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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!  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 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. 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 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. 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 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)  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 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!) 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 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  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 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) 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 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  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 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 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 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) 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 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]  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 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 assessmentsMost 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 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 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)  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 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 changeRESOURCES 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!)  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 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 comprehensionIf 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]   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.