Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers

Episode 260 In this episode, Wiley Blevins shares practical strategies for differentiating phonics instruction in both whole group and small group settings. We explore high impact routines, effective use of decodable texts, and how to meet diverse student needs efficiently. Wiley walks us through how to design routines that are expansive enough to serve everyone in whole group, while using small group for the high-intensity, targeted practice that takes kids further faster. Differentiation does not have to happen only in small group. It can live right inside the phonics routines you are already using every day. Resources Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact by Wiley Blevins Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 259 In this episode, we’re joined once again by literacy researcher and educator Brennan Chandler for a practical, teacher-friendly conversation all about spelling routines that support students as spellers and writers. Brennan walks us through a sequence of short, research-based routines including Sound Check Pattern Power Up, Word Workout Heart Word Heroes Sentence Sprint Spell Streak Free scripts and printables for all six routines are here: Spell Squad We talk about how these routines build from sounds to patterns to words to sentences, helping students move toward applying spelling knowledge in authentic writing. Throughout the episode, Brennan shares clear examples teachers can try right away, along with ideas for scaffolding instruction, providing immediate feedback, and making spelling practice more engaging and meaningful for students. We also discuss the importance of cumulative review, sentence-level practice, and transfer into real writing, especially for students who continue to need spelling support in upper elementary and beyond. Resources Free scripts and printables for all six routines are here: Spell Squad Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) Brennan references Fuchs’ peer-assisted learning work. Anita Archer’s instructional routines How to Teach Students to Read Irregular Words with Danielle Colenbrander & Katie Pace Miles Podcast episode featuring Danielle Colenbrander discussion heart words. Follow Brennan Chandler Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 96 from 3/4/2022 We’re bringing back one of our most requested conversations about spelling and the important role it plays in reading development. In this episode, we revisit our conversation with literacy expert J. Richard Gentry, author of Brain Words , to explore how spelling supports automatic word recognition and stronger reading and writing overall. Throughout the conversation, Richard explains how spelling connects directly to students’ speech and language systems. He also shares practical, science of reading-aligned strategies teachers can use to make spelling instruction more intentional. Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 258 In this episode, we sit down with literacy researcher Brennan Chandler to talk about the science of spelling instruction and why spelling deserves a much bigger role in science of reading conversations. Brennan explains how spelling supports stronger writing, more precise word knowledge, and better reading outcomes. We discuss why spelling should be taught explicitly rather than left to chance, why patterns matter more than memorized rules, and how phonology, orthography, and morphology all work together when students learn to spell. Brennan also shares why morphology belongs in the early grades, how retrieval practice strengthens spelling knowledge, and why traditional Friday spelling tests often fail to lead to lasting learning. This conversation is full of practical insights for teachers who want to move beyond isolated spelling activities and toward instruction that truly supports literacy development. And this is just part one. Brennan will be back in our next episode focused entirely on practical spelling routines teachers can use right away in the classroom. Brennan mentioned his TAP model of spelling instruction (Teach, Practice, Apply) in this episode. He's built six routines that put it into practice, called Spell Squad. Each one comes with scripting and a timer so you can teach it straight from the screen. Free teaching scripts and printables are on his site: Spell Squad Resources Free teaching scripts and printables are on Brennan's site: Spell Squad "Spelling Is an Integral Part of Learning the Language, Not a Matter of Memorization." "How Spelling Supports Reading" by Louisa Moats This resource from Logic of English shares several high-utility spelling patterns and generalizations that may feel more useful and transferable than the long lists of spelling “rules” many of us learned in school. Follow Brennan Chandler Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

In this bonus episode, we're bringing you research right from the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR) conference, one of the biggest gatherings of reading researchers in the world. We break down the key takeaways, emerging trends, and standout research that caught our attention, and talk about what it all means for your classroom. If you want to know where the science of reading is headed next, this one's for you. Resources Mentioned Words as Tools (coming soon) Reading Ready + Reading Go How To Plan for Differentiated Instruction (ACCESS Reading) Anderson & Strong (2026) Jake Downs is the host of the Teaching Literacy Podcast (it's a M&L favorite!) Clarence Greene's British and American Word Families (BAWF) Database: https://cgg-projects.github.io/BAWF_V2/ Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 257 Why do so many students appear to thrive in early literacy, only to stall by middle school? In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Kockler to unpack what literacy data from Louisiana revealed about a common but often misunderstood pattern: strong early reading results followed by flat or declining comprehension growth in later grades. At the center of the conversation is the concept of the Decoding Threshold: the point at which students can read words accurately and automatically enough to access grade-level text and grow in comprehension. Rebecca explains: What happens when students never fully cross that threshold Why decoding instruction must continue through middle school How multisyllabic decoding becomes a critical turning point around fourth grade The powerful connection between morphology, vocabulary, and spelling Why fluency is the first true step of application How reader identity influences students’ willingness to grapple with challenging text What effective assessment actually looks like for older readers You’ll walk away with practical strategies to support multisyllabic decoding, vocabulary and spelling development, integrated fluency practice, & tier 1 instruction that adapts to increasing language complexity. If you’ve ever wondered why students who “learned to read” struggle later — this conversation will reshape how you think about literacy instruction in elementary and middle school. Resources Resources for Educators Why "Learn to Read, Read to Learn" Fails Older Readers - And How To Fix It Action Guide for Educators ROAR Standards & Instructional Practices We Never Stop Learning to Read by Chase Young (blog) Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 256 Faith Howard shares practical strategies for improving literacy skills in middle and high school students, focusing on decoding multisyllabic words, spelling routines, and fluency practices. This episode offers actionable insights for educators aiming to enhance reading comprehension and word attack skills. Resources Encoding & Decoding with Word Pyramids Blog I Was Doing Fluency Wrong - Until I Made It About Knowledge Blog Teachers Teach Teachers | Science of Reading YouTube Channel Video Read Like Us Podcast Episode with Jake Downs & Chase Young Tight Ten Article Literacy Lab with Faith Facebook Page Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your students decode longer words, this episode is for you! We’re joined by literacy researcher and professor Devin Kearns to talk all about teaching multisyllabic words. Many phonics programs focus on single-syllable words, but what happens when students hit big words and get stuck? Devin unpacks the research behind why that happens and what we can do instead. We talk about: flexible decoding strategies, when and how to teach syllables and morphemes, and what “set for variability” really looks like in the classroom (spoiler: it’s not guessing!). You’ll walk away with practical, research-backed ideas to help your students read longer words with confidence. Devin M. Kearns, Ph.D. , is the Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy at NC State, where he studies early reading and collaborates with experts in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience to explore the brain basis of reading. RESOURCES Helping Students With Dyslexia Read Long Words: Using Syllables and Morphemes by Devin M. Kearns and Victoria M. Whaley Following the Rules in an Unruly WritingSystem: The Cognitive Science ofLearning to Read English by Devin M. Kearns and Matthew J. Cooper Borkenhagen Syllable Division: New Data that Can Inform Intervention by Joanne Marttila Pierson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP On Eating Elephants and Teaching Syllabication by Tim Shanahan Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Connect with us! Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org. Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 255 Experts Don Compton & Laura Steacy explore the complexities of multisyllabic word reading and the decoding challenges older readers encounter, especially those with dyslexia. They discuss how readers navigate complex words using different decoding strategies, the role of morphology and “set for variability” in reading development, and how tools like the DELP database help predict word difficulty. The episode offers practical insights into supporting literacy development and improving instruction for struggling readers. Resources D-ELP Tool FCRR Student Center Activities Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 254 In this episode, we sit down with kindergarten teacher Anjanette McNeely to take a close look at one powerful instructional routine: word chaining. Anjanette walks us through exactly what word chaining looks like in her classroom, from the materials she uses to the language she says, and explains why this routine is such an effective way to build both phonemic awareness and phonics at the same time. We also explore how word chaining supports orthographic mapping, why connecting sounds to print matters, and how small instructional shifts, like continuous blending and interleaving, can have a big impact on student learning. Whether you're new to word chaining or looking to refine your practice, this episode offers practical ideas you can try right away. Resources Word Chaining: An Efficient and Effective Alternative to Oral Phonemic Awareness by Anjanette McNeely: Blog post about word chaining and a video of Anjanette's classroom in action Word Chaining: A Simple Routine for Reading and Spelling (printable) You can see a picture of Anjanette's word chaining tray here Word Chains for Decoding and Encoding Practice: An overview on how to make and use word chains to teach decoding and encoding ( from UFLI ) 44 Phonemes (video) : Learn how to pronounce the 44 phonemes in the English alphabet (from Rollins Center for Language and Literacy) Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

We’re revisiting this episode with Matt Burns because it offers one of the clearest explanations of phonemic awareness and how it fits into reading instruction. In this conversation, Matt helps unpack what the research actually says and what that means for what we prioritize in the classroom. He explains why phonemic awareness is not a standalone precursor to reading, but develops alongside it, and why decoding should take center stage as students move into the upper elementary grades. If you’ve ever felt unsure about how phonemic awareness fits into your instruction, or what to focus on as students progress, this episode brings clarity and practical direction. Resources Phonemic Awareness, Research, Misconceptions, and Fads with Dr. Matt Burns They Say You Can Do Phonemic Awareness Instruction “In the Dark”, But Should You? A Critical Evaluation of the Trend Toward Advanced Phonemic Awareness Training RIP to Advanced Phonemic Awareness | Shanahan on Literacy Phonemic Awareness with Letters YouTube video , Matt Burns Matt Burns YouTube Channel National Reading Panel Report Elkonin Boxes , Reading Rockets Florida Center for Reading Research UFLI Foundations Ep. 159: Back to School: Science of Reading or Snake Oil with Holly Lane Road to the Code , Book IES Practice Guides Empirical Analysis of Drill Ratio Research: Refining the Instructional Level for Drill Tasks , Matt Burns (meta-analysis) Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 253 In this episode, we talk with Marianne Rice about key findings from a Tennessee report examining how well early literacy materials align with research on phonemic awareness and early reading instruction. Marianne walks us through five essential practices that can help teachers make the most of their instructional time: focusing on phoneme-level work using articulatory gestures connecting phonemic awareness to print being mindful of instructional time prioritizing blending and segmenting. Throughout the conversation, Marianne shares practical ways teachers can evaluate and adjust their current curriculum without starting from scratch. The big takeaway: small instructional shifts, especially connecting sounds to print and focusing on blending and segmenting, can have a big impact on helping students become strong readers and spellers. Resources Kindergarten and First-Grade HQIM Alignment with Research on Code-Focused Instruction : Tennessee Early Literacy Report (referenced in the episode) 5 Focus Areas for Phonemic Awareness (printable) 44 Phonemes (video) : Learn how to pronounce the 44 phonemes in the English alphabet (from Rollins Center for Language and Literacy) Word Chains for Decoding and Encoding Practice: An overview on how to make and use word chains to teach decoding and encoding ( from UFLI ) What Works Clearinghouse Guide: Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade Phonemic Awareness: A Meta-Analysis for Planning (need ILA access) Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 252 What actually happens when students encounter a complex text? In this episode, we’re joined by Luke Morin to discuss his article " Wading Into the Deep End: What Reading Actually Requires When the Text Gets Hard ." Luke shares a powerful classroom moment where students applied reading strategies before tackling a tough text and still couldn’t make sense of a single sentence. That experience led him to rethink what it really means to teach reading. In this conversation, we explore: Why using strategies doesn’t guarantee understanding How text complexity is shaped by the interaction between text, reader, and task What collective close reading looks like in practice How to provide “lily pad” supports without rescuing students Luke challenges the idea that comprehension can be reduced to checklists or isolated skills. Instead, he offers a vision of instruction that prepares students to wade into deep water with support, intention, and growing independence. RESOURCES " Wading Into the Deep End: What Reading Actually Requires When the Text Gets Hard " by Luke Morin "A Lily Pad, in Practice" (Collective Close Reading Sample) " Why Mastery Doesn't Matter " by Luke Morin " The Surprising Power of the Humble Worksheet" by Luke Morin Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 139 As we continue our focus on comprehension this month, we’re revisiting one of our most essential conversations. In this episode, we explore a foundational truth about reading: comprehension depends on knowledge. We’re joined by cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, who explains why background knowledge is one of the strongest drivers of reading comprehension and why strategies alone can’t compensate for gaps in knowledge. We also talk with Barbara Davidson, Executive Director of the Knowledge Matters Campaign, about the role strong, knowledge-building curriculum plays in helping students access complex text. Whether this is your first listen or a return, this episode remains foundational. Resources Knowledge Matters Campaign website Books by Daniel Willingham Reading Rockets Q&A with Daniel Willingham Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 251 One of the most consistent findings in reading research is this: how much you know determines how far you can go as a reader. In this episode, we’re joined by Kelly Gallagher, author of To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff , to explore why knowledge is central to comprehension and what that means for classroom instruction. Kelly helps us rethink the long-standing emphasis on isolated reading strategies and instead focus on building knowledge at multiple levels: word, sentence, passage, article, and book. Kelly offers clear examples and practical thinking that will help you reflect on how knowledge is built over time and how we can design instruction that goes deeper, not just wider. RESOURCES To Read Stuff, You Have To Know Stuff by Kelly Gallagher Kelly Gallagher’s Article of the Week Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 251 In this episode, we’re joined by Tim Rasinski, Melissa Cheesman, and Savannah Campbell , authors of The Megabook of Vocabulary , to talk about practical, classroom-ready strategies that actually work. We dig into the biggest misconceptions about vocabulary instruction, where vocabulary words should come from, how many exposures a word truly needs, and how to move words from simple recognition to confident use in speaking and writing. You’ll hear about: Why morphology and generative vocabulary are more powerful than weekly word lists How Word Ladders build decoding, spelling patterns, and vocabulary simultaneously How to integrate fluency and vocabulary through repeated reading, Readers’ Theater, and performance-based routines What “deep processing” really means—and why it makes words stick long term This conversation bridges research and practice, showing how vocabulary connects to decoding, fluency, and comprehension in meaningful ways. If you’re looking for high-impact routines that support all learners. This episode will leave you with actionable ideas you can use right away. Vocabulary doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It can be powerful, generative, and deeply connected to everything else we teach. Resources Megabook of Vocabulary (Free Printable Resource aligned to this episode!) Megabook of Vocabulary (Book) Tim Rasinski's Website + Resources Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

What does the research really say about effective vocabulary instruction—and how can we translate it into daily classroom practice? In this episode, we’re joined by literacy expert Blythe Anderson to unpack vocabulary moves grounded in research that make a measurable difference for students. From intentional word selection to meaningful student talk, Blythe shares practical, classroom-ready strategies that help educators move beyond “word of the week” and into instruction that builds deep, lasting word knowledge. Together, we explore: Why explicit vocabulary instruction matters How to choose the right words to teach The role of discussion and student engagement Practical routines that strengthen word learning across content areas How to ensure vocabulary sticks for long-term comprehension Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or school leader, this conversation will leave you with concrete, research-backed practices you can implement immediately. Tune in to learn how small, intentional shifts in vocabulary instruction can lead to big gains in student word learning and comprehension. Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 250 In this episode, we’re joined by Margaret McKeown, a leading researcher in vocabulary and language development, to explore what effective vocabulary instruction really looks like in practice. Margaret helps us unpack common misconceptions about vocabulary teaching, including the pressure to ensure students “master” every word and the belief that vocabulary instruction must always be formal and pre-planned. She explains the power of informal instruction words “running through the classroom” and why repeated exposure over time supports deep word learning. We also dive into: What learning words in context actually means (and what it doesn’t) How to think about vocabulary tiers without treating them like a rulebook When vocabulary should be taught (before, during, or after reading) The connection between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension Better ways to assess vocabulary beyond traditional tests Margaret reminds us that vocabulary learning is more like climbing a ladder than crossing a finish line. Not every word requires deep instruction, but thoughtful, strategic choices can make a meaningful impact on comprehension. If vocabulary instruction has ever felt overwhelming, this conversation offers clarity, reassurance, and practical insight for making it manageable and effective. Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 248 There’s a saying we hear often in literacy work: you don’t want to try to intervene your way out of a Tier 1 problem. Real change happens when classroom instruction and small-group support are aligned. In this episode, we’re joined by Kerry Cusick and Erin Sharon , two reading interventionists, who share how aligning Tier 1 instruction with the small-group work they lead every day transformed both their approach and student outcomes. While their work lives in intervention, the routines and decision-making they describe are just as relevant for classroom teachers running small groups. In this conversation, we explore: What small-group intervention looked like before alignment and what had to change How clearer, more consistent Tier 1 instruction reshaped small-group teaching What responsive small-group lessons look like when they’re built around student need How phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and meaning work together in small groups Why fluency matters and how routines move students from sounds to connected text Kerry and Erin share practical examples from their MTSS work, including how they use data to form groups, align with classroom scope and sequence, and design small-group instruction that builds accuracy, automaticity, and meaning. RESOURCES Small-Group Instruction Listening Guide Building Fluency with POSSUM with Melissa Orkin and Maryanne Wolf (podcast episode) Reading Universe Read Works Read Live Roll & Reads UFLI Kindergarten UFLI Grade 1 Neuhaus Education Center Rapid Recognition Chart Generator Crafting Minds Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.

Episode 143 This conversation remains one of our most downloaded episodes and for good reason. As we focus this month on small-group instruction, we’re revisiting this important discussion with a team of authors who published the article Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction. In this episode, we explore: • Why small-group reading instruction has been so widely adopted • What the research actually says about its effectiveness • Common misconceptions about small-group time • What makes small-group instruction purposeful and impactful If you’re rethinking how small-group time fits within strong Tier 1 instruction, or wondering how to make those minutes count, this episode offers research-informed clarity. Resources Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction Dr. Neena Saha’s Reading Research Recap of this research What Should Small Group Instruction Look Like ? Tim Shanahan Reinterpreting the development of reading skills Scott Paris Applying New Visions of Reading Development in Today's Classrooms Kay Stahl Text Projec t with Freddy Hiebert Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Our Children’s Learning by Peter Johnston Looking for more literacy support and resources? Explore all of our podcast episodes, free listening guides, and classroom tools at literacypodcast.com . Interested in bringing Melissa & Lori Love Literacy to your school or event? Email us at literacypodcast@greatminds.org.