In this episode, Shari Most and Tal Most share all about their new organization, ColoREADo. They explain why they founded it, how their organization supports and develops teachers' skills in using Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI), and how they are positively impacting their community.

Show notes:

ColoREADo's Invitation for the opening of their new clinic

ColoREADo website

ColoREADo Facebook 

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Kurt Engelmann and Alisa Kerr from the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) join me to talk about what NIFDI is and how the organization supports teachers and schools who are implementing Direct Instruction (DI) programs.

Show Notes:

Engelmann Foundation

Background Videos on DI

Origins of DI: Origins and Elements of Authentic Direct Instruction

Language Webinar: Science of Reading: Explicit Fundamental Language Instruction to Improve Reading Comprehension

Preschool “Show-Off” Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYvMBJJIGc&t=15s

 Get Started with NIFDI

Interested in bringing Direct Instruction to your school or district? Fill out our contact form:

https://bit.ly/4nd1G7v

Implementation Models:

Implementation Options

DI in Preschool

 2026 National Direct Instruction Conference & Institutes

In-Person Training | July 20–24, 2026

Conference and institute sessions for educators, coaches, administrators, and trainers.

2026 National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes (July 20-24)-In-Person Training

 Featured Resource from Dr. Kurt Engelmann

Direct Instruction: A Practitioner’s Handbook (2024)

Published by John Catt / Hodder Education

The most comprehensive guide available for implementing authentic Direct Instruction.

Book link: https://tinyurl.com/direct-instruction-handbook

 Questions?

Email NIFDI: [email protected]

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Daniel Carroll will share what Precision Teaching is and how it can be used in fluency instruction. 

Show Notes:

• The Precision Teaching System
• Response to Intervention and Precision Teaching
• Precision Teaching Webinar 
• Improving Reading Fluency with Precision Teaching
• Precision Teaching Guide
• Morningside Academy

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Rachel Ball, the Coaching Development Lead at Steplab and the author of the book The Scaffolding Effect, will share the intention behind scaffolding, how and when we should put scaffolds in place, and how we can fade scaffolds.

Show Notes:

• Podcast-Progressively Incorrect with Rachel Ball
• The Scaffolding Effect by Rachel Ball & Alex Fairlamb
• Scaffolding Students to Success article by Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb
• Webinar on Mind the Gap with Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb
• EEF blog: Moving from Differentiation to Adaptive Teaching
• EEF blog: Scaffolds-what goes up must come down
• EEF Send Guidance Report

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Marcie Samayoa, a high school science teacher, shares ways that we can build students’ schema.

Show Notes:

• Scientist in the Making Substack
• Knowledge organizers
• Brain, Book, Buddy Retrieval Activity (Blake Harvard)
• Brain Book Buddy from Scientist in the Making
• Effortful Educator Blog
• Teach Fast by Gene Tavernetti
• How Do We Learn by Hector Ruiz Martin
• Just Tell Them by Zach Groshell

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Dr. Kripa Sundar shares why concept maps can help students learn and retrieve. She shares how they can be used in both primary and intermediate grades and how teachers can use them to both build and assess learning in the classroom.

Show Notes:

• Expertise-Reversal Effect
• The Learning Scientists
• Smart Teaching: Stronger Learning
• Concept Mapping: A Powerful Tool for Learning by Dr. Kripa Sundar
• Concept Maps: Reading Rockets
• How to Start Concept Mapping-Reading Rockets

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Caitlin Lucas, a kindergarten teacher and Goyen Fellow, will share how she began implementing retrieval practices in her kindergarten classroom. She will explain the small changes or tweaks she made that had huge pay-offs.

Show Notes:

• Brain Dumps by Dr. Pooja Argwal
• Concept Mapping
• Make it Stick
• The Learning Scientist Podcast

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Katie Baker, a 7th-8th grade Texas and United States history teacher, shares how to focus our energy on effective retrieval strategies we can manage. She also explains that she was spinning from all the available resources and pulled back to focus on what she could accomplish in her classroom, and build from there.

Show Notes:

• Powerful Teaching by Pooja Argwal and Patrice Bain
• Examples from Katie’s Classroom:
• Literacy Grid Template
• Literacy Grid Example
• Power Ticket Example
• Kate Jones Retrieval Practice
• 5-12-13 Dylan Kane’s Substack
• Voices from the Field Substack
• The Knowledge Exchange Laura Stam’s Substack
• Distilled by Jamie Clark
• Gist Statements by Sara Quinn
• Science of Reading Classroom Substack
• Teachers Teaching Teacher Nights hosted by Science of Classroom and What I Should Have Learned in College Facebook Group
• Mini Whiteboards by Ben Cooper
• Make it Stick
• Step Lab documentary

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Amber Haven will share the many ways she incorporates cognitive science principles into her instruction. Amber is a 5th-8th-grade STEM teacher. She will also focus on how she weaves retrieval practice into her day. Amber was featured in both Powerful Teaching and Powerful Classrooms, and you can find her presenting at major conferences like Research Ed.

Show Notes:

• Resource on executive functions by Dr. Adele Diamond
• Amber Haven-video examples and more
• Powerful Teaching
• Powerful Classrooms
• Learning Scientist Podcast
• Do I Have Your Attention by Blake Harvard
• Just Tell Them by Zach Groshell
• Executive Functions for Every Classroom K-3 by Mitch Weathers and Dr. Sarah Oberle
• Executive Functions for Every Classroom 3-12 by Mitch Weathers
• Knowledge for Teachers podcast with Katie Jones on Retrieval Practice

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, 4th-grade teacher Lauren Proffitt shares how she has implemented retrieval practices in her classroom.

Show Notes:

• Powerful Classrooms by Patrice Bain
• One Pagers by Jamie Clark
• Brain dump strategy
• Smarter Teaching, Stronger Learning by Pooja Argawal

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes