Literacy Matters: Empowered Conversations

In this episode of Literacy Matters: Empowered Conversations, Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift welcomes Sara Marye of the Stellar Teacher Company to explore how educators can balance phonics and comprehension, support COVID-era learners, and build strong writing foundations. They discuss practical routines, sentence-level instruction, and integrating literacy across subjects. It’s real talk for teachers navigating today’s busy classrooms.

In part two of their conversation, Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift and Joan Sedita dive deeper into the Writing Rope framework, offering practical strategies for K–6 writing instruction. From Play-Doh activities to sentence work and paragraph structure, this episode explores how to build confident writers across all stages.

Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift interviews Joan Sedita about her Writing Rope framework, emphasizing explicit writing instruction, integrating reading and writing, and supporting students with practical strategies to build confident, proficient writers across diverse learning needs.

In this energizing episode, Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift chats with literacy expert Malia Hollowell about turning the science of reading into daily classroom practice. From phonics to Play-Doh, Malia shares brain-friendly strategies, practical tools, and ways to engage every reader. Whether you're just getting started or ready to level up, this episode offers smart, actionable insights to help every student thrive.

Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift and Amy Siracuscano examine the simple view of reading and the not so simple view of writing. The conversation highlights the differences between the Simple View of Reading and the Not So Simple View of Writing. Amy shares practical strategies for teaching writing and the need for data-driven decision-making in literacy instruction. She also underscores the significance of fine motor skills and cursive writing in developing strong literacy foundations. The interview provides valuable insights and actionable advice for educators to enhance their writing instruction and support student success.

Dr. Anna Taboada Barber explores the cognitive and motivational factors affecting reading comprehension in linguistically diverse students. She highlights challenges bilingual learners face and emphasizes executive functioning, oral language development, and culturally relevant teaching. Advocating for bilingualism as an asset, she encourages family support for first-language literacy and strategic classroom instruction. Dr. Barber shares practical strategies to boost confidence, engagement, and comprehension, reinforcing the importance of choice, discussion, and meaningful learning opportunities.

Small-group instruction is a powerful tool for literacy, but how can educators make it truly effective? In this episode of Literacy Matters, Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift and literacy expert Alison Ryan explore best practices for balancing whole-group and small-group instruction, using data to form flexible reading groups, and scaffolding effectively. With a focus on quality over quantity, Alison shares practical strategies to help teachers refine their approach and maximize student success.

In this episode of Literacy Matters: Empowered Conversations, Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift speaks with Dr. Denise Donica and Dr. Peter Giroux about the overlooked role of handwriting in literacy. They discuss why just 10 minutes a day can improve student success, how handwriting connects to the science of reading, and why cursive can be a game-changer for struggling writers. Plus, they break down the key differences between dysgraphia and dyslexia and what educators and parents can do to help.

Dr. Carolyn Strom is a clinical professor, reading specialist, and former first-grade teacher. She collaborates widely with school districts, teachers, pediatricians, and tech companies to bridge the disconnect between neuroscientific research and educational practice. Dr. Strom is a recent recipient of NYU Steinhardt's Teaching Excellence Award and has published her work in The Reading Teacher, The Reading League Journal, and The Handbook of Learning Disabilities. She maintains a clinical practice in New York working with children who have dyslexia.

Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. Dr. Ness has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction. She provided literacy leadership for nationally recognized literacy non-profits, as well as major educational publishers. IG: a_reading_mother

Twitter @drmollyness