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 screeners
• diagnostics
• progress monitoring
• formative 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 Measurement
• National Center on Intensive Intervention
• Data Teaming Tools

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.

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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 Program
• Check 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)

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.

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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 intervention
• Why Tier 1 instruction is your most powerful lever for change
• What it looks like to work within your reality, not around it
• How class-wide supports and smart teaming can lead to huge growth
• Ways 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 Collaborative
• The Reading League Book Study for MTSS for Reading Improvement (You can still sign up for recordings!)

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.

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 texts
• Why vocabulary and morphology matter so much for comprehension
• Ways to make test prep meaningful without sacrificing deeper reading
• How 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 Revolution
• QFT: Question Formulation Technique
• Project for Adolescent Literacy:
• email: pal@seekcommonground.org
  
  
  

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.

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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.

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.

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 Intervention
• Text Structures PDF Cheat Sheet
• Check 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.

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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.org
• Rosenthal & 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.

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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. Whaley
• Following the Rules in an Unruly WritingSystem: The Cognitive Science ofLearning to Read Englishby Devin M. Kearns and Matthew J. Cooper Borkenhagen
• Syllable Division: New Data that Can Inform Intervention by Joanne Marttila Pierson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
• On 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.