Science of Reading: The Podcast

In this special episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Assistant Professor of Literacy and Coordinator of Reading Science Programs at Marian University Karen Betz, Ed.D., to discuss a key topic in the Science of Reading movement: higher education. Betz describes how we can better prepare new teachers to provide evidence-based instruction, and her tool to help teachers in higher education assess whether their courses align to reading research. Betz also offers advice for current practitioners on how they can support change at the university level.Show notes:Connect with Karen Betz:Connect via Facebook: Klipsch CollegeResourcesWebsite: Marian University’s M.S. in reading scienceWebsite: Higher Education Community of Practice for Professors of LiteracyDownload: Course Alignment Planning ToolThe Center for Reading Science: Implementing the Science of Reading in Higher EducationThe Reading League Compass: Educator Preparation Programs Map: The Reading League Compass: Policymakers and State Education AgenciesRead: Teaching Reading SourcebookRead: Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading DifficultiesWebsite: Stronger Together: The Alliance for Reading Science in Higher EducationListen: What I should have learned in college, with Donna HejtmanekJoin our community Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreadingConnect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/Quotes:“Don't be afraid to say ‘I don't know.’ I think people respect that, that you say, ‘I just don't know’ and ‘how can you help me learn more?’”—Karen Betz, Ed.D.And it ultimately always is going to come down to the children, and we can never lose sight of that. It's about the kids.” —Karen Betz, Ed.D.Episode timestamps*02:00 Introduction: Who is Karen Betz07:00 First lightbulb moment09:00 Why is higher education teacher education a hot topic right now?12:00 Relationship between schools and universities14:00 Partnering with reading science aligned grade schools17:00 Legislation for teacher development20:00 Collaboration between universities23:00 Professional development for higher education25:00 Creating a tool to help higher education teachers32:00 Key takeaways for Dr. Karen Betz35:00 Final thoughts*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

In this special episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Claude Goldenberg, Ph.D., professor of education at Stanford University, to answer questions from our listener mailbag. Together they address a wide range of topics facing today’s educators, such as what to do when your school implements conflicting materials, how to support students that are two or three grade levels behind, best practices for teaching multilingual learners, and more!Show notes: Connect with Claude Goldenberg:Substack: https://claudegoldenberg.substack.com/ ResourcesLiteracy Foundations for English Learners, A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D.Join our community Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreadingConnect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/Have a burning question? Submit at amplify.com/sormailbagQuotes:“Incrementalism is just not going to serve our purpose unless you want to keep things as they are. And I hate to say this, Susan…some people wouldn't mind leaving things as they are. And we can't do that, and we can't do it incrementally. We've got to really move, like last year.” —Claude Goldenberg“You’ve got to understand how [two programs] fit together and what the purpose is. Giving teachers materials that are literally incoherent and don't fit with each other is not the answer.” —Claude Goldenberg“We need to have a system ... using the best knowledge that we have systematically throughout the state, throughout the country, with systems that pick up kids who are at risk and don't let them fail.” —Claude GoldenbergEpisode timestamps*02:00 The latest from Claude Goldenberg 04:00 Literacy and the urgency of now7:00 Question 1: What about the pendulum swing?15:00 Question 2: What to do when your school implements conflicting materials?21:00 Question 3: Why are running records and leveled texts discouraged?22:00 Decoding v.s. Word recognition29:00 Question 4: How do we support kids that are two or three grade levels behind?30:00 Dyslexia and the importance of universal screening35:00 Question 5: How would you increase reading proficiency in a school in which nearly every student is a multilingual learner?45:00 Question 6: How do you apply the science of reading to an ELL student in middle school that doesn’t yet know the language?48:00 Question 7: Is it best practice for bilingual students who are being taught to decode and encode in English and Spanish to be screened in English and Spanish?*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Young-Suk Grace Kim, a professor at UC Irvine and expert in literacy, joins the conversation to share her insights on the Interactive Dynamic Literacy Model. She discusses the fascinating interplay between reading and writing, emphasizing their mutual enhancement through integrated instruction. Listeners will learn about the critical connections between literacy skills, including how weakness in oral language affects reading comprehension and composition. Dr. Kim advocates for teaching these skills synergistically to improve educational outcomes.

In this episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Adrea Truckenmiller, Ph.D., associate professor of special education and school psychology at Michigan State University. Their conversation starts with defining academic language and breaking it down on the level of the word, the sentence, and full text. Adrea then touches on topics such as informational vs. narrative text structure, morphological complexity, and effective writing assessment. She also gives advice on how to implement explicit instruction on informational text and academic language, and details a few examples of what it can look like in the classroom. Adrea ends by discussing her passion for special education and encouraging educators to get involved.Show notes:ResourcesRead: “Academic language use in middle school informational writing”Read: “Academic language and the challenge of reading for learning about science”Read: “Writing to read: Parallel and independent contributions of writing research to the Science of Reading”Read: “What is important to measure in sentence-level language comprehension?Read: Making the Writing Process Work: Strategies for Composition and Self-RegulationJoin our Facebook community group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreading.Connect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/.Quotes:“ Academic language is really a new language for everyone to learn.” —Adrea Truckenmiller, Ph.D."When we're thinking about teaching academic vocabulary, it's not just one time around. Sometimes we have to layer that instruction for deeper and deeper and deeper meaning.” —Susan LambertEpisode timestamps*02:00 Introduction: Who is Adrea Truckenmiller?07:00 Defining academic language11:00 Differences in academic language at different levels: word, sentence, text.12:00 Word level: morphological complexity17:00 Sentence level18:00 Connectives21:00 Text level: Informational text structure vs narrative text structure24:00 Reading research for middle schoolers26:00 Writing assessment structure for middle school32:00 What does this type of instruction look like in the classroom?34:00 Importance of grades 4 & 5 to the development of informational reading and writing skills35:00 Advice for teachers on teaching information reading and writing39:00 Get involved in special education*Timestamps are approximate

Judith Hochman, Ed.D., co-author of 'The Writing Revolution' and a veteran educator, engages in a riveting discussion about the critical links between writing and reading skills. She shares her journey in transforming writing instruction, emphasizing that effective teaching transcends mere assignment of tasks. Hochman provides insight into foundational sentence structure for young learners, innovative instructional strategies, and the broader implications of enhanced writing on literacy. Listeners will appreciate her actionable tips for elevating writing in classrooms.

In this episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Jane Ashby, professor in the Reading Science doctoral program at Mount St. Joseph University. They define the concept of “settled science” as a jumping-off point before digging into phonology and the argument for not always basing your teaching practice on the newest research. Dr. Ashby touches on the impact of phonology on comprehension, the Matthew Effect, and why the term “instant words” is more accurate than “sight words.” You’ll walk away from this episode with two practical exercises Dr. Ashby recommends for teaching students to transfer oral segmenting and blending to reading and writing tasks.Show notesConnect with Jane Ashby: Mt. St. Joseph UniversityResourcesTeaching Phonemic Awareness in 2024: A Guide for EducatorsRead: Phonological recoding and self-teaching: sine qua non of reading acquisitionMore: The Four-Part Processing Model for Word RecognitionRead: Matthew effects in reading: Some consequences of individual differences in the acquisition of literacy.Join our community Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreadingConnect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/Want to hear more of Dr. Ashby? Listen to the bonus episode! Quotes“To store a vocabulary word, it's not enough to have the meaning. You have to have the entry for it, and the entry for it is the sound form of the word.” —Jane Ashby“The greatest gift you can give a kid is letting them know that you see that they're special and that they have something unique that they bring to the world. But the second piece is really, can you help them become a confident, independent reader?” —Jane AshbyEpisode timestamps*2:00 Introduction: Who is Jane Ashby?6:00 Defining and contextualizing “settled science”13:00 Phonology as settled science17:00 Instant words vs sight words20:00 How phonology impacts comprehension26:00 Connection to the Matthew Effect31:00 Listener mailbag question: How do you suggest teachers teach students to transfer oral segmenting and blending to reading and writing tasks?37:00 Teaching phonemic awareness guide39:00 Research that should influence teacher practice41:00 The greatest gift you can give a child*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

In this episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Tiffany Hogan, a professor at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, who studies the connections among speech and language and literacy across time in children. Together, Susan and Dr. Hogan explore the complexities of language, the components that form language, and the significance of language for literacy. Dr. Hogan explains Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)—its characteristics, its prevalence, and the challenges in recognizing it. She emphasizes the importance of supporting children with DLD and the role of educators in making a difference long-term. She also provides listeners with effective strategies for supporting children with oral language deficits, offers insights into the relationship between background knowledge and language, and answers questions from our listener mailbag.Show notes: Connect with Tiffany HoganX: @tiffanyphoganFacebook: sailliteracylabInstagram: @seehearspeakpodcastPodcast: seehearspeakpodcast.comResourcesWebsite: DLDandMe.org Read: A Review of Screeners to Identify Risk of Developmental Language DisorderWebsite: Raising Awareness of Developmental Language DisorderListen: SeeHearSpeak podcast with Tiffany HoganPolicy Paper: If we don’t look, we won’t see: Measuring language development to inform literacy instructionListen: Focused implementation: Doing less to do more, with Doug Reeves, Ph.D.Join our community Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreadingConnect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/Listen to Beyond My Years: Building an education network to make change, starring A. Simone McQuaige.Quotes: “Neurodiversity means that we have lots of different ways to think, and we each come to the table with different brain structures” –Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D. ”Oral language difficulties are a crystal ball into reading comprehension” –Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D.“You, as an educator, can be the one that really makes a difference for that child. It only takes one person to make a huge difference in the life of a child” –Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D.Episode timestamps*02:00 Introduction: Who is Tiffany Hogan?04:00 Defining language05:00 Language development and its Impact on literacy10:00 Variability in language learning11:00 Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)18:00 Challenges in Identifying and Supporting DLD20:00 The Importance of Vision Screening21:00 Universal Screeners for DLD24:00 Listener mailbag: How can educators most effectively help students with oral language deficits in early childhood prepare and develop literacy?28:00 The Connection Between Language and Background Knowledge30:00 Understanding DLD and Its Challenges33:00 The Role of Speech Language Pathologists35:00 Final Thoughts

In this episode, Susan Lambert rejoins podcast alum Natalie Wexler to discuss Natalie’s new book Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning. Listeners will gain insights into why this topic is important, what this book offers educators, why Natalie was so drawn to writing this book, and what cognitive science-informed teaching looks like in general. Natalie addresses how cognitive load theory works in practice with literacy, misconceptions about focusing only on phonics, and scaling science-informed instruction. Natalie also answers a question from the listener mailbag about encouraging colleagues to adopt an evidence-based approach.Show notes: Connect with Natalie Wexler:Website: nataliewexler.comPre-order Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning: https://ascd.org/books/beyond-the-science-of-reading?variant=125006Substack: Minding the Gap, by Natalie WexlerResources:Listen: Special: Why the Science of Reading isn't just about reading, with Natalie WexlerListen: Conversation with Make It Stick author Peter C. Brown Listen: Cognitive load theory: Four items at a time, with Greg AshmanSubstack: The Bell Ringer by Holly KorbeyJoin our community Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofreadingConnect with Susan Lambert: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-b1512761/Listen to Illinois administrator Serena Klosa on Beyond My Years!Quotes: “We’re overlooking the ways in which the typical approach to teaching reading comprehension and writing actually conflict with what cognitive science tells us about how people learn to do those things.” —Natalie Wexler“We spend much more time trying to teach…them to read, but we kind of expect them to just pick up writing. You know, for most kids, it does not happen.” —Natalie Wexler“No matter how good you are at making inferences, if you don't have the requisite background knowledge, you're not gonna be able to do it.” —Natalie Wexler“It doesn't work to just ask inexperienced writers to just write down stuff. That is not going to provide the cognitive benefits.” —Natalie WexlerEpisode timestamps*02:00 Introduction: Who is Natalie Wexler?04:00 Natalie’s new book07:00 What is the science of learning?11:00 Connecting the science of learning to reading, writing, literacy14:00 Automaticity and cognitive load theory17:00 Transferable vs non-transferable skills22:00 Strategies to release cognitive load when learning new skills24:00 Learning to write, writing to learn.29:00 Bringing science informed teaching to scale32:00 What readers will take away from the book33:00 Mailbag question: How can one person get more colleagues to use an evidence-based approach?36:00 Final thoughts*Timestamps are approximate

Amplify’s 2024 Science of Reading Star Award winners share insights from their daily work. They reflect on why it’s so critical to stay grounded in evidence-based literacy practices and how they bring those practices into their schools and classrooms. Listeners will be inspired by the creative ideas of educators who are making a difference in the lives of students across the country. Winners honored in the episode in order of appearance are: Amber Hines, Vance County Schools, NC; Elizabeth Caton, Windber Area Elementary School, PA; Jamie Vannoy, Wirt County Primary Center, WV; Christine Michalik, Cicero School District 99, IL; Andrea Mason, County Line Elementary School, GA; A. Simone McQuaige, Prince George’s County Public Schools, MD. Show notes:Apply for the 2025 Amplify Science of Reading Star AwardsLearn more about our 2024 Star Award winnersSubscribe to Beyond My YearsQuotes: “There is no, ‘Let's try this. Let's try that.’ When it's evidence based, you know that it's proven to be effective.” —Amber Hines“It's important that we are aligning our practices to standards and what the students are required to do—but also what they need.” —Elizabeth Caton“If we don't make a conscious effort to utilize evidence-based practices, we are going to be failing our most at-risk populations.” —Jamie Vannoy“All students should have the opportunity for multiple readings of the same text to build comprehension, to build fluency.” —Christine Michalik“It's really important to utilize assessments, [to] make sure that my students are getting exactly what they need based on the data that I get from assessments, but also based on the data that I get from regular progress monitoring.” —Andrea Mason“This is not something that can be just done at the schoolhouse. It involves the community and all of our community stakeholders.” —A. Simone McQuaige

Missy Testerman, the 2024 National Teacher of the Year from Tennessee, shares her extensive experience as an ESL teacher and advocate for families. She emphasizes the power of mentorship and collaboration among educators. Testerman discusses the importance of being flexible in teaching and connecting with communities. She tackles challenges like the 'who knows best' dynamic in education and the necessity of self-care for teachers. Most importantly, she inspires others to embrace new perspectives and prioritize relationship-building with families and students.