Spencer Russell, a former kindergarten and first-grade teacher and the founder of Toddlers Can Read, shares his motivation for teaching reading and emphasizes the importance of simplifying the teaching process. He provides practical tips for starting with letter sounds and engaging children in fun learning activities. Spencer also discusses the importance of assessing understanding and offers guidance on where to start when teaching letter sounds. Listeners can find Spencer on social media at To...
Feb 23, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this conversation, Becky Pallone and Michael Hart discuss how their phonemic awareness instruction has evolved over time. They emphasize the importance of blending and segmenting as key skills in phonemic awareness and highlight the benefits of incorporating letters in phonemic awareness instruction. They will also provide practical tips for you! Takeaways Incorporating letters in phonemic awareness can strengthen letter-sound correspondence. Teachers should prioritize blending and segmenting...
Feb 16, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Melissa and Lori just returned from the Plain Talk About Literacy & Learning Conference in New Orleans and they will share their takeaways with YOU! Attendees called in while at the conference to share aha moments and key takeaways. You won't want to miss this one! 2024 Plain Talk Conference Presenters Podcast Episodes We Mentioned Episode 44: Elevating the Education Profession with The Right to Read Project Episode 116: Sonia Cabell on the Importance of Content-Rich ELA Instruction Epi...
Feb 09, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Matt Burns discusses the importance of phonemic awareness in reading instruction. Phonemic awareness is an outcome of skilled reading, not a precursor, and it has a reciprocal relationship with reading. Matt also emphasizes the need to focus on decoding skills in second, third, and fourth grade, rather than solely on phonemic awareness. Matt provides practical takeaways for teachers and recommends additional resources for learning about phonemic awareness. Takeaways Phonemic awareness is an outc...
Feb 02, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Shayne Piasta discusses best practices for teaching alphabet knowledge. She tells us what the research suggests about teaching letter names and sounds, why teaching a letter of the week may not be the most effective approach, and an order to teach letters. The best part? She shares concrete ideas and strategies for classroom practice. Takeaways Teach both letter names and sounds simultaneously. Consider the acrophonic principle, where the letter name gives clues to its sound. Avoid teaching lett...
Jan 26, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss the RAND Model, a heuristic for thinking about reading comprehension. The model was developed in the late 1990s by the RAND Corporation in response to a need for more research on comprehension. The model considers three main components: the reader, the text, and the purpose or activity of reading. It emphasizes the active role of the reader in constructing meaning from the text and highlights the importance of text complexity, coherence, genre, and the ...
Jan 19, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Summary In this episode, Hugh Catts discusses two popular reading models: the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough's Reading Rope. The Simple View of Reading highlights the importance of word recognition and language comprehension in reading comprehension. It emphasizes that if a child struggles in one area, it will affect their overall reading comprehension. Scarborough's Reading Rope provides a more detailed breakdown of the components involved in reading, including background know...
Jan 12, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss the five pillars from the National Reading Panel and their history. They explore the confusion that can arise from viewing these pillars as a model of how reading works. The role of fluency and the importance of differentiating instruction for the five pillars are also discussed. The conversation concludes with a reevaluation of the five pillars and a key takeaway to look beyond them. The next episodes will cover three other reading models. Takeaways Th...
Jan 05, 2024•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast FROM MARCH 10, 2023 Today we’ll be talking to a team of authors about a recent article they published on small group instruction, titled Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction. We ask and answer important questions about small group instructional time: What is the appeal of small group reading instruction? Why has it been popular? What does the research say? What do we need to know about effective small-group reading instruction? What are some best practices? Resources Maximizing Small-Group...
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why shouldn’t we level students? Professor and researcher Kristin Conradi-Smith from episode 143 says, “We lack research for differentiation by text levels.There's simply no support for it.” Teaching with a leveled reading, sometimes known as guided reading, approach isn’t the most effective way to teach or learn to read. Instead, we can Support students’ access to complex texts through scaffolds and building knowledge using language comprehension. Use students' prior knowledge and mat...
Dec 26, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast FROM FEBRUARY 24, 2023 In today’s episode, we discuss the structure and content of the literacy block. How can we teach using structured literacy in small groups? Kinder teacher Casey Jergens and author Natalie Wexler join us to connect theory and practice. Casey previously taught using a guided (leveled) reading approach with lots of small group time. In recent years, he’s switched to focus on Tier 1 instruction aligned to structured literacy, which supports access for all students. Resources E...
Dec 22, 2023•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does the research say about small group reading instruction? Resources Episode 142: Structured Literacy in Small Group Time Episode 143: Maximizing Small Group Reading Instruction Maximizing Small Group Reading Instruction (Conradi-Smith, Amendum, Williams, 2022) Differentiated Literacy Instruction: Boondoggle or Best Practice? (Puzio, Colby, Nichols, 2020) Meta-Analyses of the Effects of Tier 2 Type Reading Interventions in Grades K-3 (Wanzek, et. al, 2016) We answer your questions about t...
Dec 19, 2023•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast FROM JULY 7, 2023 Today we talk about fluency and assessment with Jan Hasbrouck. She shares tips and tricks for how to to best assess and teach fluency. She also debunks frequent fluency misunderstandings and explains the scientific evidence that underlies the Hasbrouck-Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Chart . Note : During the podcast, we mentioned we would link Jan’s previous studies on ORF. But… we want to make sure the most recent information (Fluency Norms Chart 2017 Update) is the one that is p...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is your district adopting a new English language arts/literacy curriculum? Have you wondered how to tell if an ELA curriculum is “knowledge-building?” Today we’ll be talking to Barbara Davidson and Sue Pimentel about a new curriculum review tool from Knowledge Matters which can be a helpful guide when navigating the curriculum adoption process. Resources Knowledge Matters Campaign Curriculum Review Tool Marilyn Jager Adams Advancing Our Students’ Language and Literacy Melissa and Lori Love Liter...
Dec 12, 2023•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast FROM JULY 14, 2023 What if you could unlock the secrets to fluency instruction in literacy, and transform your students into confident and skilled readers? Join us as we delve into this crucial topic with Nathaniel Swain, Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University in Australia, who shares his expertise on the three components of fluency: speed, accuracy, and prosody. Let's explore together how balancing speed with comprehension can make all the difference in today's digital age, where skim...
Dec 08, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Funds of Knowledge are the skills and knowledge gained by daily routines and practices, as well as cultural and historical interactions. It’s the social and cultural “stuff” that students know through personal experiences. Background knowledge is the amount of information or knowledge someone has on a topic. Both funds of knowledge and background knowledge give us connection points for learning, and they’re both considered types of prior knowledge. So what does this mean for instruction? We shou...
Dec 05, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast FROM AUGUST 4, 2023 What if the key to unlocking your students' reading comprehension could be found through a deeper understanding of the intricate processes at work in their minds? Prepare to have your teaching world transformed as we journey with reading comprehension expert and acclaimed author, Nancy Hennessy. Together, we’ll map out the cognitive and linguistic processes that underpin comprehension, and navigate the complex interaction between a reader's knowledge, the text itsel...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are You Adopting a New ELA Curriculum? Where Do You Start? One place to start your curriculum adoption journey is EdReports . It’s not the ONLY place by any means, but it is a helpful jumping off point. EdReports asks educator-led review teams to use specific criteria to tell if a curricula meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations. They review ELA, math, and science curricula and provide public reports with detailed insight into the materials. Resources EdReports.org EdReports.org: ...
Nov 28, 2023•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast From October 21, 2021 Kory Jensen is a 4th grade teacher in Colorado, obsessed with learning more about reading science! He read The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler … which set him off to learn more about knowledge building. On today’s podcast, he talks about how background knowledge impacts his students’ comprehension and engagement (spoiler alert: they love going deep into topics!). He provides real-life examples and ways to supplement knowledge on topics through experiences, experiments, text...
Nov 24, 2023•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast A curriculum evaluation tool that helps teachers, leaders, and parents, determine if a curriculum meets high quality standards or not. There are two tools we recommend for curriculum review. These tools feel complementary to each other, so we recommend using both, starting with The Reading League’s Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines, then digging deeper into the knowledge component of a curriculum with the Knowledge Matters Review Tool. Resources The Reading League Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines...
Nov 21, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today we talk to educator and author Molly Ness about intentionally planning for read-alouds. Molly will share an easy to prepare protocol for a read-aloud in any grade level or content area. Resources Molly's Website - purchase her book ! 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 literacypod...
Nov 17, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is a read aloud? It is very common to see early childhood and elementary school teachers reading aloud to their students. But what exactly is happening during this time? In episode 170, we talk with author and professor, Molly Ness about read alouds. We share her definition along with what to look for in a read aloud and the benefits of read alouds for all learners! Check out Molly's book: Read Alouds for All Learners We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A...
Nov 14, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast From July 30, 2021 To connect with a practitioner lens, Duke (alongside Ward & Pearson) also penned The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction. They ask the question: What have decades of research told us about the nature of comprehension and how to develop students’ comprehension in schools? Listen to find out! 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 . Gr...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast W hat is dysgraphia? The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association defines dysgraphia as referring to difficulty with either language or spelling-based aspects of writing. Dysgraphia impairs letter writing by hand, which can affect spelling, learning to spell words, the speed of writing, reading word recognition, comprehension, and writing processes and products. Resources American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Disorder of Reading and Writing International Dyslexia Association Understan...
Nov 07, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today talk to researcher Tiffany Hogan about language comprehension. We’ll start with the Simple View of Reading, exploring the relationship between phonics and language comprehension. Then we’ll discuss knowledge as the result of systematic and explicit language comprehension instruction and share approaches that work in the classroom - like read-alouds and discourse. Tiffany P. Hogan, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at MGH Institute of Health Profe...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is Developmental Language Disorder, or DLD? Developmental Language Disorder is a brain-based neurodevelopmental diversity - such as autism or dyslexia or dysgraphia. Students with DLD are six times more likely to have reading difficulties. DLD is a brain variation that makes it difficult to learn language from the environment. Resources New IDEA Guidance Includes Developmental Language Disorder as a Qualifying Category by Tiffany P. Hogan, Kelly Farquharson, Karla McGregor DLD and Me Educat...
Nov 01, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast From October 7, 2022 In this episode, we talk with former balanced literacy teacher and parent, Missy Purcell. She authored a blog post titled Dear Balanced Literacy Teacher . Missy writes, “ According to Nancy Young’s ladder of reading, roughly 10-15% of kids can figure out reading out with this type of instruction, but my child, who would later be diagnosed with dyslexia, would never be able to become a proficient reader with any version of balanced literacy. He, according to Young, like 85% o...
Oct 27, 2023•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Nadine Gaab, Associate Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins us on the podcast to talk about how brains learn to read. Reading development starts in utero because the fundamental milestones for learning to read are sounds and language processing. Brain research shows us the brain of children learning to read is different in struggling readers. Dr. Gaab debunks dyslexia myths and connects the importance of early screening and intervention for dyslexia. Resource...
Oct 20, 2023•42 min•Ep 163•Transcript available on Metacast From September 30, 2022 Dr. J. Richard Gentry , Dyslexia Expert and the “Guru of Spelling,” joins us on the podcast today to discuss dyslexia. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability, neurobiological in origin. It’s the #1 reading disability that manifests itself in a continuum. People with dyslexia have difficulty in accurate fluent reading, spelling, and decoding abilities. Dr. Gentry shares his personal story of overcoming dyslexia, how dyslexia affects people, and how teachers can help st...
Oct 13, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ever wondered why reading isn't as natural as speech? Carolyn Strom, an accomplished early literacy expert, reveals that unlike speech, reading doesn't come naturally. In fact, it requires well-structured, explicit instruction which we'll discuss in this episode. The importance of a structured approach to teaching reading cannot be understated. We'll be taking a deep look at the role of decodable texts, progress monitoring, phonemic awareness activities, and the necessity of ...
Oct 06, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
