Larry Berger, CEO of Amplify, discusses the use of innovation and technology to inform teaching and learning, his new initiative called Wide Open School, and how we can step back and let this be a time of joy and creativity for kids––letting them discover a love of reading. Quotes: “Make this a time of exploration and openness."“There is a moment for necessity and necessity brings innovation.”Show notes:Wide Open School Free remote learning resources from AmplifyAmplify websiteWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Dr. Elfrieda "Freddy" Hiebert, author and founder of the Text Project, shares insights from her research on vocabulary, the etymology of the English language, and the importance of teaching morphology to enable kids to make connections. Quotes: “Vocabulary is the base of building knowledge.”“Vocabulary represents your knowledge and knowledge is what determines your level of comprehension.”Show notes:The Text projectTeaching Words and How They Work by Freddy HiebertTwitterLinkedInFacebookPodcast Discussion GuideWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Jared Myracle, Chief Academic Officer of the Jackson-Madison County School System in Tennessee, shares his district’s experience in adopting the science of reading and navigating the change management process. He stresses the importance of high-quality instructional materials and implementation fidelity.Quotes: “Don’t be satisfied with where you are. Where could you be if every student was guaranteed this type of education?”“Imagine what your results could be if you did ensure that all students were able to experience systematic phonics instruction and opportunities to build background knowledge throughout their K-12 years.”Resources:The Hidden Mistake School Leaders Should Avoid This Year by Jared MyracleThe Urgency I Feel Around Instruction – and Why I Look to Curriculum by Jared MyracleWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

David Steiner, Professor and Executive Director of the Institute for Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University, and Susan examine how school closures are impacting learning across the nation, how districts are responding to the rapidly-changing environment, and why maximizing our educational reach via technology should be a priority.Quotes: “This is a wake-up call to districts to really see that this digital inequality cannot persist.”“Don’t make the ideal the enemy of the possible.” Resources:USDOE Fact Sheet March 20, 2020Report: The Problem with Finding the Main Idea by David SteinerWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Ernesto Ortiz, principal at an elementary school in Pennsylvania, discusses how to understand when materials are meaningfully “research-based,” how his school made the shift to the science of reading, and how he is supporting his students with remote learning resources to continue their literacy development at home.Quotes: “We need to be more informed than influenced so that we can look at things with a critical eye.”“As leaders, we need to remain calm and steadfast so we can navigate throughout these unprecedented times.”Resources:Hard Words by Emily HanfordEquipped for Reading Success by David A. KilpatrickThe Simple View of ReadingScarborough’s Reading RopeThe Reading League Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Cook Moats, Ed.D.Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can't, and What Can Be Done About It by Mark SeidenbergErnesto's blog: Decoding LeadershipWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

We’ve been thinking a lot about you -- and our hearts go out to you during this confusing and uncertain time. Helping our students continue to learn in this unusual and unsettling situation is not easy.  And here at the Science of Reading podcast, we want to do what we can to support you where we can.ResourcesScience of Reading: The PodcastScience of Reading: The Facebook Community

Susan and Dr. Bruce McCandliss, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, chat about combining neuroscience with education. How does neuroscience help us understand the changes going on in the brain of a child learning to read? Why do some children struggle so profoundly? He shares his research into focusing the student’s attention on letters and sounds versus on the word as a whole.Quotes: “Teachers play a huge role in shaping brain development for reading.”“This is where education and neuroscience are coming together to create a dialogue in the space of how we support children.”Resources:Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel BeckWhere Is Educational Neuroscience? by John T. Bruer, PhD2019 Education Trends by Carrie Gajowski, MAMinds, Brains, and Learning: Understanding the Psychological and Educational Relevance of Neuroscientific Research by James P. ByrnesPodcast discussion guideWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.Episode timestamps*02:00: Introduction: Who is Bruce McCandless?02:00: Bruce's Journey into Early Literacy and Neuroscience05:00: Cognitive Science vs. Neuroscience07:00: Educational Neuroscience and Brain Development22:00: The Role of Teachers in Shaping Brain Development39:00: Future Directions in Educational Neuroscience45:00: Conclusion and Takeaways*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Jasmine Lane, a high school English teacher, discusses the importance of equity and education and the disconnect between how teachers feel and what they need to do to push education forward for all students, regardless of their background. She also shares how education has changed her life, how her students have been impacted by their early literacy teachers, and how high schoolers fill in the gaps for things they missed early on.Quotes:“The science of reading–that’s my push for equity because every child deserves to be able to read.” “We want all kids to succeed. If that’s not equity, I don’t know what is.”Resources:Jasmine's BlogBlog: Project Forever FreePodcast discussion guideWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Dr. Nancy Nelson, Research Assistant Professor at the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of  Oregon, discusses myths and misconceptions around  RTI, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and universal screening in reading instruction.Quotes:“Relying on data allows us to engage in a systematic process to implement systems to meet the needs of all kids.”Resources: DIBELS® at the University of Oregon Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Carolyn Strom, Professor of Early Childhood Literacy and Innovation at NYU, discuss her research and interviews with pre-school teachers and how students learn to read, her view on the science of reading and the cognitive science behind it all. She shares her insights on the importance of neuroscience, culturally responsive teaching and dives into Linnea Ehri’s four phases of learning how to read.Quotes:“Our brains are not wired to read…we have to do a neurological backflip to teach our brains to read."“You can’t think about a tree without thinking of its environment the same way you should not be thinking about a kid’s reading development without thinking of their environment.” Resources:Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read by Stanislas DehaeneCarolyn Strom NYU BioWant to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.