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.

Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

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.