Episode 193 from May 10, 2024

In this conversation, Stephanie Stollar discusses the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).  MTSS is a framework for school improvement that helps to provide support for students with various needs. The MTSS framework focuses on using data to identify barriers to student performance and making plans to eliminate those barriers. Stollar explains that word recognition skills are more discreet and sequential, while language comprehension skills are more unconstrained and complex. Stephanie recommends that special education resources should be blended with general education resources from the beginning, and students should receive intensive support as soon as it is needed, without having to go through a series of interventions and assessments. She also emphasizes the importance of evidence-aligned instruction and the need for team-based decision-making in the MTSS model.

Takeaways

MTSS is a framework for school improvement that helps teachers provide support for students with various needsThe tiers in MTSS are prevention of reading failure, with tier one being primary prevention for all students, tier two providing extra support for students at higher risk, and tier three offering intensive and individualized support for struggling readersDifferentiate tier one instruction and provide targeted instruction based on screening and diagnostic dataAssessments in MTSS include screening assessments to identify students at risk, diagnostic assessments to determine specific instructional needs, and progress monitoring assessments to track student progress.Blend special education resources with general education resources from the beginning and provide intensive support as soon as it is needed.Focus on evidence-aligned instruction and team-based decision-making in the MTSS model.

Resources 

Stephanie's Reading Science Academy Stephanie's MTSS Course Watch Stephanie discuss...  the importance of using universal screening data to reflect the effectiveness of Tier 1 instruction  and design core instruction the elements in a coordinated, comprehensive assessment systemwhy you should teach word recognition and language comprehension at the same time

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 263

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Stollar and Kate Winn to talk about their book, Reading Assessment Done Right, and why more assessment data hasn't necessarily meant better outcomes for students. Stephanie and Kate explain how matching one strong, evidence-based tool to each purpose, screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, and outcomes, can simplify a system without losing anything that matters.

We discuss why running records may be costing schools more time than they're worth, how a screener works like a thermometer to flag risk rather than diagnose it, and why oral reading fluency can serve as a reliable stand-in for comprehension in the early grades. Stephanie and Kate also talk through how to use screening data to have honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about tier one instruction at the classroom, grade, and school level.

This conversation offers a clear way to think about assessment: not as a compliance task, but as information that should change what happens in the classroom.

Resources

Reading Assessment Done Right book study materials Hear more from Kate on the Reading Road Trip podcast and meet her on InstagramLearn with Stephanie at Stephanie Stollar ConsultingEnter to win a free copy of Reading Assessment Done Right

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 207 from Oct 11 2024

Imagine facing not only the struggles of growing up in a challenging environment,  but also battling a learning difference that went undiagnosed for years.

Hear the inspiring story of Ameer Baraka as he discusses his book: Undiagnosed: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia.

Ameer will discuss: 

How he grew up in New Orleans, facing unimaginable obstacles His experiences with being misunderstood and how it impacted his life How he transformed his life by reclaiming his education while incarcerated How he is now dedicated to helping others recognize their potential 

By the end of this episode, you'll see how Ameer’s journey not only sheds light on the challenges of dyslexia but also highlights the incredible strength it takes to overcome adversity.

Want to Learn More?

Undiagnosed: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia by Ameer Baraka 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 262

In this episode, we sit down with Nancy Blair and Pat Roberts, co-founders of AIM Academy and the AIM Institute for Learning & Research, to talk about how a school built on research came to be. Nancy and Pat share the story of meeting as parents of newly diagnosed daughters, and how that friendship grew into a non-profit school and a research institute that is celebrating its 20th year.

We discuss the early warning signs of dyslexia that too many families are told to wait out, why oral language and vocabulary deserve attention well before kindergarten, and how AIM's classrooms shifted over the years toward a fully integrated literacy model. Nancy and Pat also talk about AIM's ongoing partnership with literacy researchers, their free annual research symposium, and a forthcoming book meant to help any school or teacher follow a similar path.

This conversation is a fitting way to open Dyslexia Awareness Month, and a reminder of how much faster research and classroom practice can move when they move together.

Resources

Learn more about AIM Academy and see their list of dyslexia warning signs and red flagsLearn more about AIM's March Research to Practice Symposium:The Impact of Language on Reading and Writing. Registration is open for this free event! AIM is hosting, as part of our Road to Symposium events, a free Dyslexia Awareness Month webinar on Wednesday, October 21 with Dr. Shelly Gray and Dr. RJ Risueno who created a Dyslexia and DLD Screener Questionnaire for pediatricians.  "Understanding Dyslexia: How Early Intervention Can Change Lives"Podcast Episode: "The Relationship Between Phonics and Language Comprehension" with Tiffany HoganPodcast Episode:"Building Fluency with POSSUM" with Maryanne Wolf and Melissa Orkin 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 100 from April 1, 2022

Over time, the chronic trauma of not being successful with reading wears down  many students. It has devastating effects. In our official 100th episode, Dr. Steven Dykstra discusses trauma and reading. He explains the connection between not being taught to read using evidence-based practices and the subsequent, unnecessary trauma this causes in children’s lives. This is a pervasive problem happening everywhere. 

Dr. Steven Dykstra is a psychologist, advocate, and troublemaker in the reading world. His passion for reading comes from the recognition that the thousands of children he has served often pay the highest price for our failures and mistakes. 

Resources: 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) NAEP Report Card: Reading Teaching Reading is Rocket Science by Louisa Moats

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 261  

In this episode, Caitlin Lucas shares innovative routines for kindergarten literacy instruction, emphasizing consistency and active participation to build foundational skills. Caitlin also uses sign language as part of her routines and shares easy ways teachers can use it too. 

Resources 

Maximizing Instructional Time Through Routines and Rehearsal  

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

In this episode, we talk with Julia Lindsey about her book, Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills. Julia shares why decoding is one of the most important skills we can help students develop and how research-based instructional routines can make that learning more efficient, effective, and joyful.

Together, we explore the foundational skills that support decoding, the role of purposeful practice, and how consistent routines help students know what to expect as they build confidence with sounds, words, and increasingly complex texts.

Decoding isn't the end goal of reading! It's the gateway. When students develop strong decoding skills, they gain the independence needed to tackle new words, access meaning, and fully engage with reading.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, literacy coach, interventionist, or school leader, this conversation is packed with practical, research-based ideas you can put into practice right away.

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 260

In this episode, Wiley Blevins shares practical strategies for differentiating phonics instruction in both whole group and small group settings. We explore high impact routines, effective use of decodable texts, and how to meet diverse student needs efficiently.

Wiley walks us through how to design routines that are expansive enough to serve everyone in whole group, while using small group for the high-intensity, targeted practice that takes kids further faster. Differentiation does not have to happen only in small group. It can live right inside the phonics routines you are already using every day. 

Resources

Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact by Wiley Blevins 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 259

In this episode, we’re joined once again by literacy researcher and educator Brennan Chandler for a practical, teacher-friendly conversation all about spelling routines that support students as spellers and writers. Brennan walks us through a sequence of short, research-based routines including 

Sound CheckPattern Power Up,Word WorkoutHeart Word HeroesSentence SprintSpell Streak

Free scripts and printables for all six routines are here: Spell Squad

We talk about how these routines build from sounds to patterns to words to sentences, helping students move toward applying spelling knowledge in authentic writing. 

Throughout the episode, Brennan shares clear examples teachers can try right away, along with ideas for scaffolding instruction, providing immediate feedback, and making spelling practice more engaging and meaningful for students. We also discuss the importance of cumulative review, sentence-level practice, and transfer into real writing, especially for students who continue to need spelling support in upper elementary and beyond.

Resources

Free scripts and printables for all six routines are here: Spell SquadPeer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) Brennan references Fuchs’ peer-assisted learning work. Anita Archer’s instructional routinesHow to Teach Students to Read Irregular Words with Danielle Colenbrander & Katie Pace Miles Podcast episode featuring Danielle Colenbrander discussion heart words.Follow Brennan Chandler

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 96 from 3/4/2022

We’re bringing back one of our most requested conversations about spelling and the important role it plays in reading development. In this episode, we revisit our conversation with literacy expert J. Richard Gentry, author of Brain Words , to explore how spelling supports automatic word recognition and stronger reading and writing overall.

Throughout the conversation, Richard explains how spelling connects directly to students’ speech and language systems. He also shares practical, science of reading-aligned strategies teachers can use to make spelling instruction more intentional.

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 258

In this episode, we sit down with literacy researcher Brennan Chandler to talk about the science of spelling instruction and why spelling deserves a much bigger role in science of reading conversations. Brennan explains how spelling supports stronger writing, more precise word knowledge, and better reading outcomes.

We discuss why spelling should be taught explicitly rather than left to chance, why patterns matter more than memorized rules, and how phonology, orthography, and morphology all work together when students learn to spell. Brennan also shares why morphology belongs in the early grades, how retrieval practice strengthens spelling knowledge, and why traditional Friday spelling tests often fail to lead to lasting learning.

This conversation is full of practical insights for teachers who want to move beyond isolated spelling activities and toward instruction that truly supports literacy development.

And this is just part one. Brennan will be back in our next episode focused entirely on practical spelling routines teachers can use right away in the classroom.

Brennan mentioned his TAP model of spelling instruction (Teach, Practice, Apply) in this episode. He's built six routines that put it into practice, called Spell Squad. Each one comes with scripting and a timer so you can teach it straight from the screen. Free teaching scripts and printables are on his site: Spell Squad

Resources

Free teaching scripts and printables are on Brennan's site: Spell Squad"Spelling Is an Integral Part of Learning the Language, Not a Matter of Memorization.""How Spelling Supports Reading" by Louisa MoatsThis resource from Logic of English shares several high-utility spelling patterns and generalizations that may feel more useful and transferable than the long lists of spelling “rules” many of us learned in school.Follow Brennan Chandler

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

In this bonus episode, we're bringing you research right from the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR) conference, one of the biggest gatherings of reading researchers in the world. We break down the key takeaways, emerging trends, and standout research that caught our attention, and talk about what it all means for your classroom. If you want to know where the science of reading is headed next, this one's for you.

Resources Mentioned

Words as Tools (coming soon)Reading Ready + Reading Go How To Plan for Differentiated Instruction (ACCESS Reading) Anderson & Strong (2026)Jake Downs is the host of the Teaching Literacy Podcast (it's a M&L favorite!)Clarence Greene's British and American Word Families (BAWF) Database: https://cgg-projects.github.io/BAWF_V2/

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 257

Why do so many students appear to thrive in early literacy, only to stall by middle school?

In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Kockler to unpack what literacy data from Louisiana revealed about a common but often misunderstood pattern: strong early reading results followed by flat or declining comprehension growth in later grades.

At the center of the conversation is the concept of the Decoding Threshold: the point at which students can read words accurately and automatically enough to access grade-level text and grow in comprehension.

Rebecca explains:

What happens when students never fully cross that thresholdWhy decoding instruction must continue through middle schoolHow multisyllabic decoding becomes a critical turning point around fourth gradeThe powerful connection between morphology, vocabulary, and spellingWhy fluency is the first true step of applicationHow reader identity influences students’ willingness to grapple with challenging textWhat effective assessment actually looks like for older readers

You’ll walk away with practical strategies to support multisyllabic decoding, vocabulary and spelling development, integrated fluency practice, & tier 1 instruction that adapts to increasing language complexity.

If you’ve ever wondered why students who “learned to read” struggle later — this conversation will reshape how you think about literacy instruction in elementary and middle school.

Resources

Resources for Educators Why "Learn to Read, Read to Learn" Fails Older Readers - And How To Fix ItAction Guide for Educators ROARStandards & Instructional Practices We Never Stop Learning to Read by Chase Young (blog) 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 256 

Faith Howard shares practical strategies for improving literacy skills in middle and high school students, focusing on decoding multisyllabic words, spelling routines, and fluency practices. This episode offers actionable insights for educators aiming to enhance reading comprehension and word attack skills.

Resources 

Encoding & Decoding with Word Pyramids BlogI Was Doing Fluency Wrong - Until I Made It About Knowledge BlogTeachers Teach Teachers | Science of Reading YouTube Channel VideoRead Like Us Podcast Episode with Jake Downs & Chase Young Tight Ten ArticleLiteracy Lab with Faith Facebook Page 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

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.

RESOURCES

Helping 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

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Connect with us! Email us at [email protected].

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 255

Experts Don Compton & Laura Steacy explore the complexities of multisyllabic word reading and the decoding challenges older readers encounter, especially those with dyslexia. They discuss how readers navigate complex words using different decoding strategies, the role of morphology and “set for variability” in reading development, and how tools like the DELP database help predict word difficulty. The episode offers practical insights into supporting literacy development and improving instruction for struggling readers.

Resources 

D-ELP Tool FCRR Student Center Activities 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 254

In this episode, we sit down with kindergarten teacher Anjanette McNeely to take a close look at one powerful instructional routine: word chaining.

Anjanette walks us through exactly what word chaining looks like in her classroom, from the materials she uses to the language she says, and explains why this routine is such an effective way to build both phonemic awareness and phonics at the same time.

We also explore how word chaining supports orthographic mapping, why connecting sounds to print matters, and how small instructional shifts, like continuous blending and interleaving, can have a big impact on student learning.

Whether you're new to word chaining or looking to refine your practice, this episode offers practical ideas you can try right away.

Resources

Word Chaining: An Efficient and Effective Alternative to Oral Phonemic Awareness by Anjanette McNeely: Blog post about word chaining and a video of Anjanette's classroom in action Word Chaining: A Simple Routine for Reading and Spelling (printable) You can see a picture of Anjanette's word chaining tray hereWord Chains for Decoding and Encoding Practice: An overview on how to make and use word chains to teach decoding and encoding (from UFLI) 44 Phonemes (video): Learn how to pronounce the 44 phonemes in the English alphabet (from Rollins Center for Language and Literacy)

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

We’re revisiting this episode with Matt Burns because it offers one of the clearest explanations of phonemic awareness and how it fits into reading instruction.

In this conversation, Matt helps unpack what the research actually says and what that means for what we prioritize in the classroom. He explains why phonemic awareness is not a standalone precursor to reading, but develops alongside it, and why decoding should take center stage as students move into the upper elementary grades.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about how phonemic awareness fits into your instruction, or what to focus on as students progress, this episode brings clarity and practical direction.

Resources

Phonemic Awareness, Research, Misconceptions, and Fads with Dr. Matt BurnsThey Say You Can Do Phonemic Awareness Instruction “In the Dark”, But Should You? A Critical Evaluation of the Trend Toward Advanced Phonemic Awareness TrainingRIP to Advanced Phonemic Awareness | Shanahan on LiteracyPhonemic Awareness with Letters YouTube video, Matt BurnsMatt Burns YouTube Channel National Reading Panel Report Elkonin Boxes, Reading RocketsFlorida Center for Reading Research UFLI Foundations Ep. 159: Back to School: Science of Reading or Snake Oil with Holly Lane Road to the Code, Book IES Practice Guides Empirical Analysis of Drill Ratio Research: Refining the Instructional Level for Drill Tasks, Matt Burns (meta-analysis)

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 253

In this episode, we talk with Marianne Rice about key findings from a Tennessee report examining how well early literacy materials align with research on phonemic awareness and early reading instruction. Marianne walks us through five essential practices that can help teachers make the most of their instructional time: 

focusing on phoneme-level workusing articulatory gesturesconnecting phonemic awareness to printbeing mindful of instructional timeprioritizing blending and segmenting.

Throughout the conversation, Marianne shares practical ways teachers can evaluate and adjust their current curriculum without starting from scratch. 

The big takeaway: small instructional shifts, especially connecting sounds to print and focusing on blending and segmenting, can have a big impact on helping students become strong readers and spellers.

Resources

 Kindergarten and First-Grade HQIM Alignment with Research on Code-Focused Instruction: Tennessee Early Literacy Report (referenced in the episode)5 Focus Areas for Phonemic Awareness (printable)44 Phonemes (video): Learn how to pronounce the 44 phonemes in the English alphabet (from Rollins Center for Language and Literacy)Word Chains for Decoding and Encoding Practice: An overview on how to make and use word chains to teach decoding and encoding (from UFLI) What Works Clearinghouse Guide: Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd GradePhonemic Awareness: A Meta-Analysis for Planning (need ILA access)  

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 252

What actually happens when students encounter a complex text?

In this episode, we’re joined by Luke Morin to discuss his article "Wading Into the Deep End: What Reading Actually Requires When the Text Gets Hard." Luke shares a powerful classroom moment where students applied reading strategies before tackling a tough text and still couldn’t make sense of a single sentence. That experience led him to rethink what it really means to teach reading.

In this conversation, we explore:

Why using strategies doesn’t guarantee understandingHow text complexity is shaped by the interaction between text, reader, and taskWhat collective close reading looks like in practiceHow to provide “lily pad” supports without rescuing students

Luke challenges the idea that comprehension can be reduced to checklists or isolated skills. Instead, he offers a vision of instruction that prepares students to wade into deep water with support, intention, and growing independence.

RESOURCES

"Wading Into the Deep End: What Reading Actually Requires When the Text Gets Hard" by Luke Morin"A Lily Pad, in Practice" (Collective Close Reading Sample)"Why Mastery Doesn't Matter" by Luke Morin "The Surprising Power of the Humble Worksheet" by Luke Morin

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 139

As we continue our focus on comprehension this month, we’re revisiting one of our most essential conversations.

In this episode, we explore a foundational truth about reading: comprehension depends on knowledge.

We’re joined by cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, who explains why background knowledge is one of the strongest drivers of reading comprehension and why strategies alone can’t compensate for gaps in knowledge.

We also talk with Barbara Davidson, Executive Director of the Knowledge Matters Campaign, about the role strong, knowledge-building curriculum plays in helping students access complex text.

Whether this is your first listen or a return, this episode remains foundational.

Resources

Knowledge Matters Campaign website Books by Daniel WillinghamReading Rockets Q&A with Daniel Willingham

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 251

One of the most consistent findings in reading research is this: how much you know determines how far you can go as a reader.

In this episode, we’re joined by Kelly Gallagher, author of To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff, to explore why knowledge is central to comprehension and what that means for classroom instruction.

Kelly helps us rethink the long-standing emphasis on isolated reading strategies and instead focus on building knowledge at multiple levels: word, sentence, passage, article, and book.

Kelly offers clear examples and practical thinking that will help you reflect on how knowledge is built over time and how we can design instruction that goes deeper, not just wider.

RESOURCES

To Read Stuff, You Have To Know Stuff by Kelly GallagherKelly Gallagher’s Article of the Week 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 251

In this episode, we’re joined by Tim Rasinski, Melissa Cheesman, and Savannah Campbell, authors of The Megabook of Vocabulary, to talk about practical, classroom-ready strategies that actually work. We dig into the biggest misconceptions about vocabulary instruction, where vocabulary words should come from, how many exposures a word truly needs, and how to move words from simple recognition to confident use in speaking and writing.

You’ll hear about:

Why morphology and generative vocabulary are more powerful than weekly word listsHow Word Ladders build decoding, spelling patterns, and vocabulary simultaneouslyHow to integrate fluency and vocabulary through repeated reading, Readers’ Theater, and performance-based routinesWhat “deep processing” really means—and why it makes words stick long term

This conversation bridges research and practice, showing how vocabulary connects to decoding, fluency, and comprehension in meaningful ways. If you’re looking for high-impact routines that support all learners. This episode will leave you with actionable ideas you can use right away.

Vocabulary doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It can be powerful, generative, and deeply connected to everything else we teach.

Resources 

Megabook of Vocabulary (Free Printable Resource aligned to this episode!) Megabook of Vocabulary (Book) Tim Rasinski's Website + Resources

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

What does the research really say about effective vocabulary instruction—and how can we translate it into daily classroom practice?

In this episode, we’re joined by literacy expert Blythe Anderson to unpack vocabulary moves grounded in research that make a measurable difference for students. From intentional word selection to meaningful student talk, Blythe shares practical, classroom-ready strategies that help educators move beyond “word of the week” and into instruction that builds deep, lasting word knowledge.

Together, we explore:

Why explicit vocabulary instruction mattersHow to choose the right words to teachThe role of discussion and student engagementPractical routines that strengthen word learning across content areasHow to ensure vocabulary sticks for long-term comprehension

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or school leader, this conversation will leave you with concrete, research-backed practices you can implement immediately.

Tune in to learn how small, intentional shifts in vocabulary instruction can lead to big gains in student word learning and comprehension.

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 250

In this episode, we’re joined by Margaret McKeown, a leading researcher in vocabulary and language development, to explore what effective vocabulary instruction really looks like in practice.

Margaret helps us unpack common misconceptions about vocabulary teaching, including the pressure to ensure students “master” every word and the belief that vocabulary instruction must always be formal and pre-planned. She explains the power of informal instruction words “running through the classroom” and why repeated exposure over time supports deep word learning.

We also dive into:

What learning words in context actually means (and what it doesn’t)How to think about vocabulary tiers without treating them like a rulebookWhen vocabulary should be taught (before, during, or after reading)The connection between vocabulary knowledge and comprehensionBetter ways to assess vocabulary beyond traditional tests

Margaret reminds us that vocabulary learning is more like climbing a ladder than crossing a finish line. Not every word requires deep instruction, but thoughtful, strategic choices can make a meaningful impact on comprehension.

If vocabulary instruction has ever felt overwhelming, this conversation offers clarity, reassurance, and practical insight for making it manageable and effective.

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 248

There’s a saying we hear often in literacy work: you don’t want to try to intervene your way out of a Tier 1 problem. Real change happens when classroom instruction and small-group support are aligned.

In this episode, we’re joined by Kerry Cusick and Erin Sharon, two reading interventionists, who share how aligning Tier 1 instruction with the small-group work they lead every day transformed both their approach and student outcomes. While their work lives in intervention, the routines and decision-making they describe are just as relevant for classroom teachers running small groups.

In this conversation, we explore:

What small-group intervention looked like before alignment and what had to changeHow clearer, more consistent Tier 1 instruction reshaped small-group teachingWhat responsive small-group lessons look like when they’re built around student needHow phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and meaning work together in small groupsWhy fluency matters and how routines move students from sounds to connected text

Kerry and Erin share practical examples from their MTSS work, including how they use data to form groups, align with classroom scope and sequence, and design small-group instruction that builds accuracy, automaticity, and meaning.

RESOURCES

Small-Group Instruction Listening GuideBuilding Fluency with POSSUM with Melissa Orkin and Maryanne Wolf (podcast episode)Reading Universe Read Works Read Live Roll & ReadsUFLI KindergartenUFLI Grade 1 Neuhaus Education Center Rapid Recognition Chart Generator Crafting Minds

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 143 

This conversation remains one of our most downloaded episodes and for good reason.

As we focus this month on small-group instruction, we’re revisiting this important discussion with a team of authors who published the article Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction.

In this episode, we explore:
 • Why small-group reading instruction has been so widely adopted
 • What the research actually says about its effectiveness
 • Common misconceptions about small-group time
 • What makes small-group instruction purposeful and impactful

If you’re rethinking how small-group time fits within strong Tier 1 instruction, or wondering how to make those minutes count, this episode offers research-informed clarity.

Resources

Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction Dr. Neena Saha’s Reading Research Recap of this research What Should Small Group Instruction Look Like? Tim Shanahan Reinterpreting the development of reading skills Scott Paris Applying New Visions of Reading Development in Today's Classrooms Kay Stahl Text Project with Freddy Hiebert Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Our Children’s Learning by Peter Johnston

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 247

Small-group instruction can feel powerful and overwhelming at the same time. Questions about grouping, time, routines, and impact come up constantly.

In this episode, we’re joined by Julia Lindsey, author of Small Groups, Big Results, to talk about what actually makes small-group instruction work. Julia helps break down small groups into manageable, intentional practices that don’t require more time or complexity, just clearer purpose.

In this conversation, we discuss:

Why small groups don’t need to be long to have a big impactHow flexible, needs-based grouping supports student growthThe role of immediate, specific feedback in small-group readingPractical routines teachers can use right awayHow small-group instruction connects to Tier 1 teaching

Whether you’re new to small groups or looking to refine your approach, Julia offers clarity, research, and realistic guidance.

RESOURCES

Small-Group Instruction Listening GuideSmall Groups, Big Results: Evidence-Based Routines to Get Every Child Reading by Julia Lindsey Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills by Julia LindseyOther podcast episodes with Julia Lindsey: Science of Reading Part 1: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, & the Aim of Early LiteracyScience of Reading Part 2: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, & the Aim of Early LiteracyResearch-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills with Julia LindseyReaders' Theater: Easy, Effective, & Fun! with Chase YoungUFLI Foundations Toolbox FCRR Student Center Activities

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 246

Fluency looks different across grade levels, but it always matters.

In this special mashup episode, Melissa and Lori bring together voices from seven classroom teachers, spanning first grade through eighth grade, to show how fluency comes to life in real classrooms. Each teacher shares a best practice they use to support accuracy, automaticity, and expression, always grounded in meaningful reading.

You’ll hear about a range of approaches, including:

Songs, shared reading, and read-alouds in early gradesPartner reading routines that build accountability and supportPerformance-based practices like Readers’ TheaterUsing oral reading as assessment and feedbackStructuring small groups to support different fluency needs

This episode is full of practical ideas, classroom insight, and teacher wisdom, whether you’re teaching in the primary grades or supporting older readers.

Resources: 

Check out our Fluency Listening Guide for links to all of the episodes! Featured Episodes: First Steps to Fluency: How Young Learners Become Independent Readers with Virginia Quinn-Mooney Improving Student Reading Growth in Months with Fluency Instruction and Practice with Lorraine Griffith and Lindsay Kemeny A Classroom Fluency Protocol That Works with Aaron GrossmanBaltimore Secondary Literacy Teachers Talk Fluency with Tanisha Dasmunshi, Emily Jaskowski, and Emery Uwimana Watch Virginia Teach Fluency in this video Let’s bring back the magic of song by Tim RasinskiLindsay Kemeny YouTubePartner Reading with Paragraph Shrinking3 Phases for Fluency by Aaron GrossmanTim Rasinski's Multidimensional Fluency RubricAaron's website: Just Two Teachers (click Readers Theater for links to scripts!)Chase Young's Readers Theater scripts 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 245

In this episode, Melissa and Lori are joined by researchers Jake Downs and Chase Young to discuss Read Like Us, a research-backed fluency routine designed to help students reread challenging texts with purpose. Jake and Chase share the findings from their recent study, explain how the routine works in real classrooms, and explore why fluency grows when students have multiple supported opportunities to read connected text.

The conversation unpacks:

what makes Read Like Us different from traditional repeated reading approaches,how wide reading fits alongside repeated reading,and why text choice plays such a critical role in fluency development.

You’ll also hear why the study showed especially strong results for fourth-grade readers and how teachers can think about applying this work across grade levels.

This episode offers both a clear explanation of the research and practical insights teachers can use as they plan fluency instruction that supports real reading where skills come together in text. 

Resources:

Grab your Read Like UsTexts Research Article: "Promoting Fluency Through Challenge: Repeated Reading With Texts of Varying Complexity"Fluency Listening Guide

Contact Chase Young at https://lfcreading.com/podcast with your questions!

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 244 

Lindsay Kemeny shares her insights on effectively managing a literacy block in a primary classroom. She discusses her daily schedule, emphasizing the importance of routines in phonics instruction, close reading strategies, and writing lessons. Lindsay also highlights the importance of small group instruction for differentiation and explains how to manage center work for students! She encourages teachers to focus on progress rather than perfection, sharing practical tips and strategies for enhancing literacy instruction.

Lindsay's Book, Rock Your Literacy Block, is available now! 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 243

Jamey Peavler discusses the importance of recognizing the varied learning needs of students in all grades! She emphasizes the distinction between comprehension and word recognition skills, advocating for differentiated instruction to better support each student's unique learning journey.

Key Takeaways

Word recognition and comprehension can develop at different rates.Differentiated instruction is essential for meeting diverse learning needs.Teachers should empower themselves to adapt their teaching methods.Effective teaching requires awareness of students' varying skill levels.Teachers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between comprehension and skill.

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 242

In this episode, Carl Hendrick emphasizes the critical role of timely feedback in the educational process, highlighting how immediate responses to misconceptions can significantly enhance student learning. He discusses the challenges teachers face in providing effective feedback and the importance of checking for understanding, interleaving, and retrieval practice to ensure that students grasp the material being taught.

Check out this resource we made just for you to accompany the content in this episode! Evidence-Based Practices to Make Learning Stick One-Pager 

Key Takeaways

Timely feedback is crucial for effective learning.The closer the feedback loop, the more powerful the learning.Checking for understanding can significantly improve teaching effectiveness.Understanding checks guide instructional decisions.

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 241

Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone discuss the often-overlooked topic of syntax and its critical role in reading comprehension. With Melissa & Lori, they discuss the architecture of sentences, the importance of understanding parts of speech, and the interconnectedness of syntax and meaning. The conversation highlights effective teaching strategies, the challenges posed by complex sentences, and the necessity of integrating background knowledge for comprehension. Nancy and Julia share practical instructional moves, emphasizing the need for explicit instruction and cognitive preparation to enhance students' understanding of sentence structures.

Takeaways

Syntax is the architecture of a sentence. It is essential for understanding sentence structure and meaning.Explicit instruction is necessary for effective learning of syntax.Teaching grammar needs to focus on meaning, not just labeling.Engaging students with authentic texts improves comprehension.Integrating background knowledge is crucial for comprehension.

Resources 

Tips & Tools: Sentences (resource sheet) 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 240

Primary teacher Meghan Hein shares how she keeps the text front and center of learning. She discusses the shift from a skills-based focus to an approach where meaning-making drives instruction. The conversation highlights practical strategies for teachers to build knowledge through texts and create a more authentic learning experience. Meghan's insights reflect a commitment to continuous learning and adapting teaching practices to better serve students' needs.

✨ You’ll definitely want to listen to the podcast that inspired this conversation! Episode 37 with Sue Pimentel and Meredith Liben dives into their article Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom.

Takeaways

Shifting from skill-based to meaning-making instruction is crucial.Building knowledge through texts is essential for comprehension.Teachers must empower themselves through continuous learning.Curriculum should support, not dictate, teaching practices.Understanding the intent behind texts enriches the learning experience.Interleaving skills and content enhances understanding.Students thrive when they connect learning to real-world contexts.

Resources 

Refreshed Companion Episode with Meredith Liben & Sue Pimentel (podcast)Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom (article) Teacher Meghan Hein on Instagram (you might know her as always more to learn!)

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 37 

The article Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom is a must-read — before or after you listen to this episode!

Meredith Liben and Sue Pimentel join us to unpack the true intentions behind the Common Core State Standards and how they’ve sometimes been misinterpreted in practice. They share what they’ve observed in classrooms and schools — both when high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are in place and when they’re not.

We also ask them some tough (and important!) questions:

What does this mean for assessment, especially “data-driven” instruction?What are better ways to assess and track student progress?

Meredith and Sue are smart, funny, and incredibly relatable — you’ll love this conversation. It’s truly a must-listen episode!

📖 Read the article that inspired this episode:
 Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom

Introduction to Poetry - Billy Collins poem Meredith mentions Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 239 

Experts Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica Woolway join Melissa & Lori to tackle one of the biggest questions in teaching today: What happened to reading whole books in school? From the pull of digital distractions to the rise of skill-focused instruction, they explore why diving into full texts matters more than ever. You’ll hear inspiring ideas for making books come alive in the classroom, the magic of read-alouds, and the power of close reading. Plus, each guest reveals their favorite book to teach. Reading entire books ignites curiosity, builds stamina, and so much more.

Resources

The Teach Like A Champion Guide to the Science of Reading (book)Teach Like A Champion (Website - Resources, Workshops, Blogs, & More!)Close Reading: Uncover Deeper Meaning (blog)The Indispensable Power of [Full] Books  (blog)Melissa & Lori Podcast Knowledge & Comprehension (Daniel Willingham & Barbara Davidson)

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 238 

What if the “secret sauce” to reading big words isn’t just syllables, but also morphemes? In this episode, Melissa Orkin and Alex Osburn share why morphology is essential, especially in grades 3–6, and how it bridges word reading, vocabulary, and comprehension.

They dig into practical strategies for teaching morphology, from explicit routines to vocabulary activities like the Frayer model, and show how to weave it all into real texts so students connect meaning to print in powerful ways. You’ll hear how morphology instruction can be integrated with content areas, supported by oral language practice, and used to spark stronger engagement and deeper learning.

Resources Mentioned

Video of the Lesson highlighted in the episode. From Morphology Anthology: Volume 3, Lesson 3: The Secret Lives of Rainforest Insects.Book: The Structured Literacy Playbook: Preplanned Lessons for Building Phonics and Fluency Skills 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 237 

Teachers know the challenge: students hit multisyllabic words and suddenly reading slows down. In this episode, researchers Jessica Toste and Brennan Chandler share research-based routines that make multisyllabic word reading easier, more automatic, and more effective. You’ll hear practical strategies rooted in the research to help your students tackle big words!

📚 Resources Mentioned

Word Connections

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 236

Catlin Goodrow discusses her role as a literacy coach and interventionist for older students, focusing on assessing student needs, implementing effective interventions, and the logistics of providing support in the classroom. She shares insights on decoding challenges, comprehension strategies, and the importance of engaging students with appropriate texts. She also emphasizes the significance of flexibility in instruction and offers practical tips for teachers to support struggling readers. Check out her new book 'Reading Beyond the Routines,' which provides research-informed strategies for teaching literacy in grades 2 through 6.

Resources

Reading Beyond the Basics by Catlin Goodrow (book) Podcast Episode - Helping Students Read Multisyllabic Words with Devin Kearns (podcast)Podcast Episode: Exploring the Research Behind Paired Oral Reading with Jake Downs (podcast)Podcast Episode - No More “Strategy of the Week” (podcast)Building Background Knowledge Through Reading: Rethinking Text Sets - Sarah Lupo et. al. (research article)Rewards by Anita Archer (paid program)Word Connections by Jessica Toste (free program)

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 235

Matt Burns discusses effective interventions for students struggling with learning. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the learning hierarchy, identifying where breakdowns occur, and matching interventions to individual student needs. The conversation highlights the significance of modeling in teaching, shares a success story of a kindergartner's progress, and explores the application of the framework to writing and comprehension. Additionally, Burns provides insights on using assessment data effectively and offers resources for teachers to implement these strategies in their classrooms.

Resources

Matthew Burns YouTube Email Matt: [email protected] 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 234 

Michelle Hosp joins us to break down the different types of literacy assessments within an MTSS framework in the most approachable way.

We talk:

universal screenersdiagnosticsprogress monitoringformative assessments

Most importantly, we talk about when and why to use each one. Michelle helps us shift the question from “Which test should I give?” to “What do I need to know to help my students grow?” We also dig in to the power of curriculum-based measures (CBM), what makes assessment data meaningful, and how schools can align their resources to actually make a difference.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by data or unsure how to use it effectively, this episode will help you think more clearly about assessments and walk away empowered to use your data to help all your students become readers. 

Resources

The ABCs of CBM: A Practical Guide to Curriculum-Based MeasurementNational Center on Intensive InterventionData Teaming Tools

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 233 

In this episode, we sit down with speech-language pathologist Linsey Jones, who’s leading groundbreaking work in her district by delivering smart, targeted, and manageable literacy interventions to kindergarten students.

Linsey shares how her background in speech-language pathology led her to create a data-driven, highly responsive tier 2 intervention program. She walks us through how she uses assessments (think: letter-sound knowledge, early phonemic awareness, and real-time data tracking), what her 15-minute intervention sessions really look like, and how thoughtful collaboration with classroom teachers has created system-wide change.

We also talk about how her work has been influenced by literacy expert Julia Lindsey and how their entire district is now seeing almost no students falling behind by the end of kindergarten.

Resources

Learn more about Linsey's Tier 2 Phonemic Awareness Intervention ProgramCheck out Linsey's website: speechlanguageliteracyconnection.com Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills with Julia Lindsey (podcast episode)  Reading Above the Fray by Julia Lindsey (book)Kindergarten TEAM Reaches (nearly) 100% Success Using Evidence-Based Practices (podcast episode)Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath (book) 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 232

We know MTSS can feel like one more acronym and maybe one more thing on your plate. But what if it was the thing that helped everything else run more smoothly instead?

In this episode, we chat with Stephanie Stollar and Sarah Brown, authors of MTSS for Reading Improvement, who help us rethink what strong systems of support actually look like. Together, we explore how to move beyond one-off interventions and start building aligned, school-wide systems that  support every reader. 

You’ll hear:

The difference between MTSS and interventionWhy Tier 1 instruction is your most powerful lever for changeWhat it looks like to work within your reality, not around itHow class-wide supports and smart teaming can lead to huge growthWays teachers (even without formal leadership roles) can spark change

RESOURCES

MTSS for Reading Improvement by Stephanie Stollar and Sarah Brown Reading Science Academy with Stephanie Stollar  MTSS Data Academy with Sarah Brown Schoolwide Reading MTSS CollaborativeThe Reading League Book Study for MTSS for Reading Improvement (You can still sign up for recordings!) 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 231

Working with students who struggle to make sense of complex texts? You’re not alone! Christina Cover, a high school special educator, interventionist, English teacher, and literacy coordinator, is here to help! 

In this episode, Christina shares real-world, research-based strategies she uses to help her students break down and make sense of challenging texts. From her go-to routine Getting the Gist to building vocabulary and using morphology instruction in context, Christina walks us through what works in her classroom.

You’ll hear:

How to support students in summarizing and understanding complex textsWhy vocabulary and morphology matter so much for comprehensionWays to make test prep meaningful without sacrificing deeper readingHow writing can be a powerful tool for reading comprehension

If you teach in grades 3 and up, this episode is full of tools and inspiration you can take straight back to your classroom.

Resources:

Getting the G.I.S.T. Word Matrices Frayer Models Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) The Writing RevolutionQFT: Question Formulation TechniqueProject for Adolescent Literacy: email: [email protected]
 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Bonus Episode

In 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. 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 230

In 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.

Resources

Supporting Elementary Students' Reading of Difficult Texts Read, Stop, Write InterventionCheck 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.  

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 229

In 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.

Resources

Making 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 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

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.

RESOURCES

Helping 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

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].

Episode 227

In 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! 

Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com.

Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at [email protected].