In this call for relevant, doable professional development for all stakeholders—parent to superintendent—Kareem Weaver and David Liben stress the need for unity among competing interest groups, recognizing that students are priority one and at the center of it all. Learn more at TeachersTalkShop.com. A 360º View of Literacy: Episode 11 ..read more

Kareem Weaver and David Liben tackle the pressing but not often prioritized issue of instructional materials’ usability—clarifying what’s needed and establishing a mandate for publishers and selection committees to create and choose resources that work for diverse learners and educators. Learn more at TeachersTalkShop.com. Episode 10. A 360º View of Literacy: The Urgent Issue of Usability ..read more

Every educator knows the importance of foundational skills, and of building student engagement and ownership while teaching these skills. First-grade teacher Cameron Carter discusses how this can be achieved, and reflects on navigating both through and beyond the pandemic as the Science of Reading movement gains momentum.   Learn more at TeachersTalkShop.com. A 360º View of Literacy: Putting the Sciences of Reading into Action ..read more

Author and educational consultant Dr. Nancy Young discusses—from both an educator and parental perspective—the unique needs and opportunities for gifted and advanced learners, and explains the Ladder of Reading and Writing, an infographic she developed to help support all students. Learn more at TeachersTalkShop.com. A 360º View of Literacy: Differentiating Instruction for Advanced Readers ..read more

While the research on dyslexia is still evolving, much of it is solid and clear. Author, researcher, and literacy expert Jan Hasbrouck draws from both professional and personal experience to dispel dyslexia myths and emphasize the need for strong, systematic phonics instruction.    Learn more at TeachersTalkShop.com. A 360º View of Literacy: The Science of Dyslexia ..read more

For decades Diane Leddy has been developing a writing approach that begins with Backward Design and emphasizes understanding to build background knowledge. This approach has proven to increase writing achievement. Through explicit instruction and plenty of practice time, students gain the skills to write well year after year. Learn more at TeachersTalkShop.com. A 360º View of Literacy: The Pillars of Effective Writing Instruction ..read more

Literacy and bilingual experts Allison Briceno and Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica and teacher Claire Hood discuss culturally and linguistically sustaining practices—and how to demystify them to achieve deep, connected learning.     Season 2, Episode 5. A 360º View of Literacy: Driving Reading Comprehension Through Cultural Relevancy ..read more

Educator, school leader, and literacy curriculum expert David Liben explains the effectiveness of knowledge-building as a core part of literacy learning, the research behind it, and how creating and implementing a general knowledge curriculum can get results at even the lowest-performing schools.   Season 2, Episode 4. A 360º View of Literacy: Power Tools for Growing Knowledge, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension ..read more

Extensive research demonstrates the essential role that metacognition plays in reading comprehension. Reading expert Peter Afflerbach explains clearly how developing a metacognitive mindset and metacognitive strategy toolkit places students on the road to self-aware, independent, and fluent reading. Season 2, Episode 3. A 360º View of Literacy: Metacognition—The Missing Link in Reading Instruction ..read more

Fluency experts Tim Rasinski and Lynne Kulich shed light on all the benefits of fluency mastery—automaticity and expression, but also improvement in word recognition, phonics, and comprehension. Expressive reading inspires joy and affects all reading skills. Proven tools for teaching it are shared. Season 2, Episode 2. A 360º View of Literacy: The Science and the Art of Reading Fluency  ..read more