Literacy Talks

In October of 2023, The Reading Council of North America filed a lawsuit against Ohio, attempting to reverse the state’s move to align classroom instruction to the science of reading principles and practices. In this episode of Literacy Talks, our hosts discuss the growing momentum behind instruction based in the science of reading and the importance of looking closely, carefully, and analytically at the research that supports any approach. Listeners will hear common sense, clear thinking, and data-informed perspectives about choosing curricula and staying involved in legislative initiatives. Educator voices matter! Let’s get started.

Show Notes
Literacy Leaders:

• Dr. Steve Dykstra
• Emily Hanford

Resources:

• Education Week, October 18, 2023—Reading Recovery Sues Ohio Over Ban on ‘Cueing’ in Literacy Instruction
• Thomas B. Fordham Institute, July 27, 2023—It’s time to dump Reading Recovery
• Education Week, October 24, 2022—Two Decades of Progress, Nearly Gone: National Math, Reading Scores Hit Historic Lows
• The Reading League
• International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction (IFERI)

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

The Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching literacy is growing in popularity for students with dyslexia, and now it is often included in state-level education policy. In this episode of Literacy Talks, our hosts talk in-depth about the research supporting key components of the “OG” approach and explore where additional research is needed. The spark for this conversation is an important article published in October of 2023 in The Reading League Journal. Tune in and learn more about what’s known and what’s yet to be studied. It will reaffirm some things you know and open the door to new learning. As educators, we know there’s always more to learn about reading instruction. Let’s get started.

Show Notes
Literacy Leaders

• Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham
• Dr. Steven Dykstra
• Dr. Lucy Hart Paulson
• Devin Kearns, Ph.D.

Resources:

• Orton-Gillingham: Which Aspects are Supported by Research and Which Require Additional Research?
• Orton-Gillingham Academy—What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?

Build Your Literacy Lexicon

• MTSS: Multi-Tiered System of Support is an educational approach that provides personalized assistance and guidance to students based on their varying needs, ensuring they have the necessary resources to excel academically and thrive socially and emotionally.

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

Whether you attended the Plain Talk 2024 Conference or wish you did, this episode is a whirlwind wrap-up of the event. From our hosts’ responses to several keynote presentations to quick summaries of the breakout sessions that made an impact, you’ll get the inside story about how the literacy community embraces science of reading instruction. You’ll also hear about new research and how this data can impact educators’ practice. From great takeaway phrases like “We need a call to curiosity…” to “One caring adult makes all the difference…” you’ll get post-conference perspectives that will fuel your professional learning. So sit back and enjoy an auditory field trip to #PlainTalkNOLA 2024.

Show Notes
Literacy Leaders

• Dr. Linnea Ehri - Plain Talk Conference presenter and author of the book The Recognition of Words. CUNY Graduate Center, Distinguished Professor
• Devin Kearns, Ph.D. - Education researcher who studies reading disabilities, including dyslexia. 
• Dr. John Hodge - President and co-founder of Urban Learning and Leadership Center, an organization focused on student achievement and reduction of the achievement gap.
• John Hattie - Professor of Education and Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Noted author and speaker.
• Carolyn Strom, Ph.D. - Early literacy expert, author, instructional media developer, and speaker. Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU.
• Maryanne Wolf - Director, Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. The author of several books, including Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World.
• Stephanie Stollar, Ph.D. - Dr. Stollar is a noted presenter, consultant, part-time assistant professor in the online Reading Science Program at Mount S. Joseph University, and a founding member of the National Alliance for Supporting Reading Science in Higher Education. A noted researcher and presenter, she is also a board member of the Innovations in Education Consortium.

Resources

• Institute for Multi-Sensory Education
• John Hattie presentation slide

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

There is new interest in small group instruction as a key component of early literacy learning. Some educators are talking about skipping the small groups. Others have important ideas about making small group instruction better and more effective.

In this episode, our hosts explore strategies and tactics for organizing, supporting, and evaluating small group instructional time. From carefully grouping students as their skills grow to using technology and audiobooks, this in-depth look at small groups will give every educator new ideas and important insights into making small groups BIG contributors to student progress. You may even want to gather a small group of colleagues to listen to this episode!

Show Notes
Resources

• Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction
• National Reading Panel Report
• Epic

Build Your Literacy Lexicon

• prosody: the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

Season 5 of Literacy Talks begins with a visit from special guest Dr. Elfrieda “Freddie” Hiebert, noted researcher, educator, author, and president and CEO of TextProject, Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on bringing beginning and struggling readers to high levels of literacy using a variety of strategies and tools, particularly the texts used for reading instruction.

In this episode, our hosts explore how small changes in teaching vocabulary and text complexity can lead to big differences in students’ literacy growth. From helping students unlock the treasure box of vocabulary to remembering that language and literacy are always about meaning, this episode invites educators to the world of words and enriching literacy instruction.

Show Notes
Literacy Leaders

• Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert
• Dr. Hugh Catts
• David Share
• William S. Gray
• Edward Fry
• Paul Hanna

Resources

• Text Project website
• Teaching Words and How They Work (book)
• Eight Days a Week (The Beatles)

Build Your Literacy Lexicon

• polysemous: having multiple meanings.

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

As the saying goes, “That’s a wrap!” This episode closes Season 4 of Literacy Talks. Our listening audience has grown remarkably, and we’re grateful to every educator who tunes in to share the gift of literacy with us and our special guests. Join our trio of terrific literacy leaders, Stacy Hurst, Lindsay Kemeny, and Donell Pons, for a retrospective look at the season’s most memorable guests and topics. From the launch of Lindsay’s new book, 7 Mighty Moves, to our groundbreaking four-part series that unpacks the seminal work on ending the reading wars by authors Castles, Rastle, and Nation, you’ll pick up highlights and nuggets worth remembering.

We’ll also turn our focus forward to help teachers keep the reading momentum going strong in the run-up to and beyond the winter break. In that spirit, you’ll hear some unforgettable and inspirational thoughts about the importance of everyone who teaches students to read. Join us for some joy and affirmation, and watch for announcements of Season 5 coming soon!
 

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

How can we encourage young learners to become confident writers? It’s a question every elementary classroom teacher continues to ponder. In this episode of Literacy Talks, writing takes center stage as our hosts explore how to rethink writing workshop strategy and transform it so students can build a solid foundation for writing—from the basics of letter formation to the creativity that comes from expressing and communicating ideas. Like early reading instruction, early writing instruction benefits from explicit, systematic methods, with writing skills developing in tandem with reading. If you’re looking for effective ideas for building writing skills as part of everyday literacy instruction, this episode will give you a wealth of ideas and inspiration.

💬 Want more insights like this?
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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

Students’ ability to write fluently is important for literacy success. This episode tackles how we can confidently and carefully teach handwriting so students can make critical connections between the shape of letters, the construction of words, and the meaning of their writing and reading. From helping young learners write legibly to building knowledge of the alphabet, this episode will give every educator new ways to think about writing automaticity and fluency. Our terrific hosts share tips, tricks, and resources they turn to as they teach handwriting to students and educators alike. 

So pop in those earbuds and get ready to take notes about teaching students to write in this episode of Literacy Talks! 

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

The Reading League Conference 2023 was a high-energy, high-impact event, and our three Literacy Talks hosts were there. This episode voices their observations on the conference’s many noteworthy sessions, key takeaways, and new insights about research and classroom practice. From Kareem Weaver’s unforgettable message of love to standout sessions from the profession’s leading researchers and practitioners, including Katie Pace Miles, Dr. Tiffany Hogan, Steve Dykstra, and more, this episode delivers a recap of one of the year’s most important science of reading events.

💬 Want more insights like this?
Subscribe to the Literacy Talks Podcast Digest for episode recaps, resources, and teaching takeaways delivered straight to your inbox!

Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

With this episode of Literacy Talks, our literacy experts wrap up a four-part mini-series exploring the article Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition from Novice to Expert by Anne Castles, Kathleen Rastle, and Kate Nation. The trio shines a spotlight on the complex, multi-faceted nature of reading comprehension and how both decoding and linguistic comprehension come together as students learn to understand written language. Listeners will gain helpful insight into the layers of skills students need to know and master so they can construct meaning from text. And, of course, there’s a lively conversation about how to apply this information in the classroom so student reading proficiency soars. Don’t miss this opportunity to understand more about the critical path to comprehension.  

💬 Want more insights like this?
Subscribe to the Literacy Talks Podcast Digest for episode recaps, resources, and teaching takeaways delivered straight to your inbox!

Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.

From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.

See how Ascend works.

Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.