Join us on the Science of Reading Leadership podcast as Dr. Tim Rasinski, a literacy expert from Kent State University, unveils the critical role of fluency in reading education. Dr. Rasinski highlights how fluency acts as a bridge between phonics and comprehension, enhancing both automaticity and prosody to make reading effortless and expressive.

• Transformative strategies for fostering reading fluency, such as read-aloud sessions and repeated reading practices, which are proven to improve students' reading skills and enjoyment.
• Innovative ways to integrate fluency training across the curriculum through engaging activities like reader's theater, making learning both effective and enjoyable.
• The importance of creativity in teaching, advising educators to weave fluency exercises into various subjects.

Whether you're an educator refining your teaching methods or a parent supporting your child's reading journey, this episode offers practical insights and inspiration. Tune in to discover how to transform struggling readers into confident, lifelong learners and to access further resources and strategies on Dr. Rasinski’s website.

Connect with Dr. Rasinski: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-rasinski-15b1ba4/

Just Right Reader Science of Reading Instructional Materials and Resources: https://justrightreader.com/

Join our conversation with Dr. Francesca Smith, a Bilingual Education Specialist and Early Literacy Consultant, as we explore the integration of the science of reading with bilingual education, explore strategies for enhancing foundational literacy skills in multilingual classrooms, and uncover effective ways to support and empower multilingual learners and their families.

• Practical strategies for integrating the science of reading with bilingual education.
• How to leverage students’ native languages to enhance English literacy skills.
• The importance of explicit phonics instruction and its impact on language development.
• Techniques for enhancing parental involvement in multilingual education settings.
• Dr. Smith's recent research findings on the efficacy of explicit cross-linguistic comparisons in literacy instruction.

• 00:59 - Introduction to Dr. Francesca Smith and her background
• 02:20 - Memories of back-to-school and initial teaching experiences
• 04:17 - Discussing the challenges and strategies of teaching in multilingual settings
• 10:27 - Key findings from Dr. Smith's recent research on bilingual education
• 19:17 - The role of parents in supporting multilingual literacy at home
• 28:26 - Long-term implications of bilingual education on teaching practices
• 34:05 - Additional advice for teachers working with multilingual students

Connect with Dr. Francesca Smith

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-smith-edd

Just Right Reader Science of Reading Instructional Materials and Resources: https://justrightreader.com/

Join our conversation with Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer, a leading literacy expert and professor from Virginia Tech, as we explore advanced early reading strategies, dive into the significance of reader-text matching, and unpack the power of morphology and complex vocabulary acquisition.

We discuss:

• Effective techniques for aligning texts with reader capabilities
• Methods for teaching complex vocabulary to early learners
• Insights into the impact of morphology on word structure comprehension
• Comparative analysis of conveying complex vocabulary in narrative versus informational texts
• Practical advice for educators on translating research into classroom practices

Important Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer and her focus areas
• 02:23 Dr. Mesmer shares amusing back-to-school anecdotes.
• 06:06 Discussion on the significance of morphology in literacy
• 14:15 How translational science bridges research and classroom practice
• 22:16 Analyzing the unique challenges of teaching complex vocabulary through narrative and informational texts
• 31:02 Advice for educators to apply this research to classroom instruction

Connect with Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer

X: https://x.com/haemesmer

Just Right Reader Science of Reading Instructional Materials and Resources: https://justrightreader.com/