READ Podcast

Molly Ness, PhD, shares her passion and work toward increasing access to literacy opportunities for all children. Dr. Ness shares data and insights about "book deserts," a term describing areas and circumstances in which children lack adequate access to books. She highlights organizations that are tackling social justice and equity issues related to literacy through innovative and grassroots methods. Dr. Ness calls for increased investments and policies toward ending book deserts and supporting school librarians and teachers to provide high quality literacy opportunities and instruction to their students. Committed to cultivating literacy-rich homes and communities, Dr. Ness shares actionable strategies that families can implement immediately with their own children.

Bookmarks and Resources:
Do you want to learn more from this episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #16 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources. You can learn more from Dr. Ness on Twitter @drmollyness or on her website, drmollyness.com.

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

Connect with The Windward Institute on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute or Facebook. 

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

In this bonus episode on special education, we are joined again by Peter Beardsley and Lara Damashek, the Committee on Special Education liaisons at The Windward School. We tackle questions like, how do families start and navigate the IEP process? Who makes the referral for services? How should families and educators be prepared for meetings with the multi-disciplinary team? We also discuss the rights of families and students like due process. This episode contains the golden nugget of information for families and educators to navigate the special education process. READers will identify key action items that educators and families can take in the special education process to effectively advocate for students with disabilities.

Bookmarks and Resources:
Do you want to learn more from the episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #15 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources.

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

Connect with The Windward Institute on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute or Facebook. 

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

Federal, state, and local education policies establish the rights of students with disabilities. In this episode, The Windward School’s Committee on Special Education liaisons, Peter Beardsley and Lara Damashek, explain the fundamentals and nuances of special education law. They discuss the responsibility of educational teams to ensure that students with disabilities receive equitable, appropriate services. This episode provides READ listeners with a deep dive in the key principles of special education policies and processes and how they impact the rights of students with the most common learning disabilities including dyslexia, speech and language impairment, and ADHD.

Bookmarks and Resources:
Do you want to learn more from the episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #14 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources.

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

Connect with The Windward Institute on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute or Facebook. 

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

Kate Walsh, President of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), shares the organization’s goal to promote teacher effectiveness for every child, in every classroom. Walsh outlines NCTQ’s areas of focus such as setting greater oversight and transparency in policy and institutions. With a deep investment in the implementation of evidence-based reading instruction in schools, Walsh and the NCTQ launched the first review and rankings of teacher preparation programs in the United States. Walsh describes the analysis process, calling for increased transparency and advocacy in preparing educators to teach reading. Finally, Walsh discusses literacy within the framework of social justice. A true disruptor and advocate for children, Walsh remains committed to achieving better educational opportunities for teachers and students.

Bookmarks and Resources:
Do you want to learn more from the episode? Visit readpodcast.org and the Episode #13 homepage for host Danielle Scorrano's top bookmarks and resources.

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

Connect with The Windward Institute on Twitter @TheWindwardInst, Instagram @thewindwardinstitute or Facebook.

Read more about the NCTQ or connect with Kate Walsh on Twitter.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

This bonus episode follows our October conversation with Ken Pugh, PhD, “Using Science to Decode the Literacy Crisis.” Dr. Pugh further illustrates the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on literacy around the world, citing current scientific evidence of learning loss related to student access to education resources. While the current pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges in our education systems, Dr. Pugh points to other significant factors which inhibit fundamental education access such as climate change and natural disasters as well as forced migration from violence or political instability. Finally, Dr. Pugh discusses the future of research, policy, and educational technology to support learning outcomes around the world.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

In this episode, Dr. Ken Pugh, an internationally renowned scientist and the President and Director of Research at Haskins Laboratories, addresses the global literacy crisis, drawing attention to the moral responsibility we have to ensure all children can read. He highlights the advances and promise of neuroscience in understanding complex brain mechanisms for reading, as well as the role of neuroscience in exploring potential brain co-morbidities. Finally, we discuss the promise of educational neuroscience as a “translational collaboration” between research and educators, which can ultimately improve learning outcomes for all children.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

Executive functioning (EF) refers to the foundational skill set required to manage daily life including behavior, attention, and self-management. For children, executive functioning is essential for academic performance in school as well as overall resilience and well-being. In this episode Mark Bertin, M.D., shares the research underlying executive functioning in children as well as his expertise in understanding its development. He offers tools for parents and educators to support children’s EF skills as well as provide interventions for kids who present with deficits. Finally, Dr. Bertin shares insights about the practicality of mindfulness, particularly as school resumes during the current pandemic.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

Julie Washington, PhD, and Windward’s Head of School, Jamie Williamson discuss the impact of race and culture on the Linguistic Landscape of American schools. Dr. Washington’s research focuses on the linguistic differences in students speaking African American English and the implications on identification, literacy, and support in the classroom. Dr. Washington and Mr. Williamson discuss why teacher competence in cultural and linguistic differences is a critical element of effective reading instruction. Drawing from her expertise and experience working in a variety of research and school contexts, Dr. Washington advocates for equity and access for all students.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

Drawing on decades of research on reading and professional development, Margie Gillis, EdD, presents the necessary elements to provide teachers with the training and tools to implement high quality reading instruction in their classrooms. As the founder and president of Literacy How, Dr. Gillis and her team coach teachers across districts and schools in Connecticut using a prescriptive and research-based model, cognitive coaching. Research supports the individualized nature of teacher coaching within a professional development framework that integrates expertise from coaches, high trust and relationality between the coach and teacher, feedback, and teacher agency. Dr. Gillis addresses potential factors that may influence the variability in coaching effectiveness across school contexts and provides implications for sustainability and scalability of professional development programs.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org

This episode marks a significant milestone for the READ podcast and The Windward Institute- the sixth month anniversary since The Institute’s official launch. In this interview, John J. Russell, EdD, the Executive Director of The Windward Institute, reflects on The Institute’s impact in 2020, particularly in a world of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Russell explains why The Institute was established—highlighting its work to "increase childhood literacy rates by disrupting the educational status quo to save more lives." He identifies key factors that contribute to decades of problems in reading education including inadequate teacher preparation, lack of early screening and identification, and failure to utilize research-based instructional practices. He calls for “disrupting the status quo” so all students, especially students with language-based learning disabilities, receive the education they fundamentally need.

Produced by The Windward Institute, a division of The Windward School (NY).

www.thewindwardinstitute.org