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This week, we’re highlighting an episode of Beyond My Years, our sibling podcast that gives you exclusive access to all the wisdom of veteran educators. Beyond My Years host, Ana Torres, learns from the best as she sits down with 2024 National Teacher of the Year Missy Testerman. Missy teaches Ana about being open to new ideas and perspectives, offers tips on building relationships with families, and discusses the importance of slowing down. Missy doesn’t shy away from tough topics, like managing the “who knows best” struggles among administrators, teachers, and parents, and knowing when it’s time to step away from teaching, In addition, Classroom Insider Eric Cross and Ana discuss understanding your community, being more flexible in presenting your lessons, and seeking mentorship and continuous growth.
Connect with Missy TestermanInstagram: @missytesterman2024ntoyLinkedIn: @missy-testermanX: @missytestermanSubscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/
Show notes:Quotes:
“Find a mentor. Someone you trust. Listen to that person, watch that person, ask that person questions. You know, you don't have to figure this out on your own. People want to help you and you have to take that help. It's not a sign of weakness. It's a sign that you want to be better.” —Missy Testerman“I want them to be proud of where they came from, always, because that's part of their story. It's always going to be an important part of their story.” —Missy Testerman
“I have no magic answers. I have some experiences and I have a little bit of wisdom from three decades of time spent in the education field, but I absolutely do not have it all figured out.” —Missy Testerman
“The reality is that the journey toward wisdom in any career, especially in education, has to be slow and steady.” —Missy Testerman
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Susan is joined by Ioulia Kovelman, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan, to give educators the perspective of a developmental cognitive neuroscientist on literacy development. Starting with the basics of cognitive science versus brain science, Ioulia gives a comprehensive overview into how the brain changes as children learn to read, including differences seen in neurodiverse students and multilingual/English learners. Ioulia then answers a question from our listener mailbag on neuroscience and dyslexia and how current research can inform teaching strategies. Ioulia ends with a rallying message that scientists, teachers, and children cannot stand alone and need to find ways to connect with each other to strengthen literacy as a whole.
Submit your literacy questions for a chance to win!Website: Language & Literacy Lab Video: Language & Literacy Project at the University of MichiganListen: Our mini-series exploring how the Science of Reading serves MLs/ELs
Show notes:
Quotes:
“We are different learners. And these are really different learners. And by giving them literacy instruction, targeted literacy instruction, we are changing their brains. But that doesn't mean we're making them the same.” —Ioulia Kovelman, Ph.D.
“We talked about languages being different. They're exercising slightly different muscles of your language system.” —Ioulia Kovelman, Ph.D.“Science is informed by teachers and children. We're all together. I do not teach children. Teachers don't usually do science. But we have to find ways of connecting with each other.” —Ioulia Kovelman, Ph.D.
Episode timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Ioulia?
06:00 Cognitive science vs brain science
08:00 How the brain changes as children learn to read
11:00 Following brain development for children that struggle with language development
14:00 Physical differences in brain development between the average brain and a neurodiverse brain
17:00 Mailbag question: Neuroscience and dyslexia
20:00 How neuroscience informs teaching strategies for children with dyslexia
25:00 Monolingual vs multilingual brains
33:00 Language literacy lab
38:00 Connecting research to classroom instruction
41:00 Final thoughts
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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In this episode, Susan Lambert chats with ReadWorks Chief Academic Officer Susanne Nobles, Ph.D., to explore the organization's mission of making high-quality texts free and accessible to all. Together, they discuss ReadWorks’ Article-A-Day program, which offers articles to build students' knowledge and vocabulary while supporting teachers with resources that promote topical coherence. Susanne shares insights into why text quality matters, including that kids know when text isn’t worth their time and attention. She also details how ReadWorks ensures the quality of their materials, describes the Spanish-English texts they’ve introduced to support multilingual/English learners, and offers advice for listeners thinking about text quality and cohesion.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannenobles/. ReadWorks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readworks/?hl=en
Show notes:Quotes:
“I have a fear that too much decoding practice can become ‘Why am I reading?’ We lose the ultimate point of why all of us read, which is to learn and to gain meaning.” —Susanne Nobles“Kids know when a text is worth their time.” —Susanne Nobles
“We want to put a great book in a kid's hands and have them get excited about reading and therefore get good at reading. And it really goes the other way. And so it's once you build that ability to read, then that excitement comes with reading.” —Susanne Nobles
Episode timestamps
02:00 Introduction: Who is Susanne Nobles?
04:00 Overview of ReadWorks
10:00 Article-A-Day Program
12:00 Importance of Topical Coherence
13:00 Why knowledge is important to reading
16:00 Introduction to Decodables
19:00 Text Quality and Evaluation
24:00 Supporting Multilingual Learners
29:00 Audio and Accessibility
33:00 Final Thoughts and Conclusion
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
On this episode of the podcast, Lori Josephson joins Susan to talk about her new book Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling Happen. Lori discusses her journey into literacy and how she saw the need for an accessible, digestible book about the brain science behind learning to read — one that would be enjoyable for adults and students alike. Lori explains what a neuron is and shows how understanding neural networks is essential to understanding learning to read. She also delves into the importance of getting everyone in a student’s life involved in their literacy development. Lori and Susan also answer some listener-submitted questions, prompting discussions on how to help older elementary students who lack foundational skills and advice for educators who work with students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Submit your literacy questions for a chance to win!Book: Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling HappenConnect with Lori:Website: lorijosephson.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-josephson/X: @lorijosephson2Facebook: Lori JosephsonInstagram: @calling_all_neuronsRead: Towards a dynamic, comprehensive conceptualization of dyslexiaDr. Nancy Young's Ladder of ReadingWatch: Lori Josephson on the Facebook group Science of Reading—What I Should Have Learned in College
Show notes:Quotes:
“I firmly believe that no matter how old you are, you still need to learn the same information.” —Lori Josephson“In my mind, I use this equation. Knowledge equals motivation, equals active learning, equals resilience, equals success.” —Lori Josephson
“Creating a literate brain is a team sport. Everyone needs to be involved. The parents, caregivers, teachers—they need to be engaged in an interactive way.” —Lori Josephson
“Literacy is a civil right. It's also a gift. It's an opportunity to share thoughts, feelings with others that can be revisited and saved.” —Lori Josephson
Timestamps
02:00 Introduction: Lori Josephson and her Journey into Literacy
05:00 The Motivation Behind 'Calling All Neurons'
08:00 Understanding Neurons and Neural Networks
15:00 The Reciprocal Process of Reading and Spelling
20:00 The Influence of the Cerebellum in Reading
21:00 Unique Aspects of the Book
25:00 Addressing Foundational Skills in Older Students
30:00 Supporting Students with Cognitive Disabilities
31:00 The Importance of Literacy and Empathy
33:00 Final Thoughts
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In this episode Susan Lambert is joined by Hugh Catts, Ph.D., professor at Florida State University, to break down what comprehension is and bust some myths around what it isn’t. With a family history of dyslexia, he has a personal connection to the topic that led him into research in language sciences and language disorders. He discusses how his findings moved him away from viewing comprehension as simply a “component of reading” but rather something entirely separate—a condition created over time, defined by purpose, and influenced by prior knowledge. Together, Susan and Hugh address many comprehension-related contexts, such as the simple view of reading, the five pillars of reading, and comprehension’s relationship to knowledge building. Hugh also gives listeners practical advice for helping students suss out their comprehension before reading, and he clarifies why understanding the standard of coherence is important.
Submit your literacy questions for a chance to win!Read: Rethinking How to Promote Reading Comprehension by Hugh CattsRead: The Simple View of Reading: Advancements and False Impressions by Hugh CattsFollow Hugh on X: @CattsHugh
Show notes:Quotes:
“If I was going to define comprehension, it's not a single thing. I mean, that's the problem. We want it to be a single thing, but it depends upon what you're reading and why you're reading it.” –Hugh Catts, Ph.D.
“What comprehension is is the interaction of what you bring into that reading situation and what you already know about it and your motivation and purpose to comprehend it.” –Hugh Catts, Ph.D.“There's just not enough mental reserve to be able to build that meaning that quickly. So it helps tremendously that you have some knowledge about it beforehand. That knowledge gives you a place to put information. So when you read about something, it gives you storage for the information. It's kind of like a cubby hole that you put the mail in, in an office.” ––Hugh Catts, Ph.D.
Episode timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Hugh Catts?
03:00 Personal Connection to Dyslexia
07:00 Rethinking comprehension as a component of reading
11:00 Vocabulary and comprehension
15:00 Comprehension as a condition you create
16:00 Language comprehension and the simple view of reading
19:00 Differences in types of comprehension
26:00 What comprehension is and isn’t
32:00 Thinking deeply
39:00 Background knowledge and comprehension
42:00 Automatic inferencing
50:00 Final thoughts
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
On this episode, Kari Kurto, National Science of Reading Project Director at The Reading League, discusses The Reading League’s curriculum evaluation tool, which assesses a curriculum’s research-based practices. Kurto's conversation with Susan Lambert touches on her background teaching students with dyslexia, the non-negotiables in curriculum aligned to the Science of Reading, and how educators can use information about an evaluated curriculum to inform instruction. While Kurto stresses that no program is perfect, she and her colleagues have worked to equip educators with a tool to more easily and objectively access information when making curriculum choices..
Submit your Science of Reading questions for a chance to win!Submit your literacy questions for a chance to win!eBook: Science of Reading: Defining Guide from The Reading LeagueThe Reading League’s Curriculum Evaluation GuidelinesReading League CompassSubscribe to The Reading League’s newsletter
Show notes:
Quotes:
“Just because we have this report and we say, ‘All right, this curriculum has all the stuff,’ if you don't teach it, then you're a red flag of your own.” —Kari Kurto
“It's a movement of improvement, right? We're constantly striving to improve. And don't give up. Share your stories; share your success stories.” —Kari Kurto“Thank you to those folks who have been listening. Thank you to the folks who are curious about learning more, those who have spent years implementing and tweaking and improving literacy outcomes for our country's next generation. I mean, that's huge.” —Kari Kurto
Episode timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Kari Kurto?
08:00 Teaching kids with dyslexia, what they need to learn to read
10:00 Reading league defining guide
11:00 Curriculum review tool
16:00 Determining which programs to review
20:00 Using the curriculum review tool as professional development
21:00 Non-negotiables in a science of reading curriculum
24:00 How to use the information from a program evaluation
30:00 Long-term plans of the navigation report tool
32:00 The reporting team
34:00 The Reading League compass
37:00 The Reading League journal
40:00 Final Advice
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In this episode, Susan Lambert welcomes back Sue Pimentel to discuss the history and impact of the Common Core State Standards on English Language Arts and Literacy (ELA) education in the United States. Susan and Sue revisit what the standards were designed to focus on: knowledge building, college and career readiness, and fluency in both literary and informational texts. Their conversation covers the importance of text complexity, the lack of a research base to support leveled readers, and knowledge building as a matter of equity and content as a matter of access. While acknowledging the value of these standards, the discussion also highlights their limitations. Sue underscores the importance of always returning to the research to ensure students are truly learning, preparing them to navigate the world and ultimately, live happier lives.
Website: Knowledge Matters Review ToolListen: Season 4, Episode 5: Reading as liberation with Sue PimentelRead: “Standards Are Not Curriculum”Website: Knowledge Matters Campaign
Show notes:Quotes:
“Vocabulary is how we describe concepts; it's how we know how to talk to one another.” —Sue Pimentel“What the standards say is, ‘Leveled texts are out and complex texts are in.’ There's no research behind assigning a level to students reading and then sort of imprisoning them in that.” —Sue Pimentel
“The more stuff you know, the better you're able to navigate the world….and I think the happier life is. And certainly the happier kids' lives are when they're actually learning stuff.” —Sue Pimentel
Episode timestamps*
02:00 Looking Back at the Common Core State Standards for ELA
04:00 Knowledge Building and Text Evidence
08:00 Text Complexity and College Readiness
14:00 Standards Organization
23:00 Collaborative Effort in Standards Development
26:00 Integrating Standards into Instruction
26:00 The Importance of Contextual Learning
27:00 Challenges with Early Curriculum Implementation
31:00 Standards vs. Curriculum
35:00 The Role of Knowledge Building in Literacy
50:00 Final Thoughts and Advice
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In the Season 9 premiere of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert speaks with Ray James, Head of School at The Ansley School, about the transformative impact of literacy instruction. The Ansley School, which serves children experiencing homelessness, has made evidence-based literacy instruction a key piece of its efforts to foster profound educational and community change. Ray shares his journey and explores how a focus on literacy provides benefits that extend beyond the classroom to the broader community. This episode underscores the importance of foundational literacy skills and sets the stage for a new season dedicated to a literacy reboot.
Submit your literacy questions for a chance to win!The Ansley School Instagram): @theansleyschool Ray’s Instagram: @the_rayvolutionWebsite: https://theansleyschool.org/
Show notes:Quotes:
"If you don't get reading right in an elementary school, every piece of the school suffers." —Ray James
"We’re not just doing school, but educating people. I think a lot of people do school, we’re trying to educate our community holistically."—Ray James"Education isn't just about academics, it's about creating a safe place and providing holistic, evidence-based literacy instruction that catalyzes real change."—Ray James
Episode timestamps*
01:00 Season nine: Reading reboot
02:00 Introduction: Who is Ray James?
04:00 Ray James' journey from politics to education
06:00 The Boyce L. Ansley School community
10:00 Support structures for families
13:00 Transforming literacy at The Ansley School
20:00 Impact of literacy initiatives
29:00 Future goals and vision for The Ansley School
40:00 Season nine: Looking ahead
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In this Science of Reading: The Podcast episode, Susan Lambert speaks with Rebecca Tolson and Lisa Lenhart about their roles at the University of Akron's newly established Center for Structured Literacy. They discuss their personal journeys in literacy education, the large grant received from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and how the Center aims to prepare pre-service teachers using the Science of Reading and structured literacy. Rebecca and Lisa elaborate on the faculty’s training program, curriculum updates, and the potential community impact. The conversation also touches on the emotional and professional challenges in shifting to evidence-based practices, the history of literacy legislation in Ohio, and the Center's long-term goals—including IDA accreditation and expanding their impact on both pre-service and in-service educators.
The Reading League: What is the Science of Reading?E-books from the Center for Dyslexia at Middle Tennessee State UniversityOhio’s Dyslexia GuidebookRead Ohio WebsiteInternational Dyslexia Foundation: Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading
Show NotesQuotes
“We're also making sure that our students are prepared in structured literacy, not just to one program, so they're able to understand the structure and adopt it to any program any district is using.” —Lisa Lenhart“The Center for Structured Literacy is about empowering teachers at the onset—bachelor's degree. If districts have to retrain them after they graduate, then we're not doing something right.” —Rebecca Tolson
‘The more I learn, the better I'm at my craft and my teaching for my students.” —Rebecca Tolson
“It takes the right person leading you and it takes hard conversations of what we believe.” —Lisa Lenhart
Timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Rebecca Tolson?
04:00 Introduction: Who is Lisa Lenhart?
05:00 Overview: University of Akron Center for Structured Literacy
11:00 Overhauling an undergraduate program
15:00 Origin Story: Center for Structured Literacy
20:00 A Passion for the Science of Reading
23:00 Intersecting goals: Center for Structured Literacy and the state of Ohio
27:00 The importance of training teachers well the first time
33:00 Training teachers to encounter schools with a variety of approaches to literacy
36:00 Long-term goals for the center
39:00 How to get more educators prepared to teach with evidence-based practices
41:00 The importance of having hard conversations*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute
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Check out Amplify’s new podcast, Beyond My Years— host and educator Ana Torres seeks out educational insights and hard-won lessons directly from people who have thrived for decades in the classroom: seasoned educators.
Subscribe to Beyond My Years on AppleFollow Beyond My Years on SpotifyWebsite: Beyond My Years
On this premiere episode, Ana soaks up wisdom from Joyce Abbott, an educator so passionate about her students that she inspired one of them to go on and write the hit show “Abbott Elementary.” Joyce tells all about her experiences working in a Title 1 school and what it means to know the community of Philadelphia. They also discuss how Joyce’s time serving in the military informed her work as an educator, how she transformed a challenging classroom during her first year, how it has felt to witness the success of “Abbott Elementary,” and her driving force: passion. At the end, Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross to discuss some actionable teaching tips for bringing Joyce's lessons into your classroom.
Show notes: -
In this episode, Jamie Clark and Susan Lambert delve into Jamie's new educational resource called: one-pagers, designed to distill complex educational literacy research into accessible, practical one-page summaries for teachers. Jamie, originally from the United Kingdom and now based in Australia, also shares his one-pager journey from ideation, to creating these resources, to witnessing their impact in the classroom. Aside from discussing his methodology, Jamie also highlights the iterative process of refining his work and collaborating with key figures in the educational field, and the importance of contextual application of these strategies in different educational settings. Jamie also gives an in-depth explanation of his Think-Pair-Share one-pager, highlights how important it is for teachers to continue learning, and ends with advice for anyone looking to make research more accessible.
X: https://x.com/XpatEducatorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/xpateducator/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieleeclark85/Website: https://www.jamieleeclark.comBook: Teaching One-Pagers: Evidence-informed Summaries for Busy Educational ProfessionalsWebsite: JamieLeeClark.comBook: Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques
Show NotesQuotes
“In order to help our students learn effectively, teachers need to know how they learn and sometimes why they do not learn.” —Jamie Clark“Think-pair-share is important because it makes students feel safe before they share with the class.” —Jamie Clark
“The main thing as a teacher for me is that you always need to learn and that you never stop learning.” —Jamie Clark
“The best research is the stuff that you can glean information from and then do something with that's actionable and practical.” —Jamie Clark
Episode Timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Jamie Clark?
05:00 The Birth of One Pagers: Inspiration and Early Days
08:00 Going Viral: The Impact of One Pagers
10:00 Feedback and Collaboration on One Pagers
11:00 Designing for Educators: The Journey to a Book
19:00 Designing Effective One Pagers
21:00 Exploring the Think-Pair-Share Strategy
24:00 Implementing Think-Pair-Share in the Classroom
26:00 Application Across Subjects and Levels
29:00 Challenges and Insights in Creating One-Pagers
35:00 Advice for Teachers and Educators
39:00 Final Thoughts and Future Directions
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In this episode, Susan Lambert talks with Kelly Butler and Margaret Goldberg about their experiences and insights into improving reading instruction, particularly in Mississippi and California. Kelly discusses her work with the Barksdale Reading Institute, its impact on reading education, and the importance of coaching and structured literacy. Margaret shares her experiences as a coach in California, the challenges of teacher training, and the importance of having a clear and effective literacy plan that includes acquiring high quality data and using it to inform all your strategies. Both guests emphasize the need for systemic change and the role of community involvement in educational success.
Follow: Kelly Butler’s Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kelly-butler-5b92b31bFollow: Kelly Butler’s Twitter/X: @KellyButler8Follow: Margaret Goldberg’s Twitter/X and Facebook: @right2readprojFollow: Margaret Goldberg’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-goldberg-247613117/Listen: S2 E5: The Right to Read Project on nurturing automatic readers, with Margaret Goldberg and Alanna MednickListen: S6 E1: The other side of Scarborough’s Rope, with Margaret GoldbergListen: Emily Hanford “Sold a Story” seriesLook: Textbook sSpreadsheet from the Center for Reading Science at Mount Saint Joseph UniversityWatch: Reading Universe: How Children Learn to Read, with Margaret Goldberg
Show NotesQuotes
“The laws are telling us that time's up. We need to get this job done. The good news is we know how to do it. We just need to get it done everywhere.” —Kelly Butler
“My role is more to help people make sense of information that is much more widely available, and help them understand how it applies to the work that we're doing. Whereas before, I felt like I was trying to alert people to the existence of research that had been kept out of reach.” —Margaret Goldberg
Episode Timestamps*
03:00 Introduction: Who are Kelly Butler and Margaret Goldberg?
11:00 Challenges in Teacher Preparation
19:00 Effective Coaching Models
28:00 Margaret's Journey into Coaching
29:00 Collaborative Learning and Best Practices
30:00 Challenges and Solutions in Coaching
35:00 The Impact of Legislation on Coaching
36:00 Reflections on Coaching and Curriculum
48:00 Future Visions and Final Thoughts
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In this episode, Susan Lambert is joined by Arturo Valadez Sáenz, a demonstration teacher from Dallas, Texas, who delves into his journey from his childhood in Mexico to becoming an educator in the United States. He describes his current role, teaching both English and Spanish language arts, and emphasizes the importance of bilingual education. He shares the demographics and linguistic challenges of his students, many of whom are newcomers to the country, some of whom come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or speak different dialects. Arturo discusses effective strategies like bilingual pairing, feedback for learning, and the impact of Science of Reading practices in his classroom. He also highlights the necessity of creating a positive classroom culture and building students’ confidence. Arturo’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the significant difference a dedicated teacher can make in the lives of students.
Follow on Instagram: @arturosaenzelviajero Visit: https://arturosaenz.hearnow.com/
Show notes:Quotes:
“I realized that I truly have a calling of being with kids, and the biggest thing to me is the intrinsic reward that you receive, especially working with economically disadvantaged communities.” —Arturo Valadez Sáenz“It’s all about confidence, building the student’s confidence. It’s a huge component of preparing students to be successful.” —Arturo Valadez Sáenz
“It’s not about the teacher. When planning, my biggest suggestion is do not plan for your own actions. Plan for what the students are going to be doing in every single portion of the lesson.” —Arturo Valadez Sáenz
Episode timestamps*
03:00 Introduction: Who is Arturo Valdez Sáenz?
05:00 Journey to Teaching
09:00 Importance of Bilingual Education
14:00 Strategies for creating positive classroom culture
21:00 Parental Involvement
23:00 Challenges in Bilingual Education and the importance of educator collaboration
27:00 Setting High Expectations for Every Child
28:00 The Power of Immediate Feedback
33:00 Building student confidence and classroom collaboration
34:00 Effective Grouping Strategies in Bilingual Classrooms
37:00 Engaging Students Across Different Grade Levels
40:00 Implementing Science of Reading Practices
45:00 Celebrating Student Growth and Success
48:00 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Educators
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
Listen to this trailer for our new podcast, Beyond My Years, launching August 14th.
Every day headlines tout something “new” in education—the latest research, the hottest tech, the trendiest new hacks for organizing your classroom. However, beyond all the hype there’s one underestimated resource that’s truly deserving of our attention: educators who’ve been doing this for years. In this trailer, you’ll hear from host and educator Ana Torres as she explains her season-long journey of learning from the experiences and lessons of seasoned educators from around the world. Their stories will make you laugh, make you cry, and—just maybe—change the way you think. Subscribe now so you don’t miss a thing.
(Not an Apple user? Subscribe here via Buzzsprout.) -
This episode features an in-depth conversation with Genie Baca, a 33-year education veteran who has spent the last 18 years as a principal in Texas. Baca discusses her career progression from a balanced literacy classroom teacher to various educational roles along her journey to the Science of Reading—and how it all led her to a unique school predominantly serving refugee students. This school, where 39 languages are spoken by the diverse student body, faces different challenges (and opportunities) than most schools. Baca shares some of the transformative strategies implemented under her leadership, particularly focusing on the Science of Reading and high-quality instructional materials. These strategies have significantly improved literacy and engagement, with a systematic approach adjusted for Tier 1 instruction to benefit all students, including monolingual and multilingual learners. Baca’s story showcases the positive influence strong leadership, a dedicated staff, and research-based educational methodologies can have when creating an inclusive, successful learning environment for a diverse student population.
Quotes:"I couldn't just lead my campus into the Science of Reading if I didn't open myself up to [the possibility that] maybe I was wrong. It wasn't easy, but it really took me looking at student work to prove that what I had been doing all these years wasn't working." —Genie Baca
"It's serving every child we have in the seat, whether they're monolingual or they speak two or three languages. What works is a systematic approach to learning how to read." —Genie Baca
"Now that we know better, and we know more about the research and how speaking and reading go together, we're just getting smarter. We're learning more about how reading works, how the brain works, how kids acquire knowledge, and we just have to be smarter with how we do things." —Genie BacaEpisode timestamps*
02:00: Introduction: Who is Genie Baca?
03:00: Genie Baca’s journey in education and unique school
10:00: School changes over 14 years
13:00: Change management: Teacher reactions & professional development
15:00: The shift to Science of Reading
27:00: Science of Reading for multilingual learners
33:00: The importance of oral language and leveraging it in the classroom
35:00: Involving parents and caregivers in the learning process
40:00: Reflecting on lessons learned and future directions
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
In this episode, Diane August, Ph.D. shares her journey and expertise supporting multilingual learners, focusing on her transition from a Spanish language teacher to a widely recognized expert in literacy and language acquisition for multilingual students. August recounts her initial teaching experiences, her realization of the need for better support for language development, and her subsequent pursuit of a Ph.D. and further research efforts to deepen her understanding of second language acquisition and content integrated language teaching. August emphasizes the foundational importance of supporting multilingual learners through asset-based approaches, bilingual programming, and research-based instructional strategies, advocating for educational policies and practices that recognize and leverage the linguistic and cultural assets of multilingual learners from the very early grades all the way through the later grades.
Tool: AIR Project Word Analyzer Vocabulary ToolTool: Wordsmyth.net Educational Dictionary ResourceRead: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and YouthRead: Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures
Show notes:Quotes:
“We found there is no indication that bilingual instruction impeded academic achievement, either in the native language or in English. What we observed on average, [was] that kids that were in bilingual programs did a lot better in literacy.” —Diane August, Ph.D.“There's some sounds in English that aren't present in a first language. Or there are orthography letters that sound different in one language versus the other. So you just have to realize you have to take into consideration the kid's language background when you're teaching foundational skills.” —Diane August, Ph.D
“We develop kids' oral language when they're older in conjunction with teaching them to read and teaching them content area knowledge. You can't not do that from the beginning, you have to support kids in foundational reading skills.” —Diane August, Ph.D.
“Second language learners also come with a lot of knowledge in their first language, which is really important to consider. It's not like they don't have background knowledge.” —Diane August, Ph.D.
Episode timestamps*
1:00: Introduction: Who is Diane August?
6:00: National literacy panel on language minority children and youth
13:00: Importance of longitudinal research
15:00: Exploring different models for supporting biliteracy development
20:00: The Importance of Oral Language
27:00: Intersection of research on learning on how to read for native english speakers and learning how to read for multilingual learners
30:00: Insights from the 2017 Report on Multilingual Learners
33:00: Understanding the Diversity of Multilingual Learners
36:00: Effective Strategies for Supporting Older Multilingual Learners
47:00: Importance of syntax
52:00: Concluding Thoughts on Supporting Multilingual Learners
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
As we continue our miniseries on English learners and multilingual learners Francisco Usero-González, Ph.D. (Paco, as I call him), a renowned expert in bilingual education and dyslexia intervention, joins Susan Lambert to discuss diagnosing dyslexia in multilingual learners and the intersectional understanding it requires. To accurately approach observation and assessment, educators need all the different parts of their own identity to create a complete picture. Usero-González discusses how moving from Spain to the United States led him to champion professional development that teaches educators to have a linguistic, cognitive, and cultural understanding of students. Together, Susan and Usero-González also touch on the ways in which symptoms of dyslexia and the natural process of language acquisition can be confused, how to diagnose dyslexia in multilingual learners, what dyslexia looks like across languages, and how translanguaging is especially helpful for multilingual learners with dyslexia.
Watch: TEDxSHSU Bilingual Learners, Dyslexia, and Inclusive Education Read: Translanguaging by Ofelia García and Sara Vogel
Show Notes:Quotes:
“We need to promote collaboration, because we need to talk to the different teachers that the student has in order to see if it is indeed a second language acquisition issue or it belongs to the patterns, the symptoms, that a student with dyslexia might have.” — Francisco Usero-González“It is very important for us to have this communication with parents and teachers and have them as our best allies. They are going to give us a lot of information that we maybe cannot track during our classroom time.” — Francisco Usero-González
“Dyslexia is something beyond a language. It is something that our students bring with themselves. We need to give them all the tools and resources in order to help them overcome those symptoms.” — Francisco Usero-GonzálezEpisode timestamps*
2:00 Introduction: Who is Francisco Usero-González?
08:00 Going from Spain to the US
09:00 Dyslexia and multilingual learners, why this is an important topic
10:00 Holistic professional development: Linguistic, cognitive, and cultural understanding of students
18:00 Intersection of dyslexia and language acquisition
27:00 Diagnosing dyslexia in multilingual learners
33:00 Symptoms of dyslexia: Spanish vs English
40:00 Dyslexia across languages
48:00 Translanguaging
54:00 Final thoughts: Being a human being
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
Professor Emeritus Jim Cummins, Ph.D., joins Susan Lambert from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education for an engaging conversation that explores the dynamics of language development and bilingual education, as well as the importance of a supportive learning environment for multilingual/English learners. Cummins shares stories from his extensive experience and research in the field, highlighting the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, the importance of literacy engagement, and the role of translanguaging in educational settings. He also illuminates the challenges and opportunities in fostering multilingual capabilities and underscores the value of embracing students' linguistic diversity in schools.
Listen to episode 1, Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel BelowRead: Translanguaging in Bilingual Education by Ofelia García and Angel M.Y. LinWebsite: Language Friendly School
Show notes:Quotes:
“Virtually all the research highlights the importance of being in a communicative, interactive context if you want to pick up a language." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.“There are differences between the linguistic demands of schooling and the kind of language that we use in everyday conversational context outside of school." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.
“All of these processes are amplified when there's a community of peers or people that we can discuss these ideas with, we can get feedback, we can explore ideas collectively." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.
Episode timestamps*
02:00 Introduction: Who is Jim Cummins
03:00 Personal Language Journey
10:00 Global Perspectives on Language Education
18:00 Conversion to academic language spectrum
20:00 The process of learning a second language
25:00 Language awareness
37:00 Translanguaging and Language Policy
43:00 Benefits of being multilingual and fostering a supportive environment
49:00 Joint statement
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute -
To kick off our miniseries focused on how the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs), Amplify Vice President of Biliteracy Kajal Patel Below joins Susan Lambert for a retrospective discussion of the history of literacy education through a biliteracy lens. Together, they discuss the significance of a recent joint statement put out by The Reading League and the National Committee for Effective Literacy. Below sheds light on why this statement is so monumental, and what it means for serving ML/ELs going forward.
Joint Statement from The Reading League (TRL) and the National Committee for Effective Literacy (NCEL)2006 Report: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners
Show notes:Quotes:
“It must be acknowledged that there is more scientific research, or there has been more scientific research, conducted with monolingual English-speaking children, and that additional research related to teaching literacy development for English learners and emergent bilinguals is needed to advance our understanding of their literacy development.” —Kajal Patel Below“We have an underserved area that's experiencing a massive growth in student population. And so it's really important to then focus on it. Schools are adjusting, they're quick, they're doing the best they can, but we need to be having these conversations around research [and] best practices so that we can set schools up for success and students up for success." —Kajal Patel Below
“I just think we have an exciting future in this country. I was in a classroom last week—I saw some of their writing. I saw them speaking, heard them speaking in two languages fluently, easily, excitedly. I just got very excited. These kids are going to be our doctors and our teachers and our engineers and they’re bilingual or multilingual.” —Kajal Patel Below
“Their language is an asset, whatever language it is and however much it is.” —Kajal Patel Below
Episode timestamps*
5:00 Introduction: Who is Kajal Patel Below?
7:00 Terminology: Bilingual vs biliterate; Multilingual/English learners
10:00 History in the US of multilingual learners being underserved
11:00 Multilingualism as an asset
12:00 Importance of messaging
17:00 Advocates for multilingual learners and the science of reading
21:00 Concerns regarding the science of reading movement
25:00 Screening and assessment
31:00 Teacher support and need for better materials
34:00 What is the joint statement?
43:00 Hopes for the future
46:00 Why is this conversation important?*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute
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Science of Reading: The Podcast is launching a special miniseries dedicated to multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs)! Host Susan Lambert will chat with leading researchers and practitioners about how the Science of Reading supports ML/ELs and why this is so important. Through exploration of the key research and enlightening discussions, Susan and guests will discuss the optimal use of the Science of Reading to enhance students’ classroom experiences and overall learning journeys.
Listen to this trailer for a sneak peek and be sure to subscribe now so you don’t miss this exclusive miniseries—the first episode is out April 30!
- Visa fler
