Science of Reading: The Podcast

Join Sonia Cabell, assistant professor at the School of Teacher Education at Florida State University, in the latest episode of our Deconstructing the Rope series as she unwinds language comprehension, a strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. Sonia explains the true definition of language comprehension in relation to the simple view of reading and highlights the role of parents and educators in the use of advanced language models in literacy development. She also reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teachers and families and discusses how it has highlighted the importance of education today.

Quotes:

“Young children are very smart. They know a great deal more than we give them credit for and they can do a lot more than we understand.”

“Parents are childrens’ first teachers and so, to really embrace parents in childrens’ learning process is really critical.”

Show Notes:

• Florida Center for Reading Research
  
  
• Core Knowledge Language Arts
  
  
• Writing Into Literacy TEDx Talk by Sonia Cabell
  
  
• EdWeek Science of Reading Article by Sonia Cabell
  
  
• Live with the Author interview
  
  
• The Power of Conversations: Building Primary Grade Students’ Vocabulary and Comprehension in a Changing Educational Landscape by Sonia Cabell
  
  
• Twitter: @SoniaCabell

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In this special episode, Dr. Maria Murray, President and CEO of The Reading League, analyzes the intricacies of literacy instruction and shares common misconceptions that educators have about the science of reading. She explains why The Science of Reading: A Defining Movement coalition was founded: the belief of clear understandings of what the science of reading is and what it is not to promote the proper use of instructional practices aligned with the findings from the science of reading.

Quotes:

“What systems do we need to change and strengthen to ensure that everyone is successful?”

“Nothing creates excitement more than success.”

Show notes:

• The Science of Reading: A Defining Movement
• The Reading League

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Episode timestamps*
03:00 Introduction: Who is Maria Murray?
04:00 Seeing the impact of effective reading programs
09:00 The birth of The Reading League
13:00 The Reading League's growth and mission
17:00 The Science of Reading: Going beyond the “buzz word”
31:00 Science of Reading as an education system issue
33:00 Defining the Science of Reading
35:00 The Importance of a common definition
43:00 Science of Reading as a social justice issue
50:00 Introducing The Reading League's TV Show
01:00:00 Conclusion and call to action
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Join Susan Neuman, Professor of Childhood and Literacy Education at the Steinhardt School at New York University, as she unwinds background knowledge, a strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. In the sixth episode of our Deconstructing the Rope series, Susan explains the important link between background knowledge and reading comprehension in the science of reading and shares about her five research-based principles to build knowledge networks in literacy instruction. She also highlights the connection between speech and reading and previews her upcoming studies on the role of cross-media connections in children’s learning.

Quotes: 

“What you’re helping children do is create a mosaic; putting all those ideas together in a knowledge network. If you don’t do it explicitly, many children cannot do it on their own.”

“We’ve got to start early. We’ve got to start immediately and know that children are eager to learn and use the content to engage them.”

Resources:

Book: "Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance" by Susan Neuman. More books in the link.

Article: Developing Low-Income Children's Vocabulary and Content Knowledge through a Shared Book Reading Program by Susan Neuman and Tanya Kaefer

Article: The information book flood: Is additional exposure enough to support early literacy development? by Susan Neuman

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Dr. Bruce McCandliss, Professor at the Graduate School of Education of Stanford University, as he unwinds sight recognition, a strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. In the fifth episode of our series, Bruce explains the role of sight and word recognition in the science of reading and highlights the importance of the rapid integration of print, speech, and meaning. He also encourages listeners to be cognizant of the ever-changing, technological learning environment while nurturing young readers and writers.

Quotes:

“You’re continually developing the system of word recognition. It’s not a one-and-done kind of thing. It’s continually being refined; it becomes more and more automatic.“

“Word recognition is the ability to see a written word and then in your mind link it very precisely to how that word is spoken and what that word might mean.”

Resources:

• Word Recognition in Beginning Literacy by Linnea Ehri
• Stanford University Educational Neuroscience Initiative
• Science of Reading: The Podcast, Season 1 Episode 12 with Bruce McCandliss

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join leading experts Natalie Wexler, Ernesto Ortiz, Dr. Carolyn Strom, and Susan Lambert for a podcast on making the shift to the science of reading. In this special episode, they discuss how educators can implement the science of reading through an incremental change on all levels, from a classroom to entire districts. Sharing their research and both professional and personal experiences, the panelists share the leadership knowledge, training, and curriculum advice you’ve been looking for. 

Quotes:

”We need to show how research can translate to practice–making it accessible to teachers and deeply connect it to their local reality.” –Dr. Carolyn Strom, Professor of Early Childhood Literacy and Innovation at NYU

“My advice for building leaders: you have the next bigger impact on students after teachers. It’s never too late to start and it’s okay to not know everything.” –Ernesto Ortiz, Principal at McDonald Elementary School, PA

Show notes:
Plain Talk about Literacy and Learning Conference

Ernesto's blog: Decoding Leadership

Carolyn Strom NYU Bio

Natalie's books:
The Knowledge Gap: The hidden cause of America's broken education system--and how to fix it

The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grade

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Dr. Louisa Moats, President of Moats Associates Consulting, as she unwinds decoding, a strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. In the third episode of our Deconstructing the Rope series, Louisa highlights the significance of decoding in the science of reading and discusses the value of becoming students of our own language. She also mentions the reciprocal relationship between decoding and encoding and why both are essential to provide effective phonics instruction to children in the classroom.

Quotes:

“We need to be students of our own language so that when we accept the responsibility of teaching kids how it works, we’re very comfortable.”

“We have much more insight into how kids learn any language-based academic skill, not only from neuroscience but also cognitive, developmental, linguistic, and educational intervention research.”

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Episode timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Louisa Moats?
07:00 The Importance of teaching teachers
09:00 Changes in literacy education over the years
17:00 Decoding and encoding in reading
22:00 The complexity of the English language
26:00 Systematic and explicit instruction
37:00 Spelling in relationship with the reading process
43:00 The role of decodable texts
46:00 Final thoughts and key takeaways
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Join Alice Wiggins, vice president of instructional design and products at UnboundEd, in the second episode of our Deconstructing the Rope series as she unwinds word recognition, a strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. Alice also highlights the importance of explicit phonics instruction and urges listeners to advocate for an aligned curriculum to bring forth a systematic approach to reading for all students.

Quotes:

“By explicitly teaching sound spellings, we’re strengthening students’ abilities to read so they can learn more.”

“For equity’s sake, we want to teach reading in a way that we cast the widest net possible and support the most students possible.”

Resources:

• UnboundEd
• The Reading Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Understanding How the Mind Reads by Daniel Willingham
  Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can't, and What Can Be Done About It by Mark Seidenberg
• International Dyslexia Association
• The Reading League

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Dive into our first episode as Dr. Jane Oakhill, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex, gives a high-level overview of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. She also emphasizes the importance of inferencing in comprehension, why the Simple View of Reading is still relevant almost 40 years later, and how each element of the rope comes together to deconstruct the complexity of reading.

Quotes:

“We’re often quite surprised at what children don’t understand and we make a lot of assumptions about things we find utterly trivial.”

“It’s not just having knowledge that’s important, but also being able to activate that knowledge when appropriate.”

Resources:

Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension by Jane Oakhill

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Danielle Damico, Director of Learning Science at Amplify, as she explores the impact of the pandemic on at-risk students and those in need of intervention. She shares the insights drawn from DIBELS 8th Edition and highlights how data is now more important than ever in understanding where students are—whether assessments are administered in person or through a digital platform. Finally, she leaves our listeners with best practices to nurture readers moving forward and ensure growth and success through the end of the year.

Quotes:

“Teachers and students need the right tools to help accelerate student learning and growth–especially in early literacy.”

“We need to lean on the data we can collect and the science of reading.”

Resources:

Instructional Learning Loss Brief

Amplify Literacy Hub

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One of our most popular guests, Tim Shanahan, returns! In our most recent episode, he reminisces about the creation of the National Reading Panel in 1997 and the release of its subsequent groundbreaking report. He highlights how reading instruction has evolved and discusses how new research seems to be changing the landscape of the “reading wars” he thought were settled long ago.

Quotes:

“We continue to learn, and we continue to refine.”

“When people are trying to tell you how you should teach, I think you need to ask some real basic questions about what evidence supports those recommendations.”

Show notes:

• National Reading Panel Report
• The Review of Educational Research Journal
• ERIC, Educational Clearinghouse
• Shanahan on Literacy Blog
• What Works Clearinghouse

 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Episode timestamps*
01:00: Celebrating the National Reading Panel Report 
02:00: Context and history of the National Reading Panel
11:00: The experiences of being a panel member
15:00: Reflections on the panel's work and its legacy
21:00: Current relevance of the nation reading panel report
25:00: Defining the term science within the context of reading and literacy research
35:00: If you were to do the national reading panel again, what would change?
44:00: Advice for Educators and Conclusion
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Join Sonia Cabell, Assistant Professor of Education at Florida State University, as she shares findings from her research trials on content-rich literacy curricula and whether activating students’ background knowledge alongside explicit phonics instruction is more effective than traditional approaches. She also explains what constitutes “compelling evidence” in the science of reading and why students need to interact with both written and spoken language while learning to read.

Quotes:

“The knowledge that you have about a particular subject matters for your reading comprehension.”

“When I think about content-rich English language arts, I think about how we can integrate science and social studies into the language arts in ways that make sense.”

Resources:

• Florida Center for Reading Research
• Core Knowledge Language Arts
• Writing Into Literacy TEDx Talk by Sonia Cabell
• National Reading Panel Report 2000
• EdWeek Science of Reading Article by Sonia Cabell
• Special Issue: The Science of Reading: Supports, Critiques, and Questions
• Live with the Author interview
• The Power of Conversations: Building Primary Grade Students’ Vocabulary and Comprehension in a Changing Educational Landscape by Sonia Cabell
• Twitter: @SoniaCabell

 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Kelly Moran, Curriculum Supervisor of Chardon Local Schools in Ohio, as she shares her journey of implementing a curriculum based around the science of reading. Hear about the steps her district took to reshape literacy instructional practices and about the challenges they faced along the way. Find out how the fostering of reading achievement in students renders all efforts worthwhile. 

Quotes:

“We’re really taking advantage of every minute of direct, explicit instruction we have with our students.”

“Once we invested the time in professional development and high-quality materials aligned to the science of reading, we could see a difference.”

Resources:

• Why Our Children Can't Read and What We Can Do About It: A Scientific Revolution in Reading by Diane Mcguiness
• Natalie Wexler’s The Knowledge Gap

 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Margaret Goldberg and Alanna Mednick from the Right to Read Project as they address the science of reading and its translation into easy practice for educators. They break down the Seidenberg and McClelland Four-Part Processing Model and explain how it relates to the simple view of reading. They also reflect on how educators should approach reading as scientists and be ready to teach in a way that may be uncomfortable for a time—the “labor of love” stage of literacy instruction.

Quotes:

“We should anticipate reading difficulties and we should be prepared to be able to address them.” —Margaret Goldberg

“We need to go at the pace of the child and we can’t leave anything up to chance.” —Alanna Mednick

Resources:

• The Seidenberg & McClelland Four-Part Processing Model
• Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print by Marilyn Adams
• Nancy Young’s Ladder of Reading
• Right to Read Project

  Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Afrika Afeni Mills—a leader at BetterLesson—as she discusses how to integrate students’ schemas to nurture language comprehension in early literacy, discuss the difference between asset- and deficit-based teaching, and highlight the impact “windows and mirrors” have on students’ classroom experiences.

Quotes:

“A lot of the foundational work starts by making sure that we’re inquisitive about the resources we’re providing students.”

“We don’t spend enough time thinking about students’ families as their first teachers.”

Resources:

• BetterLesson
• TedTalk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Danger of a Single Story

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

In our first international episode, join The Reading League CEO and President Maria Murray and La Trobe University Professor of Cognitive Psychology Pamela Snow as they reflect on the long history of the science of reading. They’ll explain the true definition of “the science of reading” and explore why this knowledge has not been translated for the practitioners that need it the most—teachers. Our guests will also discuss the pandemic’s silver lining: the opportunity to reflect on instructional practices and how to best support educators and students now, and in the future.

Quotes:

“The science of reading informs approaches in all areas of reading.” —Maria Murray

“We’ve had knowledge for decades that has not been translated for the practitioners that need it the most.” —Pamela Snow

Resources:

• TheReadingLeague.org
• FB Group: The Reading League Teacher Group - The Science of Reading is For YOU!
• Annual Conference: The Science of Reading: Now More Than Ever
• David Kilpatrick’s “Essentials of Assessing and Preventing Reading Difficulties”

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Amplify interns Justin Pita, undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, and Tamara Morris, graduate of Stanford University, as they share their reading journeys. They highlight the major disparities and barriers that affected their academic experiences and reflect on how action must be taken by caregivers and educators to ensure that students across the nation have access to equal opportunities for achievement in literacy so that no student gets left behind.

Quotes:
“You don’t have to be great to start. You have to start to be great.” —Tamara Morris

“Students nowadays don’t have the opportunities to hone in on literacy as much as we want them to.” —Justin Pita

Resources:
HighJump Chicago
Kumon

Join our Virtual Literacy Symposium on Thursday, Oct 15!

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Dr. LaTonya Goffney, Superintendent of Schools for Aldine Independent School District in Texas, as she recounts her two-year journey with her team of district educators to adopt a new early literacy curriculum. Hear how they successfully challenged the traditional adoption process, studied the science of teaching reading, analyzed student data and experiences, and developed a district-wide set of beliefs and expectations. 

Show notes:

The Knowledge Gap: The hidden cause of America's broken education system--and how to fix it by Natalie Wexler

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Quotes:

“If you can read, you can go anywhere. Reading is a gateway to opportunity.”

“As leaders, we have to be prepared to challenge the notion of low expectations."

Episode timestamps*
01:00: Introduction: Who is LaTonya Goffney
04:00: Challenges in Literacy and Initial Steps
06:00: Developing a New Literacy Framework
13:00: Implementing the New Curriculum
23:00: Overcoming Obstacles and Building Commitment
35:00: Looking Ahead: Future Steps and Advice
42:00: Conclusion and Final Thoughts
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Join us in reflecting on Season One and preview what’s in store for an exciting Season Two. In this special episode, we visit the highlights of Season One, with key clips from Emily Hanford, Natalie Wexler, Ernesto Ortiz, David and Meredith Liben, and Shawn Joseph, and other moments that inspired us and changed how we think about literacy.

Quotes:

“When our first episode launched last year, we had no idea what it might become, only hope that you would find it helpful to grow your knowledge and impact."

“So much progress has been made in spite of some recent challenges—or maybe because of them.”

Resources:

Virtual Literacy Symposium on Oct. 15, 2020

Learning to Read: Primer Part One

Learning to Read Primer: Part Two

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Dr. Catherine Barnes, CEO of Sudden Impact Solutions and leader of the Black Parents Support Network, as she addresses the shortcomings of the educational system during the pandemic in underserved communities, the need for overcoming parents’ perceptions of judgment by educators, and how educators can foster relationships with parents in order to ensure continuous learning for students during these trying times.

Quotes:

“We are not coming in to judge parents and we are not expecting them to be teachers, but we do value what they bring to the table.”

“We need to make sure that we are addressing students where they are today, socially as well as academically”

Resources:

Black Parent Support Network Facebook group
Co-organizers:
Dr. Diedre Houchen, UF professor
Karla Hutchinson, H.O.M.E Church youth advocate)
Chanae Jackson, parent & parent organizer

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Author and University of Virginia psychology professor Daniel Willingham discusses the “reading wars” (and mischaracterizations among their factions), the importance of understanding basic science to teach reading, and the variations in implementation of the science of reading in literacy instruction across districts.

Quotes:

“Reading is central to (virtually) every educator’s concerns.”

“Everything touches education."

 Resources:

• The Reading Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Understanding How the Mind Reads
• When Can You Trust the Experts?
• Blog: What Will Your Children Tell their Grandchildren About the Pandemic?
• Website: www.danielwillingham.com
• Twitter: @DTWillingham
• Facebook: DTWillingham
• Podcast Discussion Guide

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Doug Lemov, author and managing director of Uncommon Schools, discusses the role of technology in the classroom and remote instruction, how educators should reconsider how they approach literacy, and his experience reconstructing a reading curriculum for this next phase of digital learning while holding true to the values of the science of reading.

Quotes:

"Classrooms are first and foremost cultures and they shape students’ experiences."

"Everything is challenging to teach online, but reading is the most challenging."

Resources:

• Teaching the art of listening in the age of me, me, me
• Doug’s blog: Teaching Like a Champion
• Forgetting how to read
• Teach Like a Champion 2.0: 62 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College
• Practice Perfect: 42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better
• Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction
• Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf
• Podcast Discussion Guide

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Educator, author, and leader Shawn Joseph discusses his work advocating for all students, shedding light on what he calls the silent crisis in literacy instruction. In this episode, you’ll hear about his experience as a former superintendent of several large urban districts and learn how he fostered achievement in all of his students.

Quotes:

“You have millions of children in the country who have not been given a civil right: the right to read.”

Resources:

Becoming a Data Champion in 6 Steps by Shawn Joseph

A research paper written by Shawn, titled School District Grow Your Own Principal Preparation Programs: Effective Elements and Implications for Graduate Schools of Education

A podcast discussion guide to share with your colleagues

Shawn’s book, The Principal's Guide to the First 100 Days of the School Year 

Shawn's website

Nashville Unchained

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Multilingual author and expert Elizabeth Jimenez Salinas and host Susan Lambert discuss advocating for underrepresented English Learners (EL), improving dual language instruction, and learned passivity. Elizabeth shares tips for EL students during this time and reinforces the importance of home connection and language development.

Quotes:

“English learners are put at a serious disadvantage by a school system that doesn’t use their home language.”

“It is not just learning to recite rote words–it is comprehending and using the home language for parents.”

Resources:

Eradicating Learned Passivity: Preventing ELs from Becoming Long Term English Learners

Ten behavioral skills that interpreters need to know

Reparable Harm

Students train as interpreters, with benefits for all involved

Multicultural Author Project

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Join Mary Clayman, Director of the District of Columbia Reading Clinic, and host Susan Lambert, as Mary shares her experience founding one of the first graduate clinical practicums sponsored by a public school system and discusses how it has influenced the training of DCPS teachers and the success of students in early literacy by using the science of reading.

Quotes:

"Like Louisa Moats said, ‘Teaching reading is rocket science,’ it takes a long time to learn all about the English language.”

“We’re committed to quality training for more teachers.”

Resources:

D.C. Reading Clinic

Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able To Do by Louisa C. Moats 

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Jacquey Barber, director of design & development at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, examines her research on the symbiotic relationship between literacy and science and what educators should be looking for in high-quality, literacy-rich science curricula.

Quotes: 

“Literacy is a domain in search of content; science is a domain in need of communication.”

“Develop opportunities for students to learn to read, write, and talk like scientists do.”

Resources:

UCLA CRESST

The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—and How to Fix It by Natalie Wexler

No More Science Kits or Texts in Isolation by Jacqueline Barber and Gina Cervetti.

Podcast Discussion Guide

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

David and Meredith Liben, nationally recognized reading experts and authors of Know Better, Do Better, discuss their need to find evidence-based solutions, the importance of knowledge and skills instruction, and how to tackle unfinished learning in schools.

Quotes:

"Teaching reading in the early grades can be intellectually meaningful and fun."

“Students all deserve access. It’s up to us to figure out what that access looks like for EVERY student.”

Show Notes:

Podcast Discussion Guide

Know Better, Do Better: Teaching the Foundations So Every Child Can Read

The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and how to Fix it

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Laurence Holt, language acquisition expert and author of the Learning to Read primers, joins host Susan Lambert to discuss the simple view of reading, how the brain rewires itself to learn how to read, and the importance of background knowledge in language comprehension.

Quotes: 

“Learning how to read is such a pivotal moment in all of K-12.”

“Decoding and language comprehension need to come together in order to become an expert reader.”

Resources:

Learning to Read: Primer Part One

Learning to Read Primer: Part Two

Podcast discussion guide

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Larry Berger, CEO of Amplify, discusses the use of innovation and technology to inform teaching and learning, his new initiative called Wide Open School, and how we can step back and let this be a time of joy and creativity for kids––letting them discover a love of reading. 

Quotes: 

“Make this a time of exploration and openness."

“There is a moment for necessity and necessity brings innovation.”

Show notes:

Wide Open School 

Free remote learning resources from Amplify

Amplify website

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Dr. Elfrieda "Freddy" Hiebert, author and founder of the Text Project, shares insights from her research on vocabulary, the etymology of the English language, and the importance of teaching morphology to enable kids to make connections. 

Quotes: 

“Vocabulary is the base of building knowledge.”

“Vocabulary represents your knowledge and knowledge is what determines your level of comprehension.”

Show notes:

The Text project

Teaching Words and How They Work by Freddy Hiebert

Twitter

LinkedIn

Facebook

Podcast Discussion Guide

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Jared Myracle, Chief Academic Officer of the Jackson-Madison County School System in Tennessee, shares his district’s experience in adopting the science of reading and navigating the change management process. He stresses the importance of high-quality instructional materials and implementation fidelity.

Quotes: 

“Don’t be satisfied with where you are. Where could you be if every student was guaranteed this type of education?”

“Imagine what your results could be if you did ensure that all students were able to experience systematic phonics instruction and opportunities to build background knowledge throughout their K-12 years.”

Resources:

The Hidden Mistake School Leaders Should Avoid This Year by Jared Myracle

The Urgency I Feel Around Instruction – and Why I Look to Curriculum by Jared Myracle

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Ernesto Ortiz, principal at an elementary school in Pennsylvania, discusses how to understand when materials are meaningfully “research-based,” how his school made the shift to the science of reading, and how he is supporting his students with remote learning resources to continue their literacy development at home.

Quotes: 

“We need to be more informed than influenced so that we can look at things with a critical eye.”

“As leaders, we need to remain calm and steadfast so we can navigate throughout these unprecedented times.”

Resources:

Hard Words by Emily Hanford

Equipped for Reading Success by David A. Kilpatrick

The Simple View of Reading

Scarborough’s Reading Rope

The Reading League

Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Cook Moats, Ed.D.

Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can't, and What Can Be Done About It by Mark Seidenberg

Ernesto's blog: Decoding Leadership

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

David Steiner, Professor and Executive Director of the Institute for Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University, and Susan examine how school closures are impacting learning across the nation, how districts are responding to the rapidly-changing environment, and why maximizing our educational reach via technology should be a priority.

Quotes: 

“This is a wake-up call to districts to really see that this digital inequality cannot persist.”

“Don’t make the ideal the enemy of the possible.” 

Resources:

USDOE Fact Sheet March 20, 2020

Report: The Problem with Finding the Main Idea by David Steiner

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

We’ve been thinking a lot about you -- and our hearts go out to you during this confusing and uncertain time. Helping our students continue to learn in this unusual and unsettling situation is not easy.  And here at the Science of Reading podcast, we want to do what we can to support you where we can.

Resources

Science of Reading: The Podcast

Science of Reading: The Facebook Community

Susan and Dr. Bruce McCandliss, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, chat about combining neuroscience with education. How does neuroscience help us understand the changes going on in the brain of a child learning to read? Why do some children struggle so profoundly? He shares his research into focusing the student’s attention on letters and sounds versus on the word as a whole.

Quotes: 

“Teachers play a huge role in shaping brain development for reading.”

“This is where education and neuroscience are coming together to create a dialogue in the space of how we support children.”

Resources:

• Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel Beck
• Where Is Educational Neuroscience? by John T. Bruer, PhD
• 2019 Education Trends by Carrie Gajowski, MA
• Minds, Brains, and Learning: Understanding the Psychological and Educational Relevance of Neuroscientific Research by James P. Byrnes
• Podcast discussion guide
• Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Episode timestamps*
02:00: Introduction: Who is Bruce McCandless?
02:00: Bruce's Journey into Early Literacy and Neuroscience
05:00: Cognitive Science vs. Neuroscience
07:00: Educational Neuroscience and Brain Development
22:00: The Role of Teachers in Shaping Brain Development
39:00: Future Directions in Educational Neuroscience
45:00: Conclusion and Takeaways
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Jasmine Lane, a high school English teacher, discusses what teachers need to do to push education forward for all students. She also shares how education has changed her life, how her students have been impacted by their early literacy teachers, and how high schoolers fill in the gaps for things they missed early on.

Quotes:

“The science of reading–every child deserves to be able to read.”


Resources:

Jasmine's Blog

Blog: Project Forever Free

Podcast discussion guide

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Dr. Nancy Nelson, Research Assistant Professor at the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of  Oregon, discusses myths and misconceptions around  RTI, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and universal screening in reading instruction.

Quotes:

“Relying on data allows us to engage in a systematic process to implement systems to meet the needs of all kids.”

Resources: 

DIBELS® at the University of Oregon

Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community.

Carolyn Strom, Professor of Early Childhood Literacy and Innovation at NYU, discuss her research and interviews with pre-school teachers and how students learn to read, her view on the science of reading and the cognitive science behind it all. She shares her insights on the importance of neuroscience, culturally responsive teaching and dives into Linnea Ehri’s four phases of learning how to read.

Quotes:

“Our brains are not wired to read…we have to do a neurological backflip to teach our brains to read."

“You can’t think about a tree without thinking of its environment the same way you should not be thinking about a kid’s reading development without thinking of their environment.” 

Resources:

Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read by Stanislas Dehaene

Carolyn Strom NYU Bio

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Literacy expert and author Tim Shanahan discusses his views on teaching reading in middle school as an extension of evidence-based early literacy practices. What are some of the challenges and what should reading instruction include? Tim and host Susan Lambert dive into boosting comprehension, how the English language is always changing, and how to structure reading instruction across content areas such as history, science, and math so students are equipped to comprehend those texts as well.

Quotes:

“It is absolutely essential in any comprehension lesson that the kids come away with knowledge.”

“Not dealing with vocabulary early on is like leaving ticking time bomb for later.”

Resources:

Shanahan on Literacy website and blog posts

Podcast: A conversation with Tim Rasinski 

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What is the missing link in reading comprehension? Anne Lucas, former curriculum director and current product manager of Amplify Reading, discusses the multifaceted nature of comprehension, why it’s so difficult to teach, a teacher's powerful "eureka! moment," and the specific sentence-level skills which, if practiced, improve overall comprehension. 

Quotes:
“The more tools we give to kids to grapple with texts and concepts, the better they’ll be able to do it.”

“Background knowledge is incredibly important and is something that we need to integrate into instruction and curriculum.”

Resources:

Comprehension Microskills Classroom Activity

The Missing Link in Comprehension White Paper

Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension by Jane Oakhill

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Emily Lutrick, a PreK-5 Curriculum and Dyslexia Coordinator with almost 20 years of experience in education, examines the facts and fictional myths of dyslexia, how early is too early to screen for dyslexia, and how to identify the signs and risk factors. Susan and Emily discuss how dyslexia relates to the science of reading and what educators and parents can do to help students after school.

Quotes:

“You’ve got to arm yourself with good, strong, core curriculum. Make sure you’re informed in what it means to teach in a structured literacy environment. [These] go hand in hand with the science of reading.”

“Be intentional about identifying what that risk factor is. What is it that’s causing that breakdown?”

Resources:

Twitter @drlutrick 

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Lois Letchford, author of Reversed: A Memoir, shares personal accounts of her son’s struggles with learning how to read as well as her own in school with dyslexia. After being told by a teacher that her son was “the worst child [she’s] ever seen in [her] 25 years of teaching,” she persisted with endless patience to help her son and began writing poems to pique his interest in reading. What is he doing now? Was she successful?

Quote:

“Believe in your child, believe they are capable of anything--and tell them that.”

Resources:

Reversed: A Memoir by Lois Letchford

Poetry for kids by Lois Letchford

Website with articles and blog: https://www.loisletchford.com/

Twitter: @LetchfordLois

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Susan and Tim Rasinski, author of The Megabook of Fluency: Strategies and Texts to Engage All Readers, discuss his work at the reading clinic at Kent State University, the aspects of good fluency instruction, what constitutes fluency, and how reading speed is correlated to word recognition and automaticity. He stresses the importance of fluency and finding ways to be artful while teaching reading.

Quotes:

“Fluency is the bridge and we can’t ignore it.”

“Speed is the consequence of automaticity–automaticity is not the consequence of speed.”

Resources:

The Megabook of Fluency: Strategies and Texts to Engage All Readers by Tim Rasinski

Why Reading Should be Hot! by Tim Rasinski

Email: trasinsk@kent.edu

Website with articles and blog: timrasinski.com

Twitter: @trasinski1

Kent State Reading Clinic

Additional resources:

Fluency: The Neglected Reading Goal by Richard Allington

After Decoding: What? by Carol Chomsky

The Method of Repeated Readings by Dr. S. Jay Samuels

Jean Chall's Stages of Reading Development

Tim Shanahan interview on The Science of Reading

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Susan sits down with education reporter and host of the Education Post podcast, Emily Hanford, examines the big takeaways from her experience on reporting on dyslexia, patterns that emerged from her investigating, the science of reading and why schools don’t align with it more, the theory of how reading works, and the evolution of balanced literacy, phonics instruction and whole language.

Quotes:

“We have to be teaching kids how the written language works to help them become good readers.”

“Family income and poverty affect educational opportunities and outcomes.”

Resources: 

'Hard Words' Education Post Podcast

At a Loss for Words: How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers article by Emily Hanford

What to do if your child's school isn't teaching reading right? article by Emily Hanford

Additional resources: 

NAEP Reading Scores

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Robert shares what inspired him to embark upon his esteemed career path and how we must acknowledge and address that children come to school from different places and backgrounds along their language trajectory in our schools. Susan and Robert discuss the latest in education reform, the knowledge gap, how it is only going to get larger as kids move through grades, the limited time we have to correct it, and how to start doing so.

Quotes:

“Language is heavily dependent upon readers making correct inferences about context, and that’s background knowledge.”

“Language is a series of inference-making, that’s all knowledge-dependent. And if we’re not operating from the same base of knowledge, it all breaks down.”

Resources: 

Robert Pondiscio's book:

How the Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, and the Battle Over School Choice

Robert Pondiscio's articles:

How to improve literacy after elementary school

The lost children of Hirsch: Will a fresh argument for content-rich curricula make a difference?

Additional resources: 

"How knowledge helps", an article by Daniel Willingham

Teaching Content is Teaching Reading video by Daniel Willingham

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What’s broken in our education system? Natalie joins Susan for a provocative talk about her latest book, The Knowledge Gap, and how a knowledge-based curriculum can change classrooms—and students’ futures.

Quotes

“Kids actually love to learn stuff. They love to feel like they’re experts. It does wonders for their self-esteem.” - Wexler

“Once teachers try it and can see what can happen…they’re going to say ‘I’m never going back to what I was doing before.” - Wexler

Resources

Natalie Wexler’s books:

The Knowledge Gap: The hidden cause of America's broken education system--and how to fix it

The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grade

Natalie Wexler’s articles:

“Elementary Education Has Gone Terribly Wrong: The Case for Teaching Kids Stuff” (The Atlantic, August 2019)

“Why American Students Haven't Gotten Better at Reading in 20 Years” (The Atlantic, April 2018)

Additional resources:

Cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham’s education blog

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Episode Content Timestamps*

2:00: Introduction: Why is Natalie Wexler?
4:00: The meaning of "content"
6:00: How did the problem of not teaching content evolve? Why do we need to teach content?
10:00: Observations from a knowledge-based classroom
13:00: Education reform and the current attention on knowledge building
17:00: Classroom teachers: Addressing misconceptions and confusion, and insight
26:00: The knowledge gap issue beyond just the individual teacher
34:00: The connection between content and writing
36:00: Top things for listeners to take away from this episode

*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

Welcome to Science of Reading: The Podcast! We bring educators the latest insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading. We believe equity in education begins with reading science.