Bonus EpisodeIn this episode, Melissa and Lori sit down with Freddy Hiebert, founder of Text Project, to dive deep into the critical role texts play in reading instruction. They explore how the types of texts provided to students not only shape their reading practice but also influence their self-perception as readers.Freddy shares her expertise on understanding text features and the vital role of repetition in vocabulary acquisition. The conversation highlights how background knowledge supports comprehension and the thoughtful development of decodable texts to support early readers.They also discuss exciting advancements like the use of AI for generating reading materials and the importance of designing engaging, relevant texts for middle and high school students.Freddy unpacks the significance of morphological families, polysemy, and semantic mapping, stressing how teachers must grasp these complexities to support deeper word learning and understanding. She underscores the importance of offering students a diverse “text diet” to build vocabulary and comprehension skills.Listeners will come away with fresh insights on creating engaging texts for diverse learners and innovative strategies for vocabulary teaching that combine context, repetition, and thoughtful text design.Visit TextProject.org for more info. 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 literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
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What the Research Says about Difficult Texts with Kristin Conradi Smith, John Strong, & Steve Amendum
Episode 230In this episode, we discuss this article and the vital role of difficult texts with three experts: Kristin Conradi-Smith, John Strong, and Steve Amendum. They explore how thoughtful scaffolding and motivation help students confidently tackle challenging materials, clarifying the difference between text complexity and text difficulty. Listeners will hear practical strategies for assessing student needs and differentiating instruction, ensuring every learner can thrive. We also discuss key literacy components including activating prior knowledge, the importance of decodable texts in early grades, and the power of read-alouds for K-1 students. Drawing from research, expert guests highlight ongoing developments in understanding text complexity and stress the need for strong professional learning opportunities to equip educators with effective tools. This conversation is packed with insights and actionable ideas for supporting diverse learners on their reading journeys.ResourcesSupporting Elementary Students' Reading of Difficult Texts Read, Stop, Write InterventionText Structures PDF Cheat SheetCheck out our guests' in this book, Handbook on the Science of Literacy in Grades 3-8 (John - Chapter 20; Kristin & Steve - Chapter 8) Kristin's Article - It's not just about skills: Adopting a motivation-informed approach to instruction with adolescents Listen to No More Strategy of the Week and read the article that inspired the podcast. 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 literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
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Making Words Stick with Molly Ness and Katie Pace MIles
Episode 229In this episode, Katie Pace Miles and Molly Ness define and explain orthographic mapping as a crucial cognitive process for reading fluency and comprehension. They discuss the importance of mapping words in long-term memory, the difference between memorization and mapping, and the trifecta of phonology, orthography, and meaning that supports effective word learning. They share a four-step protocol from their new book, Making Words, Stick, for supporting orthographic mapping. They provide insights into effective teaching strategies and resources available for educators.ResourcesMaking Words Stick - Molly & Katie’s book! Making Words Stick One Pager - Preview the Big Ideas in the book! Katie’s Non-Profit - Readinginstitutenyc.orgRosenthal & Ehri 2008 Study The Science of Learning to Read Words - Ehri Grapheme-Phoneme Knowledge - Ehri Laura Steacy’s research 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 literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
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Helping Students Read Multisyllabic Words with Devin Kearns
Episode 228 If you’ve ever wondered how to help your students decode longer words, this episode is for you! We’re joined by literacy researcher and professor Devin Kearns to talk all about teaching multisyllabic words.Many phonics programs focus on single-syllable words, but what happens when students hit big words and get stuck? Devin unpacks the research behind why that happens and what we can do instead. We talk about:flexible decoding strategies,when and how to teach syllables and morphemes,and what “set for variability” really looks like in the classroom (spoiler: it’s not guessing!).You’ll walk away with practical, research-backed ideas to help your students read longer words with confidence.Devin M. Kearns, Ph.D., is the Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy at NC State, where he studies early reading and collaborates with experts in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience to explore the brain basis of reading.RESOURCESHelping Students With Dyslexia Read Long Words: Using Syllables and Morphemes by Devin M. Kearns and Victoria M. WhaleyFollowing the Rules in an Unruly WritingSystem: The Cognitive Science ofLearning to Read Englishby Devin M. Kearns and Matthew J. Cooper BorkenhagenSyllable Division: New Data that Can Inform Intervention by Joanne Marttila Pierson, Ph.D., CCC-SLPOn Eating Elephants and Teaching Syllabication by Tim Shanahan 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 literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
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Revisiting Fluency Instruction and Assessment with Jan Hasbrouck
Episode 227In this episode, Jan Hasbrouck discusses the critical components of reading fluency, focusing on automaticity and its measurement through words correct per minute (WCPM). The discussion highlights the relationship between fluency and comprehension, the role of oral reading fluency in assessing student progress, and the importance of frequent assessments in the classroom. Jan also reflects on recent research findings from NAEP scores that challenge previous assumptions about fluency and automaticity, emphasizing the need for educators to adapt their understanding and practices based on evolving research. The discussion also touches on the debate between repeated reading and wide reading, advocating for an approach to reading instruction that incorporates both methods. Hasbrouck encourages educators to embrace continuous learning and adapt their teaching strategies based on evolving research.Resources Hasbrouck Tindal 2017 ORF Norms Chart2018 NAEP Oral Reading Fluency Study by White, S., et. al. Listen to more Melissa & Lori podcast episodes on Fluency! 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 literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
Melissa & Lori Love Literacy™ is a podcast for teachers. The hosts are your classroom-next-door teacher friends turned podcasters learning with you. Episodes feature top literacy experts and teachers who are putting the science of reading into practice. Melissa & Lori bridge the gap between the latest research and your day-to-day teaching.
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