You’ve probably heard about syntax. Maybe you’ve seen a slide in a presentation that showed a strand of rope labeled as syntax. Or perhaps you learned about sentence structure in school and completed assignments where you had to diagram sentences. But do we really know what syntax is, why it matters, and how to teach it? My guests today are here teach us about syntax. Their names are Dr. Rachel Knecht and Dr. Dianna Townsend. Rachel Knecht is a doctoral candidate at the University of Nevada-Reno. Her research focuses on supporting adolescents’ reading comprehension, particularly through metali ..read more

What is the relationship between teachers’ knowledge, belief, self-efficacy, and instructional practice? My guest today studied 34 rural teachers to learn more. Her name is Dr. Karen Kehoe and she is the Director of Dyslexia Services at the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia at Middle Tennessee State University. In this episode we discuss what the sample of teacher knew about teaching reading, how confident they felt about teaching reading, and the evidence-based practices exhibited in these classrooms. Lots to unpack with many important takeaways for the classroom! Refer ..read more

The last few years, it seems everyone’s been talking about phonemic awareness – what works best, how to teach it right, and even how much of it students really need. Today, I’ve got two experts with me, Dr. Florina Erbeli and Dr. Marianne Rice, and they’ve been digging deep into these questions and more. Dr. Erbeli is an assistant professor at Texas A&M University, and Dr. Marianne Rice just completed her PhD there. In this episode, we’re breaking down the findings from two recent meta-analyses these researchers did on phonemic awareness. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty – like, does it ..read more

2023 was a great year here at TLP. I am looking forward to an even better 2024. To kick things off I’ve prepared a special episode where I discuss my New Year’s resolution–thinking like a scientist. In this episode I describe what thinking like a scientist means, why it matters, and the three other frames of thought that often conflict with scientific thinking. I also provide examples of two prominent researchers–Dr. Nell Duke and Dr. Holly Lane–thinking like scientists. Link to Adam Grant on the Huberman podcast: https://youtu.be/3gtvNYa3Nd8 Link to Nell Duke on the Literacy View: https://you ..read more

Dr. Evan Ortlieb joins us to discuss the 2023 edition of the What’s Hot in Literacy survey. This survey was started by Dr. Jack Cassidy in 1997 and is now conducted by Dr. Ortlieb and Dr. Stephanie Grote-Garcia. In this episode we discuss what was hot, what is recieving increased interest, and should be hot. Dr. Evan Ortlieb is dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences at South Dakota State University. He also co-edited a recent volume entitled, Disciplinary Literacies: Unpacking Research, Theory, and Practice. We would love it if you consider sharing this episode from a colleag ..read more

Dr. Dana Robertson joins us to discuss his chapter “Explicit Instruction” in the book “Principles of Effective Literacy Instruction.” We discuss his evolution of thought around explicit instruction, how to balance engagement and being explicit, and discuss the how explicit instruction relates to the gradual release of responsibility. We would love it if you consider sharing this episode from a colleague who would benefit and rate/review the show wherever you find this podcast. Reference: Robertson, D. (2021). Explicit Instruction. In S. Parsons & M. Vaughn (Eds.) Principles of effective li ..read more

Dr. Molly Ness joins us to discuss her recent book ‘Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8.’ In this episode we discuss the benefits, common misconceptions, steps for conducting a read aloud in your classroom and much more. Reference: Ness, M. (2023). Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8. Solution Tree ..read more

Dr. Margaret Vaughn and Dr. Seth Parsons join us to discuss their recent book “Accelerating Learning Recovery for All Students: Core Principles for Getting Literacy Growth Back on Track.” We discuss a range of topics including schoolwide action teams, MTSS, partnering with communities, and much more. I always learn a great deal from these two scholars, this is an episode you won’t want to miss! Reference: Vaughn, M., & Parsons, S. A. (2023). Accelerating Learning Recovery for All Students: Core Principles for Getting Literacy Growth Back on Track. Guilford Publications: New York, NY ..read more

Welcome to a new school year! I hope your summer was fantastic. In this episode I share what I’ve been up to, a bit of history about the podcast, and where the show is going. Be sure to check it out ..read more

Dr. Young-Suk Grace Kim joins us on this episode to discuss the Direct and Indirect Effects Model of Reading (DIER). DIER builds on and adds to other models of reading (i.e., SVR or Scarborough’s Rope). It encompasses a wide range of factors, including morphological awareness, text reading fluency, and higher-order cognitions, all integrated into a single framework. Additionally, the DIER model sheds light on the interrelations among these component skills, emphasizing hierarchical, interactive, and dynamic relationships. There is a lot to unpack in this episode and plenty of implications for ..read more