Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom

In this episode of Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom , hosts Emily Smith, Amanda Hartman, and Kristi Guinness — staff developers at Advancing Literacy at Teachers College, Columbia University — explore the many ways families and caregivers can support children’s reading fluency, which serves as the vital bridge between a child's ability to decode words and their ability to comprehend them. D...

In this episode of Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom , hosts Emily Smith, Amanda Hartman, and Kim Brooks — staff developers at Advancing Literacy at Teachers College, Columbia University — explore the many ways families and caregivers can support children’s grammar and spelling development through practical, science based strategies. Drawing on research from scholars, they discuss how litera...

In this episode of Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom , hosts Emily Smith and Amanda Hartman — staff developers at Advancing Literacy at Teachers College, Columbia University — explore the many ways families and caregivers can make writing a meaningful and joyful part of everyday life. Drawing on research from scholars they discuss how writing (from grocery lists and thank-you notes to letter...

In this episode of Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom , hosts Emily Smith and Kristin Smith — staff developers at Advancing Literacy at Teachers College, Columbia University — explore how families and caregivers can nurture a lifelong love of fiction reading in children of all ages. Drawing on research by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop (windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors), brain science, and v...

What types of books should beginning readers spend time reading? In this episode of Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom, we dive into decodable books — what they are, why they matter for beginning readers, and the research behind them. We'll break down the use of decodable books in plain language, share what makes a decodable book a good one, and give you practical tips for reading alongside y...

How can family members and caregivers support kids’ literacy development outside of school, beyond the classroom? In this introductory episode, Emily Butler Smith, Amanda Hartman and Natalie Louis share research, insights, and practical advice on supporting literacy development and connection with students of all ages. Bringing their experience as former classroom teachers and current staff develo...

Introducing Advancing Literacy Beyond the Classroom – a new podcast series designed for families, caregivers, and educators who want to support young readers and writers at home. From early literacy to essay writing, AI tools to choosing great books, we're covering it all for PreK-12 students. Join us each month for a new episode where we'll explore practical strategies grounded in the latest rese...