Welcome to our National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).

Dr. Jocelyn Washburn, an associate director of the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas, discusses the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM), an approach to instruction that focuses on teaching students learning strategies. SIM has shown a significant impact on students' learning outcomes, particularly in adolescent literacy. Dr. Washburn also shares concerns about the current Science of Reading movement, emphasizing the importance of considering research-based evidence and practice-based evidence in curriculum decision-making. She highlights the need for principals to focus on supporting teachers and facilitating productive collaboration to create effective learning environments.

SIM is an approach to instruction that focuses on teaching students strategies for learning. In short, SIM emphasizes HOW to learn.
Learning strategies (explicit instruction) and content enhancement (teacher guided learning) strategies, Cue, Do, Review
SIM is designed for teachers in middle and high school
SIM Paraphrasing activity
Center for Research on Learning
Pretest and make commitments to learn.
Success formula =
If you figure out what works for you, what strategies will help you perform it, that will make it effective for life.
Strategic is about having strategies
Why hasn’t anyone taught me “like this” before
Learning strategies vs. Cue, do, review
Research-based information
Concerns about science of reading approaches
Review process - reviewed against a long list of components (do those specific components have research showing they work.)
Teacher not being able to teach something even though they have experience showing that it works.
Adapting evidence-based practices based on student data.
iSTAR Adaptive intervention based on SIM writing strategies.
Learn how write complete sentences and effective purposeful paragraphs.
Many different types of gaps and writing that has happened.
Human-delivered instruction but with dashboards for families, teachers, students, and administrators with AI to support
Interest-inventory
Authentic Audience - writing with purpose routine, built into iStar.
How to be a transformative principal? Learn alongside your teachers.

About Dr. Jocelyn Washburn

Jocelyn Washburn, Ph.D., is an associate director of the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas and the Director of Professional Development for their international network of Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) professional developers. She has been a special education teacher, instructional coach, district literacy coordinator, and regional technical assistance coordinator. Her career has been dedicated to the use of evidence-based, inclusive practices to support students with and without disabilities with an emphasis on adolescent literacy. In addition to adolescent literacy, her research focuses professional learning models, educator collaboration, and systems change. Through federally funded research, she is iteratively designing, testing, and scaling an Adaptive Professional Learning Model for coaches and teachers implementing evidence-based writing instruction and assessment practices. She also has a new federally funded project starting soon called iSTAR to re-design the SIM sentence and paragraph writing strategies into an adaptive intervention using artificial intelligence.

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