The READ Podcast invites Margaret McKeown, PhD, for a deep dive on vocabulary development and instruction. Dr. McKeown is a celebrated researcher, professor, teacher educator, and co-author of numerous books on vocabulary such as Bringing Words to Life.

In this episode, Dr. McKeown discusses robust, integrated, and comprehensive approaches to engaging children with vocabulary. She explains the role of vocabulary in reading comprehension, dispels myths about vocabulary instruction, and discusses the integration of engaging students in explicit vocabulary instruction with broadening and deepening student exposure to new words and background knowledge in classroom environments. This episode sparks inspiration and intentionality for “bringing words to life” within a content and language-rich classroom environment.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #42 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. To connect with Dr. McKeown on Twitter, you can follow her at @margaretmckeow2.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

What does it truly mean to invest in the livelihood of all children? Lakeisha Johnson, PhD, joins the READ Podcast for a timely and important discussion on an integrated, systems approach to supporting all students in school communities, with a focus on vulnerable and marginalized populations. 

 Applying an ecological systems framework to reading, Dr. Johnson explains the “both, and” of applying the Science of Reading in classrooms while ensuring that educators understand and invest in community-wide supports and programs to address other factors that could influence reading outcomes. This integrated approach both broadens and deepens the collective impact on the livelihood of children and families. Dr. Johnson cites her research on executive functioning and language, particularly exploring dialectical variation and reflects upon her work as Director of The Village and creator of Maya’s Book Nook.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #41 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. To connect with Dr. Lakeisha Johnson on Twitter, you can follow her (@DrJ_SLP or @mayasbooknook)  or learn more about her work at FCRR or Maya's Book Nook.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

Kristen Wynn joins LEAD on READ, a special, four-part series on the Research Education Advocacy Podcast with co-hosts, Danielle Scorrano, host of the READ Podcast, and Jamie Williamson, Head of School at The Windward School and Executive Director of The Windward Institute. LEAD on READ explores the central question: What does it mean to be a leader in education right now?

Kristen Wynn, the State Literacy Director for the Mississippi Department of Education, explains what it means to be an effective literacy leader.
In this episode, Ms. Wynn shares

• the behaviors of an effective literacy leader.
• her leadership story and the key practices she cultivated to grow as a leader.
• the ways her team addressed the needs of the community to enact changes. toward better reading outcomes.
• the non-negotiables of leadership.

 Kristen, Jamie, and Danielle reflect on key lessons and guideposts for leaders to address challenges and monitor successes in their own communities.

Do you want to learn more about the LEAD on READ series on the READ Podcast? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #40 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. Subscribe to READ Podcast to access quarterly episodes of LEAD on READ featuring leaders across the field of education.

Do you have ideas for future leaders to highlight on the LEAD on READ series? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

The READ Podcast introduces listeners to a special, four-part series, LEAD on READ, co-hosted by READ host Danielle Scorrano and The Windward School’s Head of School and Executive Director of The Windward Institute, Jamie Williamson. 

LEAD on READ explores the central question: What does it mean to be a leader in education right now? In this introduction episode, Jamie and Danielle outline the “why” behind this series and discuss key questions on every leader’s mind. A new episode will be released quarterly in 2023. Tune in with Jamie and Danielle as they interview leaders navigating change and sparking innovation in education.

Do you want to learn more about the LEAD on READ series on the READ Podcast? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #39 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. Subscribe to READ Podcast to access quarterly episodes of LEAD on READ featuring leaders across the field of education.

Do you have ideas for future leaders to highlight on the LEAD on READ series? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

Tiffany Hogan, PhD, CCC-SLP returns to the READ Podcast for a timely and important discussion on addressing reading and language development for all children. She explains how school disruptions during the pandemic impacted literacy and language development – highlighting the disparate consequences on children in vulnerable populations. Dr. Hogan, a researcher and advocate for people with developmental language disorder (DLD), explains how we all can support children with DLD through a systems lens. Dr. Hogan expresses the urgency to address the needs of the countless children struggling with language and reading, demonstrating that we can all take actionable steps today to drive this change.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #38 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. To connect with Dr. Hogan on Twitter, you can follow her (@tiffanyphogan)  or learn more about her work at MGH Institute.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

Katie Pace Miles, PhD, joins the READ Podcast to discuss the foundations of word level reading instruction. Dr. Miles explains orthographic mapping, a fundamental strategy for literacy development, in which readers map out letter patterns, sounds, spelling, and meaning to learn words. She discusses the essential building blocks for orthographic mapping, demonstrating to READers that children do not learn to read by memorizing whole words. Dr. Miles discusses her current work of training pre-service teachers to deliver high-quality interventions to struggling readers in New York City. This episode is timely for Dyslexia Awareness Month as Dr. Miles discusses essential instructional practices to support students with dyslexia that are effective for all emerging readers.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #37 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. To connect with Dr. Miles on Twitter, you can follow her (@KPMilesPhD)  or learn more about her work at: katiepacemilesphd.com.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

Dr. Dave Anderson, leading expert in child and adolescent mental health and Vice President of School and Community Programs at Child Mind Institute, joins the READ Podcast for a timely and vital conversation about wellness and mental health in the wake of the pandemic. Dr. Anderson addresses the current mental health crisis and discusses its disparate impacts that could last for decades. He provides both solace and actionable strategies for children and adults to build habits of wellness and offers expert guidance on how families and schools support children and communities during these challenging times. Host Danielle Scorrano calls this conversation “therapy by podcast,” as Dr. Anderson’s insights benefit children, adolescents, and adults in life’s work toward overall wellness and self-care. 

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #36 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. To connect with Dr. Anderson on Twitter, you can follow him (@DrDaveChildMind) and The Child Mind Institute (@childmindinst)  or learn more about his work at Child Mind at: childmind.org.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

Rebecca Rolland, EdD, speech pathologist and author of The Art of Talking with Children, joins the READ Podcast to share her expertise in cultivating high quality conversations with children. Dr. Rolland explains the science and art to high quality conversations, which can be used to build better relationships with our kids.  She identifies skills adults can use to bring mindfulness, curiosity, and playfulness into daily conversation and offers tools and strategies for both the summer and school year. At the end of the conversation, Dr. Rolland and Danielle play a “True and False” game. The READ Podcast invites any family (kids included) to tune in to this episode, as it benefits any adult with a caring relationship with a child.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #35 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. You can also connect with Dr. Rolland on Twitter (@rolland_rg) or learn more about her work at http://www.rebeccarolland.com/.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected].

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

In this enlightening summer READ episode, Dr. Carolyn Strom explores the fundamental question: How do we share the science of the reading brain more effectively? Dr. Strom, a teacher educator and researcher at NYU, connects the science and story of the reading brain and offers applicable strategies for educators and families, from the “classroom to the kitchen table,” to support reading development in children. This episode disseminates clear and applicable knowledge for a broad audience and empowers listeners with the tools and strategies to advocate for and support all readers.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #34 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. You can also connect with Dr. Strom on Twitter (@carolyn_strom) or learn more about her work at https://www.carolynstrom.com/.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected]

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!

Tim Odegard, PhD, joins the READ Podcast to discuss his research and perspectives on the state of reading policy and education in the United States. Dr. Odegard, a professor of psychology and the Katherine Davis Murfee Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), shares his story in school as he struggled to read as a child, which fueled his career and research in dyslexia and reading. Citing a variety of studies across reading, Dr. Odegard comments about the flaws in the system and its policies that have failed too many children across the United States. He outlines key drivers that are foundational for improving reading outcomes and offers a perspective for holding space and compassion toward greater unity to support all children in their endeavors in school and beyond.

Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #33 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. You can also connect with Dr. Odegard on Twitter (@OdegardTim) or learn more about his work at MTSU.

Do you have questions for future topics and speakers? E-mail us at [email protected]

The Windward Institute invites you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  

Until next time, READers!