Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Louisa Moats, author of LETRS® professional learning and LANGUAGE! Live ® reading intervention, as we talk candidly about the power of printed books and materials and how educators can best select and use them to encourage student motivation and engagement—while helping all students build essential reading skills. Dr. Moats will share her thoughts about digital fatigue, the power of print, in what ways teachers and students should be trusted to sele...
Oct 06, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 22
It’s no secret: School and district leaders set the tone for the culture within the organization. Although every employee is ultimately responsible for creating an environment where students want to be, school leaders must model the way. How can principals looking to implement change create an innovative, sustainable culture that consistently models future ready learning, relies upon a level of teaching and learning backed by science, and promotes a high level of literacy success for all student...
Sep 07, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 21
In this podcast, Dr. Ruth Kaminski, coauthor of Acadience ® Learning K–6 and other respected assessments, will discuss the many aspects of assessment that make it a meaningful and essential tool for preventing reading disabilities and promoting reading success. Join us as we talk with Dr. Kaminski about the reasons educators should rely upon assessment for curriculum alignment, progress monitoring, and classroom planning. We’ll explore: The critical nature of assessment Who should be assessed, w...
Aug 04, 2022•25 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Writing is potentially the most powerful lever we have for building knowledge and improving reading comprehension. It can uncover gaps in background knowledge that prevent students from accessing grade-level material. And, because writing helps new information stick, it can also boost students’ academic performance. But writing is the most difficult thing we ask students to do. If inexperienced writers are asked to write at length, they can easily become overwhelmed as they juggle everything fro...
Jul 01, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 19
How can districts ensure all students have the same opportunities to the best education if all facets of learning are not equitable? The Digital Divide is not just about devices and the Internet, but it is also about pedagogy in our classrooms and opportunities for students. In this podcast, we will explore the different types of digital divides that occur in our schools with an award-winning equity expert, and we will also address the impact these divides have on literacy learning. Join us and ...
Jun 16, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Today, more children are arriving at school with significant social and emotional vulnerabilities due to the chronic stress and trauma of the pandemic. Our students have experienced stress and trauma in the past, but this moment is unique because the experience is more universally shared. This period is also exceptional because our teachers have experienced the chronic stress, loss, and uncertainty of the pandemic as well as our students. Teachers are often given the role of superheroes in our s...
May 05, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Too many students in our classrooms struggle with learning to read. This does not need to occur. Research has shown that approximately 95% of all students can be taught to read at grade level, including those with learning disabilities and dyslexia. How can we meet the needs of every student in today’s classrooms? We'll discuss the characteristics of students who become our struggling readers along with research-supported and classroom-proven approaches to successfully address these students' ne...
Apr 11, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 16
In 2017, students, teachers, and activists filed a class action lawsuit (Ella T. vs. the State of California) arguing state education officials knew there was a crisis of reading and writing in California public schools, but they failed to develop a plan to address it. That lawsuit resulted in a $53 million settlement—money that didn’t go to the plaintiffs but rather to 75 of the lowest-performing schools in the state. Listen in as we talk to Margaret Goldberg, a full-time literacy coach, co-fou...
Mar 07, 2022•21 min•Season 2Ep. 15
As districts prepare for the remainder of this school year and the many needs ahead, educators must make crucial decisions for appropriate use of ESSER III funding. However, before purchasing priorities can be planned, there are important questions to ask and new funding parameters to explore that will help all educators make the best decisions to ensure educational equity for every student. Additionally, looking back at last year’s funding decisions can help inform the best use of new funds. Jo...
Feb 23, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 14
After taking a backseat in the education world for many years, handwriting is back. While assistive technology can help students with writing problems, it does not remove the importance of teaching explicit handwriting. Handwriting reinforces reading and spelling skills, and is linked to reading and spelling achievement. In this insightful podcast, you will learn how handwriting supports the science of reading and strategies educators can use immediately in the classroom to build handwriting int...
Jan 05, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 13
The Equity Gap, or differentials in race, ethnicity, income, language, and background, has become even more prominent during the pandemic. Minority students from low-income communities were among those most affected by the lockdown and the move to remote learning—where they faced social and economic stress in their families and communities. In this important podcast, assessment expert Dr. Roland Good explores the Equity Gap and how it affects assessment data. You will also learn about reporting ...
Nov 30, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 13
For our podcast, we talk with Kristen Jones, LETRS Literacy Champion and Curriculum Director at Enid Public Schools in Enid, Oklahoma. This inspiring educator will share how Enid Public Schools used literacy professional learning to transform teacher knowledge and raise student achievement. Jones will discuss steps taken by Enid Public Schools as they implemented LETRS professional learning district-wide. She’ll also address how the training increased teacher knowledge of the science of reading ...
Oct 21, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 12
The future depends on our children and one way to fully empower them is to recognize that literacy is a fundamental right in society. Join Dr. Maria Murray—founder and president and CEO of The Reading League—for an engaging podcast episode as she explains why the science of reading is now regarded as a defining movement and addresses the need to protect the integrity of its findings so that the promise of successful reading outcomes for our students can be realized. In this podcast, Dr. Murray d...
Sep 28, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 11
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a hot topic. ESSA is intended to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for long-term success, and includes a repeal of the Adequate Yearly Progress report in favor of state accountability. With every state having their own plan for ESSA, it is hard to know how to get started. We’re here to help! In this podcast, you will learn how to find out the accountability requirements of your state, how to obtain funding for yo...
Sep 01, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 10
During uncertain times—and as schools recover from a year like no other—education funding is more important than ever. The CARES Act, which passed in April 2020, includes $13.2 billion for an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund and $3 billion for a Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund in order to help school districts overcome the unique challenges associated with the pandemic. Join us for the first podcast in our funding series and learn everything a schoo...
Jul 28, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Despite the efforts of the American education system to provide an equal education for all students, achievement gaps between disadvantaged and more advantaged students remain—and often lead to negative outcomes. The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) represents an opportunity for districts to choose intervention solutions that bridge the gap and help all students receive an education that prepares them for future success. In this informative podcast, host Pam Austin will discuss w...
May 25, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 8
With vaccination efforts in full swing, September is likely to see a strong return to in-classroom instruction. How can educators prepare for summer school or a new school year after students have seen extended periods outside the classroom? In this important podcast, assessment expert Dr. Kelly Powell Smith—vice president and associate director of research and development at Acadience—shares the key indicators that educators should look for when reviewing spring literacy assessment scores, alon...
May 03, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Research shows a gap between what teachers know about reading and whether or not they are prepared to teach it. Why are teachers graduating from college without the skills they need to teach reading? Join former educator Donna Hejtmanek as she discusses this topic and shares the story behind creating her incredibly popular Facebook group “Science of Reading—What I Should Have Learned in College.”
Mar 29, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 6
We now know sound walls should replace word walls in the classroom, but what are the best ways to integrate them into your daily lesson to educate and engage your students, including English language learners? In this informative podcast with literacy experts Dr. Mary Dahlgren and Dr. Antonio Fierro, our educators will share tips about how to use your sound wall to transform reading instruction.
Mar 16, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Explicit reading instruction is an approach to teaching reading that is based on research about the brain and how we learn, combined with structured and sequenced literacy instruction. Join explicit instruction expert Dr. Anita Archer for this informative podcast as she discusses the importance of explicit instruction and how it promotes achievement for students of all reading levels. During this podcast, we will discuss: What explicit instruction is and how it works hand in hand with systematic...
Feb 08, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 4
As 2020 began, the assessment you knew as DIBELS Next ® acquired a new name, Acadience ® Reading K–6 . Do you know why the name changed and that Acadience Reading (and its product family) are the only assessments developed by authors Dr. Roland Good III and Dr. Ruth Kaminski, based on 30 years of research? Join us as we discuss how Acadience Learning assessments can be used to support data-driven instructional decisions and improve student outcomes. If you used DIBELS Next in the past, and/or ar...
Dec 14, 2020•31 min•Season 2Ep. 3
The past year has uncovered more equity issues in education than in years before. The struggle to provide equitable access to technology, learning tools, emotional support, and even meals is now at the forefront of educators’ minds as they struggle to keep learning going forward for their students. Join us for a timely discussion about equity in education, specifically around assessment, with assessment expert Dr. Thomas Guskey.
Nov 09, 2020•31 min•Season 2Ep. 2
This school year, the importance of closing reading gaps and maintaining strong skills is more important than ever due to COVID learning loss and a shift to remote learning. Join us for a timely and insightful podcast with respected literacy expert and author Dr. Tim Rasinski, as he discusses the long-term impact of COVID learning loss on reading fluency and skills. Dr. Rasinski will share strategies educators can use to help students maintain strong reading skills, whether they are learning rem...
Oct 28, 2020•35 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Lois Letchford was told by a teacher that her son, Nicholas, was “the worst child (she’s) ever seen in (her) 25 years of teaching.” Instead of giving up and giving in, Letchford became a passionate advocate for literacy and children who have been left behind by the educational system. Join us for an inspiring conversation as she shares how she helped her son beat the odds and overcome dyslexia, and how she discovered her own dyslexia.
Oct 08, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Unlike Spring of 2020, this fall we have the opportunity to prepare for distance learning as students return to the classroom. But many questions still remain--will students return to the classroom or remote learning, or both? Will educators be ready? What can school leaders do to help educators prepare for blended or remote learning? Join our timely discussion with remote learning expert Dr. Rick Ferdig, an educator with over 20 years’ experience in blended-learning instruction, as he discusses...
Sep 03, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 11
The American elementary education system continues to value so-called reading comprehension skills over knowledge, when in fact those skills are largely dependent on knowledge. Low-income students continue to struggle while children of educated parents with higher-income levels acquire more academic knowledge and vocabulary outside school, giving them an additional advantage over their more disadvantaged peers. In the past twenty years, a regime of high-stakes reading and math tests, intended to...
Aug 24, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 10
According to the science of reading, students need to master phonemic awareness skills before they match the sounds to print, and phonics instruction is needed before students begin decoding text. We know this information, yet A-Z alphabetical word walls are still used in many classrooms, requiring students to match print to speech instead of sound. In this podcast, literacy and sound wall expert Dr. Mary Dahlgren will share why it is so important to implement a sound wall in the classroom and h...
Jul 29, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this podcast, Blank discusses how the learning challenges he faced prepared him for the World Marathon Challenge and for life. He shares: What it feels like to grow up with dyslexia and the stigmas attached to it How he beat the odds when it seemed like the odds were against him How you can encourage and support students with dyslexia As Blank says, “Dyslexia is not a limiting factor, it’s a superpower.”
Jun 08, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Did you know language development is one of the most critical cognitive functions that supports social and emotional learning? During this podcast, educator and Reading League presenter Dr. Brandi Kenner takes an in-depth look at the ties between language and literacy development and SEL, including the role an educator plays in keeping learning brains activated and empowering student voices.
May 04, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Schools are failing to support English language learners by not providing educators with the knowledge they need to teach reading effectively. With literacy leading as the main indicator of academic success, it is time for educators to accept responsibility for preparing ELLs for the tough challenges they face along the path to literacy, and learn ways to help these students reach literacy success. In this podcast, Dr. Antonio Fierro will share his journey from English learner to award-winning e...
Mar 13, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 6
