Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ®

Episode 243
Jamey Peavler discusses the importance of recognizing the varied learning needs of students in all grades! She emphasizes the distinction between comprehension and word recognition skills, advocating for differentiated instruction to better support each student's unique learning journey.
Key Takeaways
Word recognition and comprehension can develop at different rates.
Differentiated instruction is essential for meeting diverse learning needs.
Teachers should empower themselves to adapt their teaching methods.
Effective teaching requires awareness of students' varying skill levels.
Teachers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between comprehension and skill.

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

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Episode 242
In this episode, Carl Hendrick emphasizes the critical role of timely feedback in the educational process, highlighting how immediate responses to misconceptions can significantly enhance student learning. He discusses the challenges teachers face in providing effective feedback and the importance of checking for understanding, interleaving, and retrieval practice to ensure that students grasp the material being taught.
Check out this resource we made just for you to accompany the content in this episode! Evidence-Based Practices to Make Learning Stick One-Pager 
Key Takeaways
Timely feedback is crucial for effective learning.
The closer the feedback loop, the more powerful the learning.
Checking for understanding can significantly improve teaching effectiveness.
Understanding checks guide instructional decisions.

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.

Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 241
Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone discuss the often-overlooked topic of syntax and its critical role in reading comprehension. With Melissa & Lori, they discuss the architecture of sentences, the importance of understanding parts of speech, and the interconnectedness of syntax and meaning. The conversation highlights effective teaching strategies, the challenges posed by complex sentences, and the necessity of integrating background knowledge for comprehension. Nancy and Julia share practical instructional moves, emphasizing the need for explicit instruction and cognitive preparation to enhance students' understanding of sentence structures.
Takeaways
Syntax is the architecture of a sentence. It is essential for understanding sentence structure and meaning.
Explicit instruction is necessary for effective learning of syntax.
Teaching grammar needs to focus on meaning, not just labeling.
Engaging students with authentic texts improves comprehension.
Integrating background knowledge is crucial for comprehension.
Resources 
Tips & Tools: Sentences (resource sheet) 


We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.

Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 240
Primary teacher Meghan Hein shares how she keeps the text front and center of learning. She discusses the shift from a skills-based focus to an approach where meaning-making drives instruction. The conversation highlights practical strategies for teachers to build knowledge through texts and create a more authentic learning experience. Meghan's insights reflect a commitment to continuous learning and adapting teaching practices to better serve students' needs.
✨ You’ll definitely want to listen to the podcast that inspired this conversation! Episode 37 with Sue Pimentel and Meredith Liben dives into their article Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom.
Takeaways
Shifting from skill-based to meaning-making instruction is crucial.
Building knowledge through texts is essential for comprehension.
Teachers must empower themselves through continuous learning.
Curriculum should support, not dictate, teaching practices.
Understanding the intent behind texts enriches the learning experience.
Interleaving skills and content enhances understanding.
Students thrive when they connect learning to real-world contexts.
Resources 
Refreshed Companion Episode with Meredith Liben & Sue Pimentel (podcast)
Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom (article) 
Teacher Meghan Hein on Instagram (you might know her as always more to learn!)

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.

Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Episode 37 
The article Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom is a must-read — before or after you listen to this episode!
Meredith Liben and Sue Pimentel join us to unpack the true intentions behind the Common Core State Standards and how they’ve sometimes been misinterpreted in practice. They share what they’ve observed in classrooms and schools — both when high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are in place and when they’re not.
We also ask them some tough (and important!) questions:
What does this mean for assessment, especially “data-driven” instruction?
What are better ways to assess and track student progress?
Meredith and Sue are smart, funny, and incredibly relatable — you’ll love this conversation. It’s truly a must-listen episode!
📖 Read the article that inspired this episode:
 Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom
Introduction to Poetry - Billy Collins poem Meredith mentions 
Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom 

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.

Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.