being shocked into education reform while doing research on written composition. Having conducted and accumulated notable research at a pair of colleges in Virginia, E. D Hirsch discovered that while the relative readability of a text was an important factor in determining a student's ability to comprehend a passage, an even more significant and vital factor was the students background knowledge, this finding alone has gone on to play a major role into the reform of educational delivery not only within the U.S but also around the world.

In one of his famous finding, E.D Hirsch discovered that although African-American students at a Richmond Community College could read just as well as University of Virginia students when the topic was roommates or car traffic, they were unable to showcase the same level of competency when tasked with reading passages about Lees surrender to Grant. Having not been taught the various things that they needed to know to understand ordinary texts addressed to a general audience, Hirsch's discovery was truly shocking and in the wake of the revelations he himself decided to nobly devote himself to helping right the wrong that is being done to such students.

Developing a ground-breaking concept of cultural literacy following the fact he was somewhat electrified by the insight gleaned from this research, Dr. Hirsch came up with the theory that reading comprehension requires not just formal decoding skills, but more so a wide-ranging background knowledge which combine to allow effective reading. Founding the Core Knowledge Foundation and authoring Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs To Know, E.D Hirsch's literature became somewhat of an unsuspecting publishing phenomenon, as his book remained at the top of the New York Times best-seller list for over half a year!

Having passionately argued that schools should teach a highly specific curriculum that would allow children to understand things writers and speakers take for granted, over the three decades Hirsch has been committed to ensuring students are able to fully participate in democratic life. We will achieve a just and prosperous society only when our schools ensure that everyone commands enough shared knowledge to communicate effectively with everyone else, Dr. Hirsch concludes.

A truly revolutionary figure whose work has been dedicated the changing the way in which education is delivered and administered, E.D Hirsch is one of the most influential, inspirational and ground-breaking speakers available to hire through the Champions Speakers agency.