Episode 221This live podcast recording was part of the opening reception for the 2025 Literacy & Justice for All symposium in Oakland, CA on March 7 and 8. It is crucial to ensure every student becomes a proficient reader. In this live podcast, we’re diving into the amazing strides Oakland Unified School District is making with its bold literacy vision, the challenges they’re overcoming, and the innovative approaches transforming classrooms.We’re joined by two incredible guests: Leroy Gaines, Elementary Network Superintendent at OUSD, overseeing 16 elementary schools, and Tala Kauzer, ELA Coach, who leads literacy intervention programs K-5 at Acorn Elementary School. About the Literacy & Justice for All symposiumThe annual symposium is focused on promoting effective practice in literacy and reading skills and mobilizing the field of learning professionals around literacy as a vehicle for social justice and transformational life outcomes. Organized by the Oakland Literacy Coalition, the annual symposium brings together school and community-based educators, practitioners, funders, leaders, and literacy champions for a comprehensive learning experience that elevates literacy in the classroom and beyond. This year’s conference drew more than 600 attendees from across the US. Resources: To learn more about Oakland Unified’s ELA curriculum adoption, visit https://www.ousd.org/english-language-arts-ela/elementary-ela-curriculum-adoption How Oakland is Turning a New Page in LiteracyOakland Unified School District TK-5 Language and Literacy Framework We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 156 Fifth-grade teacher Sean Morrisey joins us to discuss all things vocabulary! We discuss Tier 2 and 3 words and discuss how you can strategically select words to teach using research-based approaches. We also share the importance of continuously using words in daily language  and ways to use data to measure improvement. Finally, we bridge the connection between vocabulary and fluency, demonstrating how it impacts performance.  By the end of this episode, you'll feel inspired to transform your vocabulary instructional approach in your classroom, one word at a time.ResourcesAcademic Word Finder Achieve the CoreWhich Words Do I Teach and How? Article by David LibenLifelong Literacy, Lyn StoneExplicit Instruction, Anita Archer Bringing Words to Life, book The Writing Revolution, bookText Project Vocabulary InstructionWord Generation Serp Institute Word Sift Coxhead Academic Word List Podsie  We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 220In this podcast episode, you'll hear from:Kirsten Taylor, a first-grade teacher turned literacy coach in Washington, D.C., andKory Jensen, a fourth-grade teacher in Aurora, Colorado.Kirsten shares a powerful explicit vocabulary routine she uses with her students. She explains how to engage students in learning new words, assess their understanding, and extend vocabulary lessons beyond the initial teaching. Kory discusses the importance of morphology instruction. He shares practical strategies for teaching morphology, including breaking down words into their morphemes, engaging students in hands-on activities, and integrating morphology instruction across content areas. ResourcesKirsten Taylor- Explicit Vocabulary Routine (video) Vocabulary Instruction: Strategies for the Classroom (article) Once Upon a Word: A Word-Origin Dictionary for Kids―Building Vocabulary Through Etymology, Definitions & Stories (book) The Literacy 50 (book) We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 155 (from July 21, 2023)Curious about how words shape learning? Join us as we chat with linguist and author Lyn Stone about vocabulary, etymology, and their impact on literacy.Lyn shares practical strategies for teaching morphology and etymology, the importance of teacher knowledge, and great resources to build students' word awareness. We also dig into grammar and syntax—how they reflect thinking and why they matter for literacy. Plus, Lyn gives us a sneak peek at the new edition of Language for Life. Don't miss this insightful conversation!ResourcesLanguage for Life by Lyn Stone LifelongLiteracy.com Etymonline Once Upon a Word: A Word-Origin Dictionary for Kids The Writing Revolution Book Judith Hochman and Natalie WexlerThe Writing Revolution Podcast (Melissa and Lori Love Literacy) Ox, House, Stick: The History of Our Alphabet We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

In Episode 219, Blythe Anderson discusses the importance of vocabulary instruction, specifically through the use of vocabulary talk moves. These "talk moves" are designed to promote word learning and help teachers effectively teach new vocabulary. Blythe covers various types of vocabulary moves, their research backing, and practical examples of how teachers can implement them in the classroom - emphasizing the complexity of vocabulary learning as well as the need for repeated exposure and active engagement to foster curiosity and understanding. Blythe explains effective teaching moves for vocabulary instruction, including the importance of context, repetition, and meaningful engagement with words. She outlines ten key strategies that educators can implement to enhance students' understanding and retention of vocabulary. The discussion also touches on the significance of selecting appropriate words for instruction and the role of affective and metacognitive factors in vocabulary learning. Blythe encourages educators to reflect on their current practices and gradually incorporate new strategies into their teaching.Resources"Vocabulary Talk Moves: Using Language to Promote Word Learning" by Blythe Anderson No More “Look Up The List” Vocabulary Instruction (book) "Flood, Fast, Focus" Integrated Vocabulary Instruction in the Classroom (IRA Brief) A Teacher’s Guide to Vocabulary Development Across the Day (eBook) We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 203 (from August 16, 2024)Our guests today, authors Tricia Zucker and Sonia Cabell, discuss the concept of Strive-For-Five Conversations, which emphasizes the importance of multi-turn conversations between teachers and students. They explain that the goal is to stretch conversations beyond the typical question-response format and aim for at least five turns. The conversation explores the impact of conversations on brain development. They also provide practical tips for implementing Strive for Five in the classroom and engaging parents in the process.ResourcesStrive for Five Conversations by Tricia Zucker and Sonia CabellUsing Strive-for-Five Conversations to Strengthen Language Comprehension in Preschool through Grade OneAsking Questions is Just the First Step: Using Upward and Downward Scaffolds Going Nuts for Words: Recommendation for Teaching Young Students Academic VocabularyArticle on Teaching Together research: This article shows sending home materials scaffolds parent involvement and that the impact of rewards fades over time.Talking is Teaching Family Engagement Resources We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

In this engaging conversation, Jami Witherell, an early elementary science teacher with a passion for multilingual learners, shares her strategies for academic discourse. She emphasizes giving students time to think before speaking and discusses innovative approaches like Socratic seminars and fishbowl discussions. Lauren Proffitt, a fourth-grade teacher, highlights the importance of oracy in education, showcasing her school's initiatives to boost students' speaking skills. Together, they explore creating supportive environments for vibrant, inclusive classroom discussions.

Episode 167: Researcher Tiffany Hogan explores the relationship between phonics and language comprehension in this episode. She shares practical ways to make these connections in the classrooms - including read-alouds, discourse, and writing. Resources Mentioned in this Episode On the Importance of Listening Comprehension  If you don't look, you don't see: Measuring language development to inform literacy instructionList of commercially available Developmental Language Disorder (DLDP) ScreenersDLDandme.orgRADLD.orgASHA Voices on Apple PodcastsUnderstanding Dyslexia in the Context of Developmental Language DisorderIncreasing Higher Level Language Skills to Improve Reading ComprehensionAdapting Curricula for Children with Language Comprehension DeficitsFive ways SLPs (and others) can positively impact children with dyslexiaA generic implementation framework for school-based research and practice'We test, not teach, comprehension' Jeanne Chall: CUBED free assessment and progress monitoring for decoding, language, and readingExecutive functions and morphological awareness explain the shared variance between word reading and listening comprehension Young-Suk Kim “the acquisition of an alphabetic code is like catching a virus… this virus infects all speech processing… Language is never the same again” Uta Frith  We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 217Have you ever wondered how to get your students talking in a way that builds deeper understanding? In this episode, we chat with Jeff Zwiers, author of Academic Conversations and Next Steps with Academic Conversations, about the power of authentic discussions in the classroom.Here’s what you’ll learn:3 Key Features of Authentic Conversations: Building on ideas, clarifying and supporting, and using information gaps to spark curiosity.Practical Strategies: How to use routines like Think-Pair-Share to foster meaningful discussions.Building a Culture of Communication: Tips for helping students share opinions, argue effectively, and engage deeply.This episode is packed with actionable ideas to help you create a classroom where every student’s voice matters. Tune in to discover how academic talk can boost participation, agency, and long-term success!ResourcesArticle: Enhancing Instruction with Authentic Communication: 3 Features Conversing to Fortify Literacy, Language, and Learning Book: Academic ConversationsBook: Next Steps with Academic Conversations  We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Struggling to make writing click for your students? In this episode, 5th-grade teacher Elise Frank shares practical strategies to tackle the challenges of teaching writing, inspired by "A Path to Better Writing" by Steve Graham and Karen Harris.Key takeaways:Simplify the hidden processes of writing for your students.Boost ownership and feedback.Integrate writing across all subjects.Packed with actionable ideas, this episode is a must-listen for every teacher! Tune in now and transform your writing instruction!Resources: Focus Article: "A Path to Better Writing" by Steve Graham and Karen HarrisSee Elise's writing instruction in action:Video: 5th Grade ELA: Writing about Esperanza Rising with SRSDVideo: 5th Grade ELA: The Power of SRSD and EL Education (Esperanza Rising)Urban teachers’ implementation of SRSD for persuasive writing following practice-based professional development: positive effects mediated by compromised fidelity. McKeown, D., FitzPatrick, E., Brown, M., Brindle, M., Owens, J., & Hendrick, R. (2019). Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students by Harris, Graham, Mason and FriedlanderPowerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning by Patrice Bain and Pooja K Agarwal We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.