Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ™

Episode 226In this episode, Virginia discusses the importance of fluency in K-2 grades, emphasizing its role in reading comprehension. She shares strategies for teaching fluency, including within partner reading, read-alouds, and shared reading. Virginia highlights the significance of modeling fluent reading and incorporating songs and poems to enhance prosody. This conversation provides valuable insights for educators on how to effectively teach fluency to young learners.ResourcesWatch Virginia Teach Fluency in this video Let’s bring back the magic of song by Tim RasinskiVirginia's Virtual Happy Hour Science of Reading YouTube ChannelBONUS: A Repeated Reading Resource from our best-selling book, The Literacy 50 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.

Aaron Grossman, a fourth-grade teacher passionate about enhancing reading skills, shares insights on transforming fluency instruction. He introduces a structured five-day protocol using Reader’s Theater, which boosts student engagement through performance-based learning. The discussion covers how repeated reading fosters fluency, the value of students creating their own scripts, and effective strategies for varying reading levels. Listeners will uncover actionable tips for making literacy skills more dynamic and accessible in the classroom.

In this engaging discussion, Chase Young, an author and literacy researcher, dives into the transformative power of Reader's Theater in the classroom. He advocates for structured practice to enhance fluency and expression while exploring how this method can integrate with various subjects. Young highlights the importance of choosing challenging texts and the role of repetition in scaffolding skills. He also shares strategies for tackling vocabulary, using the tale of 'Rumpelstiltskin' as a case study, making reading both fun and effective for students.

Episode 224 Helping students become fluent, confident readers isn’t always easy—especially when they’re still sounding out words and struggling with comprehension. That’s why Synchronous Paired Oral Reading Techniques (SPORT) is a game-changer.In this episode, we’re joined by Jake Downs, assistant professor at Utah State University and host of the Teaching Literacy podcast, to break down: ✅ What SPORT is and why it works ✅ How to implement it tomorrow with minimal prep ✅ The research behind fluency, comprehension, and confidence gainsIf you're looking for a practical, evidence-based way to help students become stronger readers, this episode is for you! 🎧RESOURCES "Synchronous Paired Oral Reading Techniques: Supporting Developing Readers in Connected Text" by Jake Downs and Kathleen Mohr   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.

Julie Washington, a UC Irvine professor and expert on language and literacy, shares her insights into the intersection of language variations and reading instruction. She emphasizes that language diversity, particularly African American English, should be seen as a strength in literacy education. The discussion covers strategies for embracing students’ linguistic backgrounds to improve comprehension and engagement. Julie advocates for high expectations while addressing the biases educators may hold, ultimately aiming to empower diverse learners through inclusive practices.

Antonio Fierro, a literacy expert focused on English learners, and Gabi Bell Jimenez, a specialist in language and literacy development, share invaluable insights on effective reading instruction. They emphasize the need to embed language development in literacy teaching from the start, avoiding the trap of oversimplification. The duo discusses practical strategies like using vivid imagery and real-world connections to enhance comprehension. They believe in building language skills incrementally, ensuring all learners thrive through rigorous, engaging content.

Episode 222In this episode, teacher coach Margarita shares effective strategies for leveraging students' native languages to enhance their learning in the classroom. She discusses the importance of making cross-linguistic connections, structured routines like QSSSA for speaking, and vocabulary strategies that include cognates. She also explains writing techniques such as the APE method and reading comprehension strategies like STAR, all aimed at supporting emergent bilinguals in their academic journey. Margarita shares her insights on effective reading routines, the importance of language functions, and strategies for grouping students in intervention blocks. She emphasizes the role of teacher training and support in enhancing student learning, particularly for multilingual learners. The discussion also covers the structure of intervention blocks and the significance of familiar topics in language acquisition. Margarita concludes with practical tips for educators working with diverse language backgrounds. 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 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.