On the Road to Literacy Success Season 2, Ep. 2 - Dr. Shanahan Spills the TEA on TEXT
Oct 17, 2025
Dr. Timothy Shanahan, an experienced reading researcher and author of 'Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives', shares groundbreaking insights on literacy education. He argues for teaching students with grade-level texts, emphasizing the need for equitable instructional practices. He critiques leveled reading for limiting student growth and advocates for a balance of challenge and support in teaching. Shanahan discusses the benefits of whole-class instruction and highlights the importance of grounding educational practices in solid research. A must-listen for educators!
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Leveled Reading Rested On Weak Evidence
- Decades of leveled-reading practice rested on shaky assumptions and limited evidence.
- Teaching with grade-level, harder texts can accelerate learning when paired with better instruction.
Shanahan's Personal Classroom Confession
- Shanahan recalls using leveled readers and testing every child as a classroom teacher.
- He later discovered foundational studies didn't actually validate that practice and hid the findings for years.
Harder Texts Create Room To Learn
- Naturalistic studies show students placed in harder texts often make larger gains.
- The harder text creates room to learn; easier texts can cap growth.
