Explore every episode of the podcast Science of Reading: The Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer '24 Interlude E3: Training teachers well from the start, with Lisa Lenhart and Rebecca Tolson | 21 Aug 2024 | 00:51:55 | |
In this Science of Reading: The Podcast episode, Susan Lambert speaks with Rebecca Tolson and Lisa Lenhart about their roles at the University of Akron's newly established Center for Structured Literacy. They discuss their personal journeys in literacy education, the large grant received from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and how the Center aims to prepare pre-service teachers using the Science of Reading and structured literacy. Rebecca and Lisa elaborate on the faculty’s training program, curriculum updates, and the potential community impact. The conversation also touches on the emotional and professional challenges in shifting to evidence-based practices, the history of literacy legislation in Ohio, and the Center's long-term goals—including IDA accreditation and expanding their impact on both pre-service and in-service educators.
Quotes “The Center for Structured Literacy is about empowering teachers at the onset—bachelor's degree. If districts have to retrain them after they graduate, then we're not doing something right.” —Rebecca Tolson ‘The more I learn, the better I'm at my craft and my teaching for my students.” —Rebecca Tolson “It takes the right person leading you and it takes hard conversations of what we believe.” —Lisa Lenhart Timestamps* *Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute | |||
| ML/EL E1: Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below | 30 Apr 2024 | 00:51:47 | |
To kick off our miniseries focused on how the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs), Amplify Vice President of Biliteracy Kajal Patel Below joins Susan Lambert for a retrospective discussion of the history of literacy education through a biliteracy lens. Together, they discuss the significance of a recent joint statement put out by The Reading League and the National Committee for Effective Literacy. Below sheds light on why this statement is so monumental, and what it means for serving ML/ELs going forward.
Quotes: “We have an underserved area that's experiencing a massive growth in student population. And so it's really important to then focus on it. Schools are adjusting, they're quick, they're doing the best they can, but we need to be having these conversations around research [and] best practices so that we can set schools up for success and students up for success." —Kajal Patel Below “I just think we have an exciting future in this country. I was in a classroom last week—I saw some of their writing. I saw them speaking, heard them speaking in two languages fluently, easily, excitedly. I just got very excited. These kids are going to be our doctors and our teachers and our engineers and they’re bilingual or multilingual.” —Kajal Patel Below “Their language is an asset, whatever language it is and however much it is.” —Kajal Patel Below *Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute | |||
| S3-02. Deconstructing the Rope: Word recognition with Alice Wiggins | 27 Jan 2021 | 00:39:12 | |
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:
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S3-01. Deconstructing the Rope: An Introduction with Dr. Jane Oakhill | 13 Jan 2021 | 00:52:52 | |
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 | |||
| S2-09. Unveiling insights from assessment data: Danielle Damico | 30 Dec 2020 | 00:37:23 | |
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: | |||
| S2-08. Behind the scenes of the National Reading Panel: Tim Shanahan | 16 Dec 2020 | 00:47:55 | |
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:
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S2-07. Research, comprehension, and content-rich literacy instruction: Sonia Cabell | 02 Dec 2020 | 00:53:39 | |
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.
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S2-06. Fostering growth and instructional change: Kelly Moran | 18 Nov 2020 | 00:38:08 | |
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:
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S2-05: The Right to Read Project on nurturing automatic readers: Margaret Goldberg and Alanna Mednick | 04 Nov 2020 | 00:58:09 | |
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:
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S2-04. Telling the fuller story: Afrika Afeni Mills | 21 Oct 2020 | 00:41:21 | |
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.” Resources: Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S2-03. The Reading League and the science of reading: Maria Murray and Pamela Snow | 07 Oct 2020 | 01:01:32 | |
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 Resources:
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S2-02. Reflecting on past literacy experiences: Tamara Morris & Justin Pita | 23 Sep 2020 | 00:35:15 | |
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. | |||
| Sneak peek: A miniseries on multilingual and English learners | 17 Apr 2024 | 00:03:37 | |
Science of Reading: The Podcast is launching a special miniseries dedicated to multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs)! Host Susan Lambert will chat with leading researchers and practitioners about how the Science of Reading supports ML/ELs and why this is so important. Through exploration of the key research and enlightening discussions, Susan and guests will discuss the optimal use of the Science of Reading to enhance students’ classroom experiences and overall learning journeys. Listen to this trailer for a sneak peek and be sure to subscribe now so you don’t miss this exclusive miniseries—the first episode is out April 30! | |||
| S2-01. Confronting the data: Dr. LaTonya Goffney | 09 Sep 2020 | 00:44:38 | |
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 Quotes: “If you can read, you can go anywhere. Reading is a gateway to opportunity.” Episode timestamps* | |||
| S1-28. A look back at Season One | 26 Aug 2020 | 00:22:17 | |
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.” Learning to Read: Primer Part One Learning to Read Primer: Part Two | |||
| S1-27. Fostering relationships between parents and educators: Dr. Catherine Barnes | 12 Aug 2020 | 00:55:36 | |
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. “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 | |||
| S1-26. The basic science in reading instruction: Daniel Willingham | 29 Jul 2020 | 00:42:47 | |
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. “Everything touches education." Resources:
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| S1-25. Aligning digital learning and the science of reading: Doug Lemov | 15 Jul 2020 | 00:47:04 | |
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." Resources:
Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-24. The silent crisis: Shawn Joseph | 01 Jul 2020 | 00:50:10 | |
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.
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 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-23. Improving dual language instruction: Elizabeth Jiménez Salinas | 17 Jun 2020 | 01:01:22 | |
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.” Resources: Eradicating Learned Passivity: Preventing ELs from Becoming Long Term English Learners Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-22. Success using the science of reading: Mary Clayman | 03 Jun 2020 | 00:41:05 | |
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: Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able To Do by Louisa C. Moats | |||
| S1-21. The symbiotic relationship between literacy and science: Jacquey Barber | 20 May 2020 | 00:45:58 | |
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 No More Science Kits or Texts in Isolation by Jacqueline Barber and Gina Cervetti. Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-20. Evidence based solutions and tackling unfinished learning: David and Meredith Liben | 06 May 2020 | 00:47:25 | |
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. 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 | |||
| Spring Rewind '24: Biliteracy and assessment, with Lillian Durán, Ph.D. | 10 Apr 2024 | 00:35:25 | |
Susan Lambert joins biliteracy expert and professor Lillian Durán, who holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota and researches the improvement of instructional and assessment practices with preschool-aged multilingual/English learners. Durán begins by pointing out the difference between being bilingual and biliterate, then describes the key advantages of being bilingual and the unique skills students who speak multiple languages bring to school. She then discusses how the Simple View of Reading connects to Spanish, the double standard that often occurs when bilingual students are celebrated vs. when they are not, and the process of screening and assessment for multilingual/English learner students. Lastly, Durán compels educators to avoid viewing biliteracy and dual language support as a sub-population of their classroom and instead prioritize the development of students’ home languages, whatever they may be, alongside English instruction.
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| S1-19. The simple view of reading: Laurence Holt | 22 Apr 2020 | 00:39:14 | |
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 | |||
| S1-18. Using innovation to inform teaching: Larry Berger | 10 Apr 2020 | 00:49:43 | |
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: Free remote learning resources from Amplify Amplify website | |||
| S1-17. Etymology of the English language: Freddy Hiebert | 07 Apr 2020 | 00:44:49 | |
Quotes: “Vocabulary is the base of building knowledge.” “Vocabulary represents your knowledge and knowledge is what determines your level of comprehension.” Show notes: Teaching Words and How They Work by Freddy Hiebert Facebook Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-16. Leading a district adoption: Jared Myracle | 01 Apr 2020 | 00:40:32 | |
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. | |||
| S1-14. Maximizing our educational reach via technology: David Steiner | 25 Mar 2020 | 00:32:21 | |
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 | |||
| S1-15. A principal on the shift to the science of reading: Ernesto Ortiz | 25 Mar 2020 | 00:38:57 | |
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 Ernesto's blog: Decoding Leadership | |||
| S1-13. Science of Reading Special Episode: Remote Learning | 18 Mar 2020 | 00:05:58 | |
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. | |||
| S1-12. Neuroscience and early literacy: Dr. Bruce McCandliss | 18 Mar 2020 | 00:48:18 | |
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:
Episode timestamps* | |||
| S1-11. The science of reading in middle school: Jasmine Lane | 04 Mar 2020 | 00:35:58 | |
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: Jasmine's Blog | |||
| S1-10. Myths and misconceptions about universal screening: Nancy Nelson | 19 Feb 2020 | 00:47:51 | |
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. “Relying on data allows us to engage in a systematic process to implement systems to meet the needs of all kids.” DIBELS® at the University of Oregon | |||
| Spring Rewind '24: Deconstructing the Rope: Background knowledge, with Susan B. Neuman | 27 Mar 2024 | 00:41:25 | |
Join Susan B. Neuman, professor of early childhood and literacy education at the Steinhardt School at New York University, in our Deconstructing the Rope series. She explains the important link between background knowledge and reading comprehension in the Science of Reading, and shares 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: “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.” —Susan B. Neuman | |||
| S1-09. The cognitive science behind how students learn to read: Carolyn Strom | 05 Feb 2020 | 00:55:05 | |
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. “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 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-08. Evidence-based literacy practice in the classroom: Tim Shanahan | 22 Jan 2020 | 00:36:20 | |
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 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-07. The missing link in reading comprehension: Anne Lucas | 08 Jan 2020 | 00:32:53 | |
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: “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 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-06. The facts and myths of dyslexia: Emily Lutrick | 24 Dec 2019 | 00:41:03 | |
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: “Be intentional about identifying what that risk factor is. What is it that’s causing that breakdown?” Resources: Twitter @drlutrick Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. | |||
| S1-05. Connecting confidence in school and literacy development: Lois Letchford | 11 Dec 2019 | 00:43:29 | |
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? Resources: Reversed: A Memoir by Lois Letchford Poetry for kids by Lois Letchford Website with articles and blog: https://www.loisletchford.com/ Twitter: @LetchfordLois | |||
| S1-04. The importance of fluency instruction: Tim Rasinski | 26 Nov 2019 | 00:43:04 | |
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 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 | |||
| S1-03. Reporting on education and the science of reading: Emily Hanford | 13 Nov 2019 | 00:41:45 | |
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 Additional resources: NAEP Reading Scores | |||
| S1-02. Background knowledge and education reform: Robert Pondiscio | 30 Oct 2019 | 00:42:27 | |
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 | |||
| S1-01. The Knowledge Gap: Natalie Wexler | 16 Oct 2019 | 00:39:06 | |
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 Want to discuss the episode? Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community. 2:00: Introduction: Why is Natalie Wexler? | |||
| S1-00. About Science of Reading: The Podcast | 14 Oct 2019 | 00:13:18 | |
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. | |||
| S8 E12: Language and literacy, with Catherine Snow | 13 Mar 2024 | 00:44:49 | |
Catherine Snow, Ph.D., Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins Susan Lambert on this episode to reflect on the state of language and literacy instruction in the U.S. They begin their conversation by discussing linguistics in young children and the relationship between language and literacy, before diving into Dr. Snow’s biggest takeaways from her work on the National Research Council report, “Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children." Susan and Dr. Snow talk about building vocabulary, growing student curiosity in reading, and exposing students to academic language. Dr. Snow talks about the specific tools educators should be given for meaningful help in the classroom, shares her hopes—and fears—for the future of reading instruction in this country, and explains why she encourages teachers to let their classrooms be noisier.
Quotes: “I see academic language and exposure to academic language as an expansion of children's language skills that both contributes to successful literacy—successful reading comprehension—and gets built through encounters with texts, but also encounters with oral activities.” —Catherine Snow, Ph.D. | |||
| S8 E11: Cognitive load theory: Four items at a time, with Greg Ashman | 28 Feb 2024 | 00:53:15 | |
Greg Ashman—author of multiple books including A Little Guide for Teachers: Cognitive Load Theory, deputy principal, and professor—sits down with Susan Lambert on this episode to discuss cognitive load theory and how it applies to how students learn and how to best teach them. Together their conversation covers cognitive load theory, including an exploration of working memory and long-term memory; intrinsic load and extraneous load; biologically primary vs. biologically secondary knowledge; and how to apply these concepts in the classroom. Ashman also provides listeners with helpful advice on ensuring their teaching practices are based on evidence.
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| S8 E10: Comprehension is an outcome, with Sharon Vaughn | 14 Feb 2024 | 00:47:08 | |
Dr. Sharon Vaughn, award-winning researcher and multi-published author, who has advised on literacy across 30 states and 10 different countries, joins Susan Lambert on this episode. She digs into how we can build reading comprehension rather than teach it, and what it means for comprehension to be a learning outcome rather than a skill. She and Susan touch on how to ask the right comprehension questions, how to ensure coherency in teaching background knowledge, and where it's easy to go wrong—with knowledge building and with the Science of Reading as a whole. Listeners will walk away with a deeper understanding of which skills lead to comprehension and how to avoid strategy overload.
Quotes: Episode timestamps* *Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute | |||
| S8 E9: Knowledge building can’t wait, with HyeJin Hwang | 31 Jan 2024 | 00:47:43 | |
Dr. HyeJin Hwang is an assistant professor and literacy researcher whose research interests revolve around reading comprehension and content learning in K–12 settings, particularly for multilingual students. In this week’s episode of the podcast, HyeJin Hwang talks with Susan Lambert about background knowledge (what it is, how it’s built, and more), the importance of broad knowledge, the connections between knowledge and vocabulary, and unit planning rather than lesson planning. English wasn’t Dr. Hwang’s own first language, and her research on supporting multi-language learners is informed by her own experiences learning English and later teaching English as a second language. Whether you’re just starting to establish a solid foundation on knowledge building or you’re looking to explore the topic from new angles, this episode is the one to listen to.
Quotes: “In knowledge building, we usually like to go for cultivating in-depth knowledge. That means interconnected ideas need to be told throughout multiple lessons, multiple classes, rather than planning individual separate lessons.” —HyeJin Hwang 2:00: Introduction: Who is Dr. HyeJin Hwang? | |||
| S8 E8: The plea to preserve deep reading, with Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D. | 17 Jan 2024 | 01:01:40 | |
A name known throughout the literacy world, Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D., has published over 170 scientific articles and four books focusing on the science of the reading brain. In this episode she discusses the reading brain in a digital context and delves into some of the tensions around literacy instruction in the present moment, including the Science of Reading beyond just phonics, the plea to preserve deep reading, and literacy and screens. She also talks about the topics she’s most focused on and the ones she feels are most pressing in general when it comes to research on the brain and literacy. And she ends with an impassioned message to teachers, expressing her deep respect and gratitude.
Quotes: “Pass on why you learned to be a teacher. Pass it on to your students. Let’s make that next generation of teachers truly excited about what we can do to release the potential of every child.” —Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D. *Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute | |||