Literacy Talks

Teaching is an art, and yes, it’s a science as well. In this episode of Literacy Talks , our three literacy experts talk about both the art and science of teaching. They unpack the need for educators to apply strategic learning science to instructional methods to ensure all students have optimum opportunities to learn. Our hosts talk movingly about the art of teaching, and the deep-rooted sense te...

Educators’ knowledge about reading science, its’ practical applications in the classroom, and its impacts on students’ experience is core to literacy learning and success. In this episode of Literacy Talks , you’ll hear an open and solutions-focused conversation about teacher and administrator knowledge and steps every educator can take to understand the how’s and why’s of teaching reading to all...

Welcome to Season 2! Teaching Pre-K-3 learners to make sound/symbol connections can be challenging. In this episode of Literacy Talks , our trio of literacy experts tackles this challenge with wit, insight, and a practical approach to explicit, systematic, and sequential phonics instruction. Make the leap from “drill and kill” practice to “skill and thrill” with hosts Stacy Hurst, professor at Sou...

Children hear and speak before they learn to read. Sound walls can accelerate student's articulatory learning and their production of speech, on the road to becoming proficient readers and spellers. In this episode of Literacy Talks , our trio of literacy experts share their experiences and recommendations for integrating sound walls into regular literacy instruction. 💬 Want more insights li...

Research in the science of reading is expanding in breadth and depth, and the data points to important changes in classroom instructional practice and materials. The challenge for frontline classroom teachers is translating that research data into sequential, explicit literacy instruction to ensure all students build the foundational skills they need to read proficiently at grade level. In this ep...

MTSS is more than a hot topic or a trend in literacy teaching and learning. In this Literacy Talks podcast episode, our three experts share their insights into making a Multi-Tiered System of Supports work to help students achieve reading proficiency. They talk emphatically about the need to strengthen Tier 1 response to intervention and the larger view of MTSS that encompasses a spectrum of suppo...

If you love teaching reading, and you love reading, this episode of Literacy Talks is for you! Our trio talks in-depth about the professional books that have inspired them, informed their practice, and reaffirmed their commitment to helping every student read proficiently. From David Kilpatrick’s seminal work, Essentials for Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties to Reading for...

In this episode of Literacy Talks , our three literacy experts share their experiences at the recent 2022 Plain Talk conference in New Orleans. Listeners will get a “you are there” recap of the most memorable sessions they attended, tips for making the most of conference learning opportunities, and updates from the research sessions. It’s like a conference tour in just 30 minutes. Don’t miss it!...

This episode of Literacy Talks explores how reading leaders and practitioners can collaborate. Our shared goal? To help teachers learn and apply the methods of reading science to help all students achieve reading proficiency and confidence. Our Literacy Talks trio offers practical, actionable steps to translate research into practice and build stakeholder support and enthusiasm along the way.  💬...

Legislation that supports and funds the science of reading initiatives can make a difference for students, educators, families, and communities. In this episode of Literacy Talks , our experts focus on the need to include teachers and administrators in crafting legislation that clearly defines the work ahead. They emphasize that these legislations must contain provisions for additional professiona...

In this episode of Literacy Talks , our three literacy experts share some of their reading instruction pet peeves. From humorous to heartwarming, you’ll hear why English is not a complicated language (it's complex), why reading instruction can’t and shouldn’t end at third grade, the problem with limiting students to books only at their Lexile level…and more. It’s a fast-paced, fascinating loo...

Decodable text can be a critical component of what you do as a reading teacher. In this episode of Literacy Talks , hear three experts explore the learning connection between phonics instruction and decodable text and how this can work to motivate striving readers of all ages. Our hosts discuss the topic of decodable text from three different perspectives: K–3 classroom teacher, middle/high/adult...

In this inaugural episode , our terrific trio of reading experts tackles the need to rethink and redesign how we approach sight words and high frequency words in literacy instruction. Their advice centers around using phonics-based strategies to help learners connect the sounds and meanings of high frequency words, so they become part of students’ working memory. Hear all about it in this fascinat...