183: Irene's kindergarten son was attending a prestigious Manhattan public school. When he told her that the school wasn't teaching him to read, she didn't believe him. When she finally realized he was right, she set out on a challenging journey to save his academic life. You won't want to miss this one! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popula...
Jul 07, 2025•41 min
151: What an honor to speak with Dr. Louisa Moats about the English language! She explains why it's so important to teach spelling, why English isn't as irregular as some think, the usefulness and limitation of syllable types, and how to help students who struggle with spelling. Dr. Moats is a treasure! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular...
Jun 30, 2025•35 min
218: Are you concerned about your child's lack of progress in learning to read? Michelle Henderson, reading specialist and parent coach, explains what rights you have and offers advice for gently (and firmly) addressing the issue with your child's teacher. This episode is for any parent who has concerns about their child's reading progress. Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here ...
Jun 23, 2025•44 min
217: What does it mean when we say that research supports a specific practice? And what DOES research say about decodable text, comprehension strategies, phonemic awareness, and more? Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer and Dr. Katie Tilden join us to discuss their new book, There's Research for That , and how research can answer common questions teachers ask as they work to implement the science of reading. Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resour...
Jun 16, 2025•55 min
216: Have we overcorrected in our enthusiasm for structured literacy? Dr. Kearns challenges teachers to find the right balance between what students need to know versus what technical knowledge belongs solely in a teacher's toolkit. A thought-provoking listen! Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd gra...
Jun 09, 2025•37 min
215: Dr. Zach Groshell explains what direct instruction is and why it's so effective for student learning. He also shares specific classroom strategies teachers can start using right away. Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X...
Jun 02, 2025•52 min
214: Dr. Sarah Brown and Dr. Stephanie Stollar join me to talk about implementing the science of reading through the MTSS framework. We define MTSS, discuss practical tips for implementation, and address things to avoid. Be sure to get their new book, MTSS for Reading Improvement . Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership fo...
May 26, 2025•43 min
213: Sharon Dunn, a former principal of a high-poverty school, shares the process that she and her staff used to drastically improve reading outcomes. This episode offers a blueprint for principals looking to lead meaningful reading improvement in their own schools. Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3...
May 19, 2025•44 min
Dr. Stephanie Stollar has been supporting schools to use MTSS to improve reading outcomes for more than 25 years. She explains the importance of using screening data to reflect the effectiveness of Tier 1 instruction, how to use assessment data to form differentiated small groups, and how to avoid common mistakes that schools make when implementing MTSS. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of...
May 12, 2025•34 min
212: How do we bridge research to classroom practice? The answer lies in the science of implementation. Laura Stewart walks us through the five stages of implementation - this episode is a must-listen for anyone whose school is ready for change! Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. C...
May 05, 2025•52 min
211: Implementation specialist Justin Browning joins me to discuss the challenges of implementation, the importance of strong leadership, and what really matters for lasting change. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X...
Apr 28, 2025•54 min
In today's episode, special education coach Rachel Beiswanger explains how she uses assessment data when deciding what to teach her students. We list screening measures and list specific things you can do if students are scoring below benchmark. I list all the details in the show notes, so be sure to check them out! Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our p...
Apr 21, 2025•29 min
210: You'll love this practical episode, in which Shauna Cotte emphasizes that Quick Writes are brief, informal writing tasks designed to help students process and reflect on content. Best of all - you can use them in any grade! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect wit...
Apr 14, 2025•47 min
209: When I heard Bridget Barley speak about her brilliant method for teaching students to write clearly structured paragraphs, I knew I wanted to have her on the podcast so you can learn all about this method too. This is a must-listen for middle school teachers, but the method can be used starting in first grade. Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our po...
Apr 07, 2025•41 min
208: Judith Hochman, creator of The Writing Revolution method, explains the principles of this approach and shares practical, sentence-level activities that teachers can use in any grade level. These activities both enhance writing skills and improve understanding of the subject students are writing about. Click here for this episode's show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and...
Mar 31, 2025•37 min
207: Dr. Karen Harris, the creator of SRSD (self-regulated strategy development), walks us through this evidence-based approach to teaching writing. You'll learn how this approach teaches students how to plan their writing, follow that plan, and assess how they did. Research shows that SRSD is an effective way to teach students to be independent writers. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of...
Mar 24, 2025•56 min
If you're looking for an evidence-based approach to teaching writing in all grades, look no further than thinkSRSD! Dr. Leslie Laud explains this approach and breaks down how it looks across the grade levels. Be sure to check the show notes for links to free resources that will get you started! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affo...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 3 min
206: Amy Siracusano describes the Not So Simple View of Writing and explains how this model helps us make instructional decisions when teaching young writers. She also shares a variety of strategies that will help you teach students at all different stages. Lots of goodness in this episode! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordab...
Mar 10, 2025•54 min
205: When I look back at my own writing instruction, I often gave a quick mini-lesson and expected students to take a "nose dive" into independent writing with little, if any, guided practice. Leah Mermelstein walks us through the importance of gradual release and explains three types of guided practice that you can bring into your writing instruction. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of r...
Mar 03, 2025•47 min
204: "Writing workshop" is almost a bad word in today's science of reading circles. It's true that many elements of the model need improvement, but it's also true that some elements of the workshop model are based on research. Is it possible to redeem the writing workshop approach? I break this down with author, educator, and curriculum writer, April Smith. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science...
Feb 24, 2025•39 min
203: With his 47 years of experience, Dr. Steve Graham has much to share about what research says about teaching writing and how to apply it to classroom instruction. We discuss six evidence-based practices for teaching writing and how to implement them in day-to-day instruction. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membersh...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 13 min
202: Dr. Brent Conway, school superintendent, and Jen Hogan, curriculum coordinator, have written a fascinating white paper, Early Literacy and the Balanced Literacy Hangover . Even though more schools and teachers are embracing the science of reading, "lingering beliefs and practices have become like a bad hangover that is tough to shake." In this episode, Brent and Jen identify these beliefs and practices and share specific ways that teachers can move forward. Click here for this episode's sho...
Feb 10, 2025•51 min
201: If your school is looking for a new reading program, this is the episode for you! Dr. Maria Murray, president of The Reading League, explains how schools can use their free tools to evaluate potential programs. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! ...
Feb 03, 2025•37 min
200: In today's celebratory episode, I share my science of reading journey so far and identify my very favorite guest from the last five years. Just kidding! But I do give podcast "awards" as I identify my favorite podcast series, the most genuine guests, the most passionate, the most knowledgeable ... and more. Listen in to find out which guests were named! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the scienc...
Jan 27, 2025•12 min
199: Dr. Nancy Young, creator of The Ladder of Reading & Writing infographic, explains why we need to challenge students who are advanced in reading and why research does not support the notion that they will be "just fine" regardless of their instruction. This is an important issue that deserves more attention. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more abou...
Jan 20, 2025•44 min
198: Comprehension is complex - and helping students improve comprehension is no straightforward task! Thankfully, Dr. Amy Elleman shows us how to teach the subskills that will enable our students to make strong inferences and become better comprehenders in the process. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for Pre...
Jan 13, 2025•48 min
197: Dr. Molly Ness joins us to examine the power of think alouds. We discuss how to prepare for effective think alouds and how to use them to boost student comprehension. Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X)...
Jan 06, 2025•38 min
Sign up for a workshop about teaching small groups here Sign up for a workshop about teaching writing here Science of Reading Facebook Group SOR - What I Should Have Learned in College YouTube Channel Virtual Happy Hour - Science of Reading YouTube Channel Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Ins...
Dec 23, 2024•8 min
196: Don't have time to build oral language skills? Jocelyn Seamer shows you how to build them into what you're already doing and offers specific oral language routines to incorporate. This episode is for you, no matter what grade you teach! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators...
Dec 16, 2024•59 min
When you understand the stages of early writing, you're better able to support beginning writers. In this episode, Dr. Sonia Cabell reviews a framework for teachers to evaluate, support, and extend the writing that young children produce. This is a must-listen for preschool and kindergarten teachers! Click here for the show notes from this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular an...
Dec 09, 2024•31 min
