This episode with Lior Klirs connects to Ep. 124: Innovative Assessment with the Louisiana Assessment Team. If you haven't heard this one yet, definitely listen! From original episode (5/6/22)This episode is the first in a series on a really important topic: Assessment. How can we debunk the idea of ‘standards-aligned assessments’? What about ‘standards-aligned report cards’? Today’s guest teaches us that when we overfocus on the format of an assessment (i.e. the standards), we miss out on what matters most and lose track of the goal (i.e. comprehension). Comprehension is not a single construct. When we think about assessment data, there are two important questions to ask: Are the data useful? How are we preparing students for assessments? Are we confusing format with goals? The assessment data is a pathway back to the content. In case you’re wondering, here’s where the science of reading comes into play… knowledge building is a necessary and (very) important part of assessment! Related EpisodesEp. 35: Reading Assessments NEED an Upgrade! Ep. 37: Meredith Liben and Sue Pimentel on the Standards, Assessment, and Data Resources (bulleted list of resources mentioned in the podcast) Garbage In Garbage Out Beyond Multiple Choice conference agenda Jay McTighe Why the Pandemic Experts Failed (The Atlantic) What is the Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom (DIKW) Pyramid?  Researchers blast data analysis for teachers to help students (Hechinger Report) Why State Reading Tests Are Poor Benchmarks of Student Success by Hugh CattsEducational Redlining (Reading Groups) with Sonja Santelises Like most superintendents I cared a lot about test scores. Too much, it turns out. (Chalkbeat) Connect w 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.

Louisiana is a state taking assessment to the next level. In this episode, the assessment team from the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) discusses Innovative Assessments. Reading comprehension is often assessed through cold reads and sometimes familiar topics. The LDOE team tells us how we can change our approach to assessment. We know comprehension is tricky to assess. Why? One word: KNOWLEDGE. Reading science tells us that knowledge is a critical piece of comprehension. Listen as the LDOE team tells how they are innovating to provide equity and respect for teachers and students through assessment. ResourcesLouisiana Guidebooks Connect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.  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.

Diana Leddy of the Vermont Writing Collaborative joins Melissa and Lori to talk about a topic we love: Writing. Specifically, Diana discusses a simple, easy to use tool used to support students with expository writing called The Painted Essay. The Painted Essay works because it helps students understand visually what they are writing and why they are writing it, as well as organize their thinking around a thesis statement. This structure requires students to think about what they want to say and use writing skills to say it. ResourcesThe Vermont Writing Collaborative’s Painted Essay Tool The Vermont Writing CollaborativeConnect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.  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.

Today Melissa and Lori talk with authors Chase Young, David Paige, and Timothy V. Rasinski, authors of the book, Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading. Teaching artfully means teaching authentically, aesthetically, and creatively. This book shares how to teach the five pillars of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension) artfully. It’s important to really know what you’re doing in order to be artful in your teaching. ResourcesArtfully Teaching the Science of Reading by Chase Young, David Paige, and Timothy V. RasinskiTeaching Reading: A Blend of Art and Science “That Sounded Good!”: Using Whole-Class Choral Reading to Improve Fluency by David Paige Chase Young’s website: Thebestclass.org Ep. 110: Baltimore Secondary Literacy Teachers Talk Fluency Ep. 116: Sonia Cabell on the Importance of Content-Rich ELA Instruction Ep. 62: Effective Fluency Instruction with Tim Rasinski What Works Clearinghouse Young, C., Durham, P., Miller, M., Rasinski, T., & Lane, F. (2019). Improving reading comprehension with readers theater. Journal of Educational Research, 112(5), 615-626.Young, C., Durham, P., Rasinski, T., Godwin, A., & Miller, M. (2021). Closing the gender gap in reading with readers theater. Journal of Educational Research, 114(5), 495-511.Just for FUN: Dropkick Murphys Connect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our 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.

Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading by Chase Young, David Paige, and Timothy Rasinski is a next step for educators steeped in the science. When we understand reading research and science, we can add art and creativity to the learning space. What does it mean to teach artfully? How can we creatively approach teaching aligned to science? These questions answered (and more) in this book talk. Resources Dr. Becky at Good Inside on InstagramConnect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.  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.

Melissa and Lori received a question from a listener about classroom objectives. The listener was grappling with the idea that she has to post objectives in her classroom, but they often don't match what reading science tells us about how we teach reading. This question requires us to rethink about "meeting an objective" at the end of a reading comprehension lesson. It's about SO MUCH MORE than classroom objectives. It's about knowledge building,  assessment, and evolving outcomes to align with current practice. Listen and learn as Melissa and Lori unpack this important question together! Connect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.  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.

If you loved our recent episode with Julia Lindsey about her book, Reading Above the Fray, you won't want to miss our first episode with her last year! Check it out!From Sept 10, 2021What are we aiming to accomplish in early reading instruction? Dr. Julia Lindsey asks this  as she tackles topics such as decoding, decodable texts, sound walls, and more.We discuss the role of instruction and how that pushes a child to be better instead of keeping them at the same place where they might not develop skills as an independent reader. This two-part SoR series is a must-listen for educators! 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.

If you loved our recent episode with Julia Lindsey about her book, Reading Above the Fray, you won't want to miss our first episode with her last year! Check it out!From Sept 3, 2021What are we aiming to accomplish in early reading instruction? Dr. Julia Lindsey asks this  as she tackles topics such as decoding, decodable texts, sound walls, and more.We discuss the role of instruction and how that pushes a child to be better instead of keeping them at the same place where they might not develop skills as an independent reader. This two-part SoR series is a must-listen for educators! 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.

Talking with Dr. Julia Lindsey is like popping into the classroom next door to chat with your best teacher friend after school. On this podcast, Julia shares what evidence says that young readers need to know to help them decode words efficiently. We discuss foundational reading skills, starting with oral language and print concepts through multisyllabic word reading. Instructional swaps take this conversation to the classroom where Julia tells us what to swap to improve instruction. Efficient and effective instruction is critical when teaching decoding. ResourcesReading Above the Fray by Dr. Julia B. Lindsey Connect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.  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.

Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills is a must read for all ELA educators Pre-K through 12. Dr. Julia Lindsey outlines the essentials of how children learn to read, the principles of high-quality foundational skills instruction, essential instructional "swaps" to improve reading instruction, and more. Connect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.  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.