Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ™

Join Melissa and Lori for their first Book Club episode! In this episode, they discuss the book Thinking Reading: What Every Secondary Teacher Needs to Know About Reading. They focus their discussion on Chapter 4: Helping struggling readers in the secondary classroom, and Chapter 6: What does it take for effective reading intervention at secondary school?  Related Episodes: Ep. 90: Improving Reading for Older Students with David Liben Part 1Ep. 91: Improving Reading for Older Students with David Liben Part 2 Resources: The Opportunity Myth by TNTPConnect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website and 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.

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 with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group  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 today’s episode we’re joined by two teachers from Skaneateles, NY - Seth and Kelly. Seth is a sixth grade ELA teacher and Kelly is a middle school librarian. They work together to ensure that all students have access to complex texts. With the right support, they believe that all students can engage in grade level tasks. Seth and Kelly share how their collaboration around the knowledge and tasks in Wit & Wisdom ELA enriches students' learning and teachers’ teaching. Together, they make an incredible, knowledge-rich team!Resources (bulleted list of resources mentioned in the podcast) VOR with David Liben Part 1 (Volume of Reading)VOR with David Liben Part 2 (Volume of Reading)WeVideo.com Related EpisodesEp. 76: Knowledge Building for Reading Success in Skaneateles School District Ep. 79: What Does Equitable ELA Instruction Require? Ep. 69: Wondering about Wit & Wisdom ELA? Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Helping educators 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.

Episode Description Pentucket Regional School District  transitioned from balanced  literacy programs to teaching and learning with structured literacy and reading science. Coaches and leaders used data to support educators in understanding the purpose of the transition. They unpacked why the materials were different from what they previously used. Key takeaway: You can’t take your old practices with you and use them with the new materials. Pentucket currently utilizes Wit & Wisdom ELA, Geodes, Fundations, and Heggerty. Related EpisodesEp. 94: “If only I would have known…” Book Talk with Author Faith Borkowsky  Ep. 10: Noticing the #KnowledgeGap with Natalie Wexler Ep. 16: Scaling Literacy Success with Brian KingsleyEp. 69: Wondering about Wit & Wisdom ELA? Resources Grassroots Enthusiasm Powers Adoption of Evidence-Based ELA and Math CurriculaData Discussions Drive Progress: Pentucket's Curriculum Journey The Shift from Fountas & Pinnell to Research-Aligned Reading InstructionText at the Center (MEredith and Sue) Understanding Wit & Wisdom Great Minds Blog, including Preparation Protocol link Teaching with Complex Text: It’s a Complex Thing To Do Pentucket Teaching and Learning Blog Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram For more resources, 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.

In today’s episode, we drop some knowledge with one of our favorite teachers, Heidi Jane. You might recognize her as Droppin Knowledge With Heidi on Instagram or LearningWithHeidi on TikTok! What’s the difference between sight words and heart words? How does knowing letter sounds help students when they begin decoding? Why did Heidi choose the trademark Literacy and Justice for All? Heidi shares her journey from balanced literacy to science of reading with the goal of reaching the everyday classroom teacher. Digressions include This Is Us, Mandy Moore, and TikTok. Related EpisodesEp. 63: Kinder Teacher Reaches 100% Success Using Evidence-Based PracticesEp. 70: Science of Reading Part 1: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, and the Aim of Early Literacy Ep. 71: Science of Reading Part 2: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, and the Aim of Early Literacy Ep. 66: Re-Thinking the Reading Rope with Nell Duke Resources Where to Begin - Check out Heidi’s recommendations for where to begin on your science of reading journey. Follow Heidi on TikTok and Instagram, and be sure to check out her website, LiteracyandJusticeforAll.Want Science of Reading merch? Heidi has it! Click here for tee shirts, sweatshirts, and more ways to flaunt reading science around your town! Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter.  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.

This is the time when many districts are engaged in the curriculum adoption process, so we wanted to put this extremely information episode out for listeners who may have missed it. Cory Epler, CAO at Nebraska DOE, speaks about how they encourage the use of EdReports in episode 101. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter that follows up with more information about choosing curricula! What goes on behind the scenes at EdReports.org? Tricia Parker and Jess Box share the gateways that EdReports uses to reviews curricula: standards alignment, quality, and usability. We ask the questions we all really want to know: Who are the curriculum reviewers? How do reviewers ensure standards alignment? What does it really mean for curricula to meet grade level standards? What does 'all green' really mean? How do complex texts, tasks, TDQs build over time to shape knowledge and coherence?Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram  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.

Nebraska Dept of Education CAO, Cory Epler, joins us today to share why and how Nebraska transitioned to reading science with HQM. In the course of eight years, the state formed a partnership with EdReports and The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), built transparency of HQM in Local Education Agencies (LEAs), and provided guidance around high quality materials. These key actions created coherence and agency across the state. This mantra resonates: Make the best choice the easiest choice. Related EpisodesEp.38: Success Amidst a Pandemic in Sioux City, NEEp 77: Setting the Standard for Success with Author Morgan Polikoff Ep. 97: Going GLEAM with Lacey Robinson and Andrea Hancock Resources How the Nebraska Department of Education supports LEAs in choosing high quality materials (our favorite resource is the Professional Materials Map for Nebraska) Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)Beyond Standards book by Morgan Polikoff EdReports.org Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter.  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.

The axis of rating trauma is frequent and repetitive. Over time, the chronic trauma wears down kids who can’t read. This has devastating effects. In our official 100th episode, Dr. Steven Dyskstra discusses Trauma and Reading. He explains the connection between not being taught to read using evidence-based practices and the subsequent, unnecessary trauma this causes in children’s lives. Stepping away from science-based approaches creates issues for kids that don’t need to be there. This is a pervasive problem happening everywhere. Dr. Steven Dykstra is a psychologist, advocate, and troublemaker in the reading world.  He has worked with the most severely traumatized and mentally ill children for more than 25 years. His passion for reading comes from the recognition that the thousands of children he has served often pay the highest price for our failures and mistakes. Related Episodes:Ep. 74: Dyslexia and Reading Science: A Parent Advocate’s PerspectiveEp. 67: Learning to Read at 62 Years Old: A Conversation Illuminating Adult Literacy  Ep. 99: An Important Discussion about Reading with Our Dyslexic Children’s President, Brett TingleyResources: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) NAEP Report Card: Reading Teaching Reading is Rocket Science by Louisa MoatsTo subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website. Connect with Melissa & LoriTwitterInstagramFacebook 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.

Brett Tingley shares how to harness parent energy and expertise to address the legal and moral responsibility of school districts to teach children how to read using science. Our Dyslexic Children tells the story of a group of parents who took on the system, and won. The nonprofit group shares a Strategic Roadmap that’s a practical and actionable guide for educators and parents looking to improve reading instruction in their communities.  Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Resources Our Dyslexic Children Nonprofit Website Our Dyslexic Children Documentary Our Dyslexic Children Strategic Roadmap Our Dyslexic Children Documentary Zoom Panel with Kareem Weaver and Louisa MoatsOvercoming Dyslexia - Sally Shaywitz Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science by Louisa MoatsLife Before Learning to Read at Age 62 with David Chalk University of California Dyslexia CenterWilson Language Fundations Related EpisodesEp. 82: [CLEAN] Minneapolis Public School Parents: Accepting Nothing Less Than Evidence-Based Reading in SchoolsEp. 74: Dyslexia and Reading Science: A Parent Advocate's PerspectiveEp. 67: Learning to Read at 62 Years Old: A Conversation Illuminating Adult Literacy 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.

Last Friday, we talked about FLUENCY with a couple great guests, Lindsay Kemeny and Lorraine Griffith. If you haven't listened to our episode with Tim Rasinski from last summer, give it a listen to add to your knowledge about fluency! From Original Show Notes:In this episode, reading and fluency expert Tim Rasinski tells us all about effective fluency instruction! How does repeated reading build fluency instruction? Why does text difficulty level impact fluency practice? What do effective accuracy, automaticity, and expression sound like?Check out research, articles, and helpful materials located on Tim's website and follow Tim on Twitter @TimRasinski1. We also discuss this piece by Nell Duke. 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.