In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) welcome back Kent ISD mentor & author, Dr. Julia Lindsey.  Julia’s latest book:  “Small Groups, Big Results:  Evidence-Based Routines to Get Every Child Reading" is the topic of today’s podcast.  Dr. Lindsey offers practical, research-backed insights into transforming small group instruction from a frustrating logistical hurdle into a powerful engine for student growth.

Here are some highlights from our conversation:

Lead with Data, Not Logistics: Instead of filling a mandatory time block or sticking strictly to guided reading levels, Dr. Lindsey encourages teachers to use data to define a highly specific purpose for every group. By identifying exactly what a student needs next—such as a specific phonics skill like the "ch" digraph—instruction becomes laser-focused, allowing teachers to provide the density of practice and immediate feedback required to move the needle.

Embrace Flexibility in Grouping and Timing: Small groups should be fluid and dynamic rather than stagnant fixtures in the classroom. Dr. Lindsey suggests that the structure of these groups should reflect the "reality" of the students' developmental stage; for example, kindergarteners may benefit more from several seven-minute "touch points" throughout the day rather than one long, unsustainable block of independent station time.

The "See Something, Teach Something" Mindset: One of the most impactful "small swaps" Dr. Lindsey recommends is moving away from a "wait and see" approach for struggling students. By intervening explicitly the moment a gap is noticed, teachers can prevent small challenges from spiraling into significant reading hurdles later on.

Integrate Knowledge with Comprehension Strategies: For older readers (second grade and up), Dr. Lindsey notes that comprehension strategies are most effective when paired with building content knowledge. Instead of teaching a strategy like "retelling" in isolation, she suggests leveraging small groups to help students access the complex texts and topics already being explored in the whole-class curriculum

Concluding with our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about Small Group Instruction.  Check out our podcast resource page for all the links!

We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2526  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, Mark Raffler and Bridget Rieth connect with longtime Kent ISD mentor & author, Ellin Oliver Keene.  Ellin’s book, research, and leadership around student engagement inform the topic of today’s podcast.  Engaging Children addresses the ongoing challenges and payoffs of centering student engagement as a foundational priority in classrooms and schools. Regardless of grade level or curriculum, students who connect to classroom experiences in meaningful ways are more likely to retain and reapply their learning. Engaged students want to show up and want to learn. They have a greater sense of belonging in the school community and are more able to connect their learning to the outside world in which they live.

Ellin Keene discusses defining and teaching engagement, student-centered practices and ownership, and measuring, discussing, and prioritizing engagement within required curriculum.

Here are some highlights from our conversation: 

Engagement is Essential for Retention and Reapplication: The data on learning loss without engagement is "shocking," showing that only between 15% and 20% of kids will carry learning forward if they are not engaged. Educators must prioritize engagement because it directly determines whether students retain and reapply knowledge across time intervals.

Distinguish Between Teacher Motivation and Student Ownership: Motivation is often perceived as something adults do to children, while engagement is something students own, work on, and reconnect themselves with. Teachers need to move away from being constant promoters and instead teach students how to be metacognitive about their engagement, enabling them to recognize when they are disengaged and take action to re-engage.

Utilize the Four Pillars of Engagement: The four pillars-Intellectual Urgency, Emotional Resonance, the Aesthetic World, and Perspective Bending-provide educators and students with a common, shared language for discussing true engagement. Educators should talk about engagement spontaneously and in a planned way, literally naming the type of engagement when it emerges in the classroom to help students wield it as a powerful learning tool.

Student Choice and Ownership is Critical: Choice serves as a hallmark of a student-centered classroom that yields better results. Without choice throughout their day, students are unlikely to remember and reapply what they are taught, which creates tension when teachers must adhere closely to required scripts. Utilizing materials that students love and aesthetically respond to is a powerful way to foster engagement and ownership.

Prioritize Fidelity to the Standard Over Materials: Educators are critical thinkers who should use their artistry to make discerning decisions, supplementing or replacing required tasks, like repetitive graphic organizers, that cause student disengagement. Teachers should also focus on skills grounded in research and adjust instruction accordingly.

Concluding with our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about Engaging Children, Igniting a Drive for Deeper Learning. Check out our podcast resource page for all the links!
We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2526 

Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with longtime Kent ISD mentor & author, Kelly Gallagher.  Kelly’s latest book:  “To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff:  Helping Students Build and Use Prior Knowldge” is the topic of today’s podcast.  "To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff" is not merely a catchy title but a fundamental principle of literacy education. Educators must prioritize building students' prior knowledge, fostering critical thinking skills, and creating a curriculum that reflects multiple, various perspectives and prepares students to engage with the world around them. 

In this episode, Kelly Gallagher addresses how his book came about and why “knowing stuff” in a digital world is still important. 

Here are some highlights from our conversation:

Kelly’s book emphasizes that reading is as much knowing as decoding.  He suggests that students may struggle with texts not because they can't decode the words, but because they lack the necessary background knowledge to understand the content.

To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff addresses prior knowledge, word and sentence level understanding, article level comprehension, and book level comprehension.  Interdisciplinary connections are emphasized.  Gallagher emphasizes the reciprocal relationships of reading and writing.

"Click and go" reading has created new neurological pathways in the brain, yet it's crucial to develop the ability to sustain attention and thought over longer periods, especially during critical developmental stages.

• "If you don't learn how to think critically while you're in that stage, you lose the ability to think critically the rest of your life."

The discussion centers on the crucial role of prior knowledge in adolescent literacy, comprehension, and critical thinking, as well as practical strategies for educators to build this knowledge in their classrooms.

Concluding with our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff.  Check out our podcast resource page for all the links!

We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2425  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with Dr. Jan Burkins, author of the recent best seller “Shifting the Balance:  6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom K-2.” Educators often feel they need to see the differences in these terms and “choose a side,” so to speak. The question arises, How do we go about having these conversations with the goal of building understanding to make sure that we implement classroom practices that align with what students need in order to most efficiently learn to read? 

Dr. Jan Burkins addresses each of the shifts and the reasoning behind these recommendations:

Here are a few quotes from our conversation:

“We really deliberated over the word that we would use to describe what we were recommending… and eventually landed on the word ‘shift’ over words like ‘change’ or ‘rethink’ or ‘redo’ because ‘shift’ captures that idea… We’re not talking about throwing the baby out with the bath water.  We’re talking about refining some practices, holding on to some practices, and then others do in fact, really do need to be traded out.  Looking critically and open-heartedly and honestly at where our practices did and didn’t line up with the science of how the brain learns to read…”

“The placement of language comprehension as the first step in reading comprehension was very, very intentional…The ordering of the chapters is very purposeful and its cumulative...  You’re not going to have as much clarity around the why behind what we’re recommending for shift 4 if you don’t start with shift 1.”  “Language is the railroad track that word reading runs on.  Spoken language, ideally, for readers, enables reading comprehension.  The brain doesn’t know whether I’m reading or listening to speech.  Language needs to be out ahead of word reading skills.”

“What is important to note in the area of revisiting high frequency word instruction?”  “Many of us resorted to flash cards long ago… That drill and memorize approach has been very mainstream… Children end up in third, fourth, fifth grade and you look at their writing and these are the same words they’ve been working on since first grade and second grade and they’re not spelling them correctly.  We already had some pain points around high frequency word instruction.  We even began passing this work off to parents.”  “We have to continue to focus on the sounds and the spellings.  We want children thinking about how those words are blended.  The brain does not remember words as whole visual pieces.”

Concluding with our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about Shifting the Balance.  Check out our resource page for all the links!

We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2425  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with Annie Spear & Rachel Cain.  Annie is the literacy content project manager for MAISA and the Michigan Learning Channel and Rachel is the education engagement specialist for WGVU media and the Michigan Learning Channel coordinator.  Annie and Rachel join us today to connect around extended learning opportunities through the Michigan Learning Channel.

Here is a quick brief of our conversation:

Sarah kicks off the conversation with the prompt:  “Tell us about the Michigan Learning Channel.”  Annie describes the public media partnership between the Michigan Learning Channel and eight different PBS stations.  This initiative began during the pandemic as a way to reach students and families in their homes.  The Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) provided funding for teachers to base literacy lessons on the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy.  From that, the program Read, Write, ROAR! was born.  Accessibility is at the forefront of this partnership.

Mark adds to the dialogue by asking:  “What programming is available and how might listeners access it?”  Rachel highlights a few of the Michigan Learning Channel offerings - ranging from social emotional learning, math, virtual field trips, and more!

Sarah responds:  “Delve further into the programming around literacy titled “Read, Write, Roar.  What is important to know here?”  Annie briefly describes her initial online learning solutions during the early days of the pandemic and how that experience lead to the research-based lessons of Read, Write, Roar by using multiple teachers across grades Pre-K-3rd grade and the Literacy Essentials.  Since 2020, this content has grown and flourished!  Currently, Read, Write, Roar is producing a 4th & 5th grade series as well.

Mark asks:  “What are some of the benefits of providing learning opportunities beyond the school day or school year?”  Rachel graciously talks about engaging in continued learning and opportunities to explore subjects and activities that students are curious about.

Following our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about artificial intelligence and encourage Annie and Rachel to highlight some departing words for our listeners.  Check out our resource page for all the links!

We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2324  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: anchor.fm/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicine License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with the Kent ISD Ed Tech team of Ron Houtman, Keith Tramper, & Sarah Wood.   The Kent ISD Educational Technology Team joining us today is the team behind the creation of the “For The Purpose of...” podcast. In education, lots of questions are arising about artificial intelligence and how it could or should be used in the classroom.  This focus is the topic of our podcast today. 

Here is a quick brief of our conversation:

Sarah starts the dialogue by asking:  “There is so much buzz about artificial intelligence. Tell us about artificial intelligence.  Would you     define it for us?”  While artificial intelligence is relatively new for a lot of people, the common definition is still being clarified.  “It is thought of as computer systems that perform tasks that would typically require some sort of human interaction,” says Sarah Wood.  Keith Tramper adds that AI is not new, however, we have new uses of artificial intelligence that are intersecting with education.  AI does try to simulate human intelligence.  Ron Houtman adds that we’re approaching the one year anniversary of ChatGPT for public use.  We are going to see the interesting impact of the unintended use of artificial intelligence.

Mark adds to the dialogue by asking:  “What are some artificial intelligence educational uses our listeners need to know about?”  Efficiency, effectiveness, and accommodations are the facets of artificial intelligence Keith names as impacting teaching and learning. AI tools will assist in supporting teachers by easing the cognitive load in some ways.  Think of it as a copilot.  Sarah reviews the 80/20 rule thinking about AI, reminding us that you can never emphasize the human element enough sharing this quote:  “A brilliant solution to the wrong problem can be worse than no solution at all.”  Keep that in mind when we think about how we’re using AI.

Sarah responds:  “How does artificial intelligence reinforce creating equitable literacy learning opportunities for all?  Ron Houtman tells us that artificial intelligence is able to be personalized for students, so it is really allowing them to dig in to topics they are interested in through the “oracle in your pocket” via AI on devices.  Sarah details some examples of how AI can provide some efficiency for teachers.

*Following our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about artificial intelligance and encourage our fabulous Kent ISD Ed Tech team to highlight some departing words for our listeners.  Ron encourages us to stay away from books related to artificial intelligence because the information is changing faster the books can be published.  He does direct us to educational youtube channels and professional organizations.  Check out our resource page for all the links!

We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2324  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: anchor.fm/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with Dr. Miranda Fitzgerald, an assistant professor of literacy education in the department of reading and elementary education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a former special education teacher whose teaching and research focus on elementary-grade literacy instruction. Miranda's research examines the design and implementation of curriculum materials and instruction that promote literacy development and knowledge building. She is especially interested in investigating curriculum  and instruction that integrate literacy and science learning. This focus is the topic of our podcast today. 

Here is a quick brief of our conversation:

Sarah starts the dialogue with Dr. Fitzgerald by prompting her to tell us about the current research in science and literacy integration.   She shares that integrated instruction builds science content knowledge, supports learning of science vocabulary, and supports reading comprehension.  It also fosters reading motivation and engagement.  Dr. Fitzgerald goes into depth about cross-content integration is really beneficial on a multi-faceted level.

 Mark adds to the dialogue by asking:  “What might science and literacy integration look like in the classroom?” Dr. Fitzgerald describes the MLPBL (Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning) open access curriculum as she talks about science and literacy integration in the classroom.  

Sarah responds:  “What might we need to be mindful of when considering science and literacy integration?”  Dr. Fitzgerald reminds us that literacy is broadly conceived in this integration.  Leading with science is crucial here.  It is so much more than reading texts.  Dr. Fitzgerald reminds us that science provides a unique opportunity to represent thinking in a multitude of ways.  Science happens in a lot of places, not just in a lab.  Think first about 3-dimensional science goals, then integrate literacy practices of scientists and engineers and how they’ll fit with the science learning.

Mark prompts:  “Talk to us about the role of science and literacy integration in creating equitable learning opportunities for all.”  Dr. Fitzgerald references the National Academies report entitled Science and Engineering in Preschool Through Elementary Grades:  The Brillance of Children and the Strengths of Educators that calls for all kids to have access to high-quality science and engineering practices in the earliest grades.   The Brillance and Strengths report has four specific recommendations.  Listen to Dr. Fitzgerald detail these recommendations in the LLCN Brief podcast.

Following our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about science and literacy integration and encourage Dr. Fitzgerald to highlight some departing words for our listeners.

We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2324  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: anchor.fm/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Here is a quick brief of our conversation:

Sarah starts the dialogue with Dr. Mapp by prompting her to tell us about use of the term family-school partnerships in her work.   She shares the co-designed working definition of family engagement developed by State Department of Education, families, and educators in Connecticut - “Family Engagement is a full, equal, and equitable partnership among the adult caregivers, community members, and practioners.”  Dr. Karen Mapp talks about the relational trust that is required for full partnership.

 Mark adds to the dialogue by asking:  “What are some key ideas to keep in mind in relation family engagement?” Dr. Mapp leans into Larry Ferlazzo’s words - “Family Engagment leads with our ears.”  She describes how the partnership builds trust by listening and talking with families - instead of talking at families.  Dr. Karen Mapp emphasizes that we need to do a better job of preparing preservice teachers for family engagement and then offer this professional learning for our current practitioners as well.

Sarah responds:  What are some key components to move towards practicing two-way communication?  Dr. Mapp talks about moving past system structures that are set up with deficit mindsets towards embracing the fact that families do care about their children.  Once families are seen as the geniuses that they are for the funds of knowledge they hold, we can create these deep community partnerships.  Taking on the attitude that families are valued and equal partners makes us as educators better practitioners.

Mark prompts:  “You’ve reference so many studies in your work.  Share with us a study or two that stands out.”  Dr. Karen Mapp shares 40 studies in her book Everyone Wins.  She highlights the Botswana study and the impact on families through this simple text message practice to communicate with home environments.  The second study featured by Dr. Mapp today is the parent-teacher home visit model study.

Following our normal podcast protocol, we ask for resources for educators to learn more about family engagement and encourage Dr. Karen Mapp to highlight some departing words for our listeners
We wrap up this episode by asking listeners to share your thoughts on podcast topics - your voice matters!  Please visit bit.ly/LLCNtopics to tell us what you want future podcasts to focus on in relation to literacy.  

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at:  bit.ly/LLCNresources2223  Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: anchor.fm/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform.

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows:Medicine by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicineLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with foundational literacy expert and consultant and author, Dr. Julia Lindsey, who shares the insight from her newly released book Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills. Her specialties are in literacy, language, and culture.

All resources in this LLCN Brief (and future podcasts) can be found at: bit.ly/LLCNresources2223 Subscribe to the Literacy Leadership and Coaches Network podcasts here: anchor.fm/llcnbrief or your favorite podcast platform. 

Please note the audio used as an introduction and in transitions in this podcast is under the Creative Common License and attribution is given as follows: Medicine by WinnieTheMoog Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6256-medicine License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/