Shanahan on Literacy

This "blast from the past" revisits -- revises -- a blog posting from 2018. This podcast explains what the research has to say about teaching with decodable text. The idea of teaching students with decodables is a hot topic in reading education these days. Find out what research has to say about these materials and what they contribute to learning to read -- if anything. You might be surprised at what the "science of reading" has to say about this practice.

Recently, several organizations have started evaluating reading programs. These ratings are getting a lot of attention from school districts around the nation, but how good are they and how should they be used? This podcast will explore those issues and provide some recommendations.

Most reading interventions for older students fail. One reason for this is that they tend to focus on raising general reading achievement, instead of putting the major emphasis on helping those students to develop the reading abilities that would allow them to succeed. Think pre-remediation rather than remediation.

These days there is a great deal of interest in controlling classroom reading instruction. One approach to this is to require "fidelity" of program use. What does fidelity mean and will it improve reading achievement? This podcast explores those issues and suggests ways that programs can be used and adjusted for maximum success.

This podcast delves into the debate between whole class and small group reading instruction, highlighting the limitations of solely relying on small group teaching. It discusses optimizing reading instruction through different grouping strategies, emphasizing the importance of teacher-directed lessons and fluency practice for improved outcomes. The podcast also explores effective classroom strategies to address individual student needs and improve reading achievement.

Explore the impactful role of guided reading in enhancing student comprehension. Discover the benefits of pre-teaching vocabulary and setting clear reading purposes. Learn powerful questioning techniques to deepen text understanding and foster connections. Delve into effective strategies for monitoring comprehension, including repeated and paired reading, to boost fluency and overall reading skills. This insightful discussion offers practical tips to support both teachers and students in the journey of literacy.

This podcast explores the idea of teaching students to read at their instructional level. It explains why this is not such a good idea beyond beginning readers.

These days there is a big push to emphasize knowledge in reading programs. This has led to welcome increases in emphasis on social studies and science texts in reading. But what about literature? Is there anything to be learned from stories and poems that would count as knowledge in this new regime? This podcast will explore that issue and provide some guidance to teachers on the matter.

This episode explores the value of professional development for improving reading achievement. Some school districts are investing heavily in very expensive professional development programs in the hopes these will raise reading achievement.

Exploring the effectiveness of small group phonics instruction and the need to tailor teaching methods, debunking the notion that one method is superior, advocating for whole-class programs to enhance teaching efficacy and ensure comprehensive learning outcomes.