We know students thrive on routine, but how does the concept of routine work in the classroom setting during phonics instruction? Join us as we explore what the ideal classroom environment should look like, sound like, and be like during foundational skills lessons. Picture this: Students eagerly engaged in activities like listening, repeating, dec…

School change is hard…but it can be done! Join us as we talk about what it takes to transform a school’s culture of practice to be more aligned with the scientific evidence base on reading, and why it’s worth the effort. Dr. Heidi Beverine-Curry of The Reading League will share how a single school or entire district can transition successfully to t…

We know from decades of rigorous research how students learn to read and how they should be taught. Nevertheless, many elements of evidence-based reading instruction are missing from K–2 classrooms. Join this fascinating and applicable discussion with one of education’s most respected researchers, Dr. Barbara Foorman, as she shares the research-bas…

In this conversation, Dr. Pamela Snow will discuss oral language in early childhood and across the school years, with a focus on its importance and role in developing, and being developed by, reading skills. She will also discuss the importance of applying public health principles to early reading instruction, to maximize success for all through ev…

Join us for this interesting conversation with our guest Literacy Expert Susan Ebbers who will share the research and strategies surrounding learning to read. Ebbers will illustrate how research supports the entwining of phonology, orthography, morphology, and vocabulary when teaching children to read, and to read more capably and with greater comp…

Join us for this lively and informative discussion between two literacy powerhouses. Dr. Claude Goldenberg, a bilingual literacy expert and author, and Dr. Louisa Moats, author of Speech to Print, Spellography, and creator of LANGUAGE! Live® and LETRS®, as they explore the universals for teaching children to read in any language. What does reading …

Join this robust discussion about the key features of the Structured Literacy approach proven to work for students with dyslexia. Listeners will learn useful strategies and classroom tips with an emphasis on mastery learning and student outcomes. Our expert will discuss: What is taught in the Structured Literacy approach How the Structured Literacy…

For people who have seen the documentary The Right to Read, you’ve heard of Kareem Weaver because his work is featured in the film produced by LaVar Burton. Weaver is an Oakland-based activist with the NAACP, and as an experienced educator his mission is to create a world where all children can read. Join us for this inspiring conversation as we ta…

When John Hattie’s original Visible Learning® book was published in 2008, it instantly became a sensation. Recently, this revolutionary educator returned to his groundbreaking work and published a new edition. The research underlying Hattie’s book is now informed by more than 2,100 meta-analyses (more than double that of the original), drawn from m…

Today’s educators are teaching the most linguistically diverse student population in United States history. To ensure educational equity for English learners, teachers must be skillfully equipped with instructional practices rooted in the science of reading. The “science of reading” refers to a vast body of multi-disciplinary research that provides…

What happens after a formative literacy assessment? How can educators translate the results into targeted interventions and improved reading outcomes? This applicable and informative presentation from Dr. Susan Smartt, a respected literacy expert, helps educators make sense of what to do after the assessment and how to best use the valuable data gl…

The “science of reading” refers to a vast body of multidisciplinary research providing a rationale for what must be taught to ensure almost all students can learn to read. Our podcast guests have championed this movement and supported organizations such as the International Dyslexia Association®, The Reading League, Decoding Dyslexia, The National …

The public release of ChatGPT by OpenAI late last year has captivated, if not terrified, certain sectors of public education. A simple interactive screen allows users to create a range of “authentic looking” documents. ChatGPT essays are either free or fractional in cost. Some have called ChatGPT the “calculator moment” for writing assignments. Is …

Join this fascinating conversation that surrounds storytelling—an age-old oral tradition—and how it can be used to improve reading and writing in the classroom. Our guest, Antonio Sacre, a professional storyteller, children’s book author, and educator, will discuss the simple technique of storytelling and how teachers and specialists can use it to …

Reading is the most important skill children need to master to be successful in school and life. However, students increasingly are struggling with this most basic of academic abilities. When children have difficulty reading, they can quickly fall behind their peers. Luckily, there are ways to improve almost any child's reading proficiency with goo…

It’s critically important to provide all students (MLLs, students with IEPs, high achievers, those with dyslexia and other reading difficulties, etc.) with targeted, effective reading instruction and interventions—this is a well-known fact. However, these students can be tougher to engage, and special teachers, with unique approaches designed to mo…

Writing is a task as complex and multifaceted as reading—but it’s often taught as a single skill. Our podcast guest is Joan Sedita, the successful author of the popular book, The Writing Rope. Her book and the innovative framework she created weaves multiple skills and strategies into five fundamentals of a comprehensive writing curriculum: critica…

When you examine your teaching approaches and how to best help students with dyslexia, it can be easy to assume special data will be needed to help these students improve their foundational reading skills and move toward grade-level literacy. However, the data you already have from regular assessment practices, like that collected from Acadience® L…

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Louisa Moats, author of LETRS® professional learning and LANGUAGE! Live® reading intervention, as we talk candidly about the power of printed books and materials and how educators can best select and use them to encourage student motivation and engagement—while helping all students build essential read…

It’s no secret: School and district leaders set the tone for the culture within the organization. Although every employee is ultimately responsible for creating an environment where students want to be, school leaders must model the way. How can principals looking to implement change create an innovative, sustainable culture that consistently model…

In this podcast, Dr. Ruth Kaminski, coauthor of Acadience® Learning K–6 and other respected assessments, will discuss the many aspects of assessment that make it a meaningful and essential tool for preventing reading disabilities and promoting reading success. Join us as we talk with Dr. Kaminski about the reasons educators should rely upon assessm…

Writing is potentially the most powerful lever we have for building knowledge and improving reading comprehension. It can uncover gaps in background knowledge that prevent students from accessing grade-level material. And, because writing helps new information stick, it can also boost students’ academic performance. But writing is the most difficul…

How can districts ensure all students have the same opportunities to the best education if all facets of learning are not equitable? The Digital Divide is not just about devices and the Internet, but it is also about pedagogy in our classrooms and opportunities for students. In this podcast, we will explore the different types of digital divides th…

Today, more children are arriving at school with significant social and emotional vulnerabilities due to the chronic stress and trauma of the pandemic. Our students have experienced stress and trauma in the past, but this moment is unique because the experience is more universally shared. This period is also exceptional because our teachers have ex…

Too many students in our classrooms struggle with learning to read. This does not need to occur. Research has shown that approximately 95% of all students can be taught to read at grade level, including those with learning disabilities and dyslexia. How can we meet the needs of every student in today’s classrooms? We'll discuss the characteristics …

In 2017, students, teachers, and activists filed a class action lawsuit (Ella T. vs. the State of California) arguing state education officials knew there was a crisis of reading and writing in California public schools, but they failed to develop a plan to address it. That lawsuit resulted in a $53 million settlement—money that didn’t go to the pl…

As districts prepare for the remainder of this school year and the many needs ahead, educators must make crucial decisions for appropriate use of ESSER III funding. However, before purchasing priorities can be planned, there are important questions to ask and new funding parameters to explore that will help all educators make the best decisions to …

After taking a backseat in the education world for many years, handwriting is back. While assistive technology can help students with writing problems, it does not remove the importance of teaching explicit handwriting. Handwriting reinforces reading and spelling skills, and is linked to reading and spelling achievement. In this insightful podcast,…

The Equity Gap, or differentials in race, ethnicity, income, language, and background, has become even more prominent during the pandemic. Minority students from low-income communities were among those most affected by the lockdown and the move to remote learning—where they faced social and economic stress in their families and communities. In this…

For our podcast, we talk with Kristen Jones, LETRS Literacy Champion and Curriculum Director at Enid Public Schools in Enid, Oklahoma. This inspiring educator will share how Enid Public Schools used literacy professional learning to transform teacher knowledge and raise student achievement. Jones will discuss steps taken by Enid Public Schools as t…

The future depends on our children and one way to fully empower them is to recognize that literacy is a fundamental right in society. Join Dr. Maria Murray—founder and president and CEO of The Reading League—for an engaging podcast episode as she explains why the science of reading is now regarded as a defining movement and addresses the need to pr…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a hot topic. ESSA is intended to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for long-term success, and includes a repeal of the Adequate Yearly Progress report in favor of state accountability. With every state having their own plan for ESSA, it is hard to know how to get st…

During uncertain times—and as schools recover from a year like no other—education funding is more important than ever. The CARES Act, which passed in April 2020, includes $13.2 billion for an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund and $3 billion for a Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund in order to help school d…

Despite the efforts of the American education system to provide an equal education for all students, achievement gaps between disadvantaged and more advantaged students remain—and often lead to negative outcomes. The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) represents an opportunity for districts to choose intervention solutions that bridge…

With vaccination efforts in full swing, September is likely to see a strong return to in-classroom instruction. How can educators prepare for summer school or a new school year after students have seen extended periods outside the classroom? In this important podcast, assessment expert Dr. Kelly Powell Smith—vice president and associate director of…

Research shows a gap between what teachers know about reading and whether or not they are prepared to teach it. Why are teachers graduating from college without the skills they need to teach reading? Join former educator Donna Hejtmanek as she discusses this topic and shares the story behind creating her incredibly popular Facebook group “Science o…

We now know sound walls should replace word walls in the classroom, but what are the best ways to integrate them into your daily lesson to educate and engage your students, including English language learners? In this informative podcast with literacy experts Dr. Mary Dahlgren and Dr. Antonio Fierro, our educators will share tips about how to use y…

Explicit reading instruction is an approach to teaching reading that is based on research about the brain and how we learn, combined with structured and sequenced literacy instruction. Join explicit instruction expert Dr. Anita Archer for this informative podcast as she discusses the importance of explicit instruction and how it promotes achievemen…

As 2020 began, the assessment you knew as DIBELS Next® acquired a new name, Acadience® Reading K–6. Do you know why the name changed and that Acadience Reading (and its product family) are the only assessments developed by authors Dr. Roland Good III and Dr. Ruth Kaminski, based on 30 years of research? Join us as we discuss how Acadience Learning …

The past year has uncovered more equity issues in education than in years before. The struggle to provide equitable access to technology, learning tools, emotional support, and even meals is now at the forefront of educators’ minds as they struggle to keep learning going forward for their students. Join us for a timely discussion about equity in ed…

This school year, the importance of closing reading gaps and maintaining strong skills is more important than ever due to COVID learning loss and a shift to remote learning. Join us for a timely and insightful podcast with respected literacy expert and author Dr. Tim Rasinski, as he discusses the long-term impact of COVID learning loss on reading f…

Lois Letchford was told by a teacher that her son, Nicholas, was “the worst child (she’s) ever seen in (her) 25 years of teaching.” Instead of giving up and giving in, Letchford became a passionate advocate for literacy and children who have been left behind by the educational system. Join us for an inspiring conversation as she shares how she help…

Unlike Spring of 2020, this fall we have the opportunity to prepare for distance learning as students return to the classroom. But many questions still remain--will students return to the classroom or remote learning, or both? Will educators be ready? What can school leaders do to help educators prepare for blended or remote learning? Join our time…

The American elementary education system continues to value so-called reading comprehension skills over knowledge, when in fact those skills are largely dependent on knowledge. Low-income students continue to struggle while children of educated parents with higher-income levels acquire more academic knowledge and vocabulary outside school, giving t…

According to the science of reading, students need to master phonemic awareness skills before they match the sounds to print, and phonics instruction is needed before students begin decoding text. We know this information, yet A-Z alphabetical word walls are still used in many classrooms, requiring students to match print to speech instead of sound…

In this podcast, Blank discusses how the learning challenges he faced prepared him for the World Marathon Challenge and for life. He shares: What it feels like to grow up with dyslexia and the stigmas attached to it How he beat the odds when it seemed like the odds were against him How you can encourage and support students with dyslexia As Blank s…

Did you know language development is one of the most critical cognitive functions that supports social and emotional learning? During this podcast, educator and Reading League presenter Dr. Brandi Kenner takes an in-depth look at the ties between language and literacy development and SEL, including the role an educator plays in keeping learning bra…

Schools are failing to support English language learners by not providing educators with the knowledge they need to teach reading effectively. With literacy leading as the main indicator of academic success, it is time for educators to accept responsibility for preparing ELLs for the tough challenges they face along the path to literacy, and learn …

In recent years, many school districts have implemented a blended-learning model of literacy instruction that incorporates teacher-taught curriculum with student-driven technology. This shift creates a more flexible classroom for the educator, and also offers more opportunities to tailor instruction to individual student needs, especially students …

If you agree with John Hattie’s statement, “every student deserves a great teacher, not by chance, but by design,” then this podcast is for you. Become a “change agent” in your district, school, or classroom as you learn from a respected expert about how you can implement the practices that accelerate student literacy. Part 1 of 2.…