Episodes
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The Role of Letter Names in Learning to Read is Still Curious
SEPTEMBER 28, 2024
The ability to identify the letters is one of the best predictors of later reading ability. That makes it a valuable tool for helping to identify which children are likely to struggle with reading. But why is that? This podcast explores what is known about the role of letter names in the learn...
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Isn’t Independent Reading a Research-Based Practice?
SEPTEMBER 21, 2024
It makes sense that giving students lots of time at school to read independently, right? This podcast explores that idea and reveals why it isn't the way to go.
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When Sisyphus was in First Grade or One Minute Reading Homework
SEPTEMBER 14, 2024
This podcast explores a parent's homework complaint. Her first grader is to do a 1-minute read each evening, and parents are to time it and calculate words correct per minute. Is this a good idea or something more nefarious? Tune in and find out.
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Seatwork that Makes Sense for Reading
AUGUST 31, 2024
Usually reading seatwork is work aimed at keeping kids busy rather than teaching them. This podcast suggests some ways to make seatwork a plus rather than a minus when it comes to reading achievement.
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The Science of Reading Versus the Art of Teaching Reading
AUGUST 24, 2024
With all of the emphasis these days on a "science of reading," is there any place for the idea of an "art of teaching?" This presentation explains the role that these two sources of success play and how they may work together.
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Print-to-Speech or Speech-to-Print? That Is the Question.
AUGUST 17, 2024
There are arguments in reading circles about the best way to teach phonics -- should the focus be on decoding from print to speech (like someone sounding out a word) or from speech to print (like someone trying to spell). This podcast will explore the evidence on both sides.
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Should We Teach Graphicacy?
AUGUST 03, 2024
This podcast explores the value of teaching students to read the graphics in content area texts. Although pictures can distract from the word reading of young children, as they confront more complex texts they will need to learn how to interpret the graphics and this podcast suggests how that ...
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FAQs on Fluency
JULY 27, 2024
This podcast provides answers to frequently asked questions about fluency instruction. It considers why we teach fluency, how we can teach it effectively, the kinds of books to use, how to match kids for paired reading, how fluent kids need to be, how much fluency instruction to provide. If yo...
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What Do We Do with Above Grade Level Readers?
JULY 13, 2024
Research shows that students are best taught with challenging texts -- texts that in the past would have been deemed "frustration level" and eschewed for instruction. Teaching with grade level texts ensures that students will reach the levels of literacy needed for full participation in societ...
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Does a Four-day Week Mean Lower Reading Scores?
JUNE 29, 2024
Many school districts are considering going to a 4-day school week. This would help solve their problem in getting substitutes, reduce lunch program costs, and make many of their employees happy. But what will it do to reading achievement? This podcast explores the research on instructional ti...
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