

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
Supported by Great Minds
Melissa & Lori Love Literacy® is a science of reading podcast for teachers who want to understand how reading really works and what that means for classroom instruction. Each month, we explore key topics in the science of reading and literacy instruction through thoughtful conversations with researchers, authors, and classroom teachers who are putting reading research into practice.Melissa & Lori are your classroom-next-door teacher friends turned podcasters, learning alongside you and asking the same questions teachers everywhere are asking: What does the research say about reading? What does strong literacy instruction actually look like in real classrooms? And how can teachers apply the science of reading in ways that make sense for their students?Through conversations with leading literacy experts and educators from classrooms across the globe, Melissa & Lori help bridge the gap between reading research and day-to-day teaching. Whether you are a classroom teacher, literacy coach, interventionist, or school leader, you’ll find clear explanations of science of reading concepts and practical insights for your classroom, school, or district.Topics across the podcast align to science of reading research, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and spelling, along with broader conversations about reading development, multi-tiered systems of support, and supporting struggling readers.If you care about strong reading instruction, evidence-based literacy practices, and helping every student become a successful reader, you’re in the right place.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 25, 2022 • 55min
Ep. 99: An Important Discussion about Reading with Our Dyslexic Children's President, Brett Tingley
Brett Tingley shares how to harness parent energy and expertise to address the legal and moral responsibility of school districts to teach children how to read using science. Our Dyslexic Children tells the story of a group of parents who took on the system, and won. The nonprofit group shares a Strategic Roadmap that’s a practical and actionable guide for educators and parents looking to improve reading instruction in their communities. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Resources Our Dyslexic Children Nonprofit Website Our Dyslexic Children Documentary Our Dyslexic Children Strategic Roadmap Our Dyslexic Children Documentary Zoom Panel with Kareem Weaver and Louisa MoatsOvercoming Dyslexia - Sally Shaywitz Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science by Louisa MoatsLife Before Learning to Read at Age 62 with David Chalk University of California Dyslexia CenterWilson Language Fundations Related EpisodesEp. 82: [CLEAN] Minneapolis Public School Parents: Accepting Nothing Less Than Evidence-Based Reading in SchoolsEp. 74: Dyslexia and Reading Science: A Parent Advocate's PerspectiveEp. 67: Learning to Read at 62 Years Old: A Conversation Illuminating Adult LiteracyEp. 39: Discussing Dyslexia with Advocate & Mom Liz HemblingIf you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Mar 22, 2022 • 1h 12min
[Listen Again] Ep. 62: Effective Fluency Instruction with Tim Rasinski
Last Friday, we talked about FLUENCY with a couple great guests, Lindsay Kemeny and Lorraine Griffith. If you haven't listened to our episode with Tim Rasinski from last summer, give it a listen to add to your knowledge about fluency! From Original Show Notes:In this episode, reading and fluency expert Tim Rasinski tells us all about effective fluency instruction! How does repeated reading build fluency instruction? Why does text difficulty level impact fluency practice? What do effective accuracy, automaticity, and expression sound like?Check out research, articles, and helpful materials located on Tim's website and follow Tim on Twitter @TimRasinski1. We also discuss this piece by Nell Duke.If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Mar 18, 2022 • 54min
Ep 98: Improving Student Reading Growth in Months with Fluency Instruction and Practice
How can regular fluency practice lead to fluent readers? In today’s episode, educators Lorraine Griffith and Lindsay Kemeny discuss the impact of fluency in their classrooms. Fluency is a bridge: It connects word recognition with comprehension. We dive into whole and small group fluency instruction with simple strategies and more. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Resources A Focus on Fluency articleMatt Burns - Partner Reading Paragraph Shrinking PROTOCOL NASP HEREMatt Burns Video Youtube Lindsay Kemeny Youtube Students error correction for partner reading Regular Fluency Practice and Performance OpportunitiesWeekly Poem ExamplesPoetry Foundation Other texts SpeechesReaders TheaterBooks (first person) such as the Dear America series or Because of Winn DixiePattan Literacy Symposium (June 14) Related EpisodesEp. 9 Geodes Rock!Ep. 80 A Primary Teacher’s Perspective on Science of Reading, Small Group Instruction, and Use of Sound WallsEp. 62 Effective Fluency Instruction with Tim RasinskiIf you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Mar 11, 2022 • 54min
Ep 97: Going GLEAM with Lacey Robinson and Andrea Hancock
In this episode, we chat with our friends at UnboundEd about Going GLEAM. Lacey Robinson and Andrea Hancock share the GLEAM process - grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful - and ways that educators can feel empowered to lead from their seat. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group for resources, community, and Live Chats Fridays at 12pm ETTwitter Instagram Related Episodes Ep. 51: Shanita Rapatalo: The Science of Reading, An Equity IssueEp. 7: Why Curriculum Matters!Ep. 79: What Does Equitable ELA Instruction Require?Ep. 54: How can school leaders support teachers in Year 1 HQIM implementation?If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Mar 4, 2022 • 57min
Ep 96: What about Spelling? with Richard Gentry
We’ve been asked about spelling and the connection to reading science more times than we can count. Today, we talk with expert J. Richard Gentry, author of Brain Words and blog contributor to Psychology Today: Raising Readers, Writers, and Spellers (An Expert Guide for Parents).He tells us all about spelling and how it connects to our speech and language system. Moreover, he supplies teachers with practical, meaningful, science of reading-aligned strategies to teach spelling. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Related EpisodesEp. 65: Talking with the Literacy Documentary Team: The Truth About ReadingEp. 70: Science of Reading Part 1: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, & the Aim of Early Literacy Ep. 23: Emily Hanford Epically Defines the Science of ReadingIf you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Feb 25, 2022 • 53min
Ep. 95: Discussing the Shift to New Literacy Curriculum with Two District Leaders
Is your district in the process of choosing a new literacy curriculum? Or have you recently gone through the process? Adopting new curriculum is a huge change and involves shifting mindsets at all levels. In today’s episode, we talk with two district leaders and learners doing exciting work with evidence-based, high quality instructional materials (HQIM). Join us in our conversation with Jean Wyche, Elementary Language Arts Specialist at Fairfax County Schools, and Janise Lane, former Executive Director of Teaching and Learning in Baltimore City and current Regional VP for Partner Success at Amplify ELA. By the end of today’s episode, we hope you will learn concrete steps districts need to take when deciding to move to HQIM. We hope you will enjoy hearing how they keep core values close while building coherence, collaboration, and confidence! We’d love to hear your thoughts on this conversation, so send us an email melissaandlori@literacypodcast.com or send us a message on Twitter or Instagram @literacypodcast.Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram RESOURCES MENTIONEDEd Reports: https://edreports.org/ Selecting for Quality: 6 Key Adoption StepsCurriculum Matters: https://curriculummatters.org/ Rivet Education: https://riveteducation.org/ Book: Shifting the Balance RELATED EPISODESEpisode 48: Behind the Scenes at EdReports.orgEpisode 45: RivetED Talks High Quality Professional Learning (HQPL)Episode 7: Why Curriculum Matters!If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Feb 18, 2022 • 55min
Ep. 94: "If only I would have known..." Book Talk with Author Faith Borkowsky
Today we talk with Faith Borkowsky about her book, “If only I would have known… “ What I wish the Pediatrician, the Preschool Teacher, and the Librarian would have told me about Language, Literacy, and Dyslexia. This accessible book explains the science of reading in simple terms. Check out Ifonlybooks.com for free resources such as a book discussion guide. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Feb 11, 2022 • 50min
Ep 93: School Counselor and Reading Advocate Dad - Tre Hadrick
Tre Hadrick, father, guidance counselor, reading science advocate, and book club leader, joins us on the pod today. You might know him as Mr. Lit on Twitter or Instagram, where he advocates for literacy and justice for all. Tre’s book club, Lit Champs (Dad’s Literacy Book Club), gained attention when he posted a video discussing this book - If only I had known… by Faith Borkowsky. We connected with Tre to discuss the impact of this book on his son and community. We also consider the big impact of this piece by Dr. Stephen Dykstra, titled Trauma and Reading.Digressions include Tre’s children’s book, Cheesesteaks and Clippers: The Barbership where you can learn about you, me and we! and recommendations for both cheesesteaks and clippers in the Philly area. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Feb 4, 2022 • 1h 4min
[Listen Again] Ep. 23: Emily Hanford Epically Defines the Science of Reading
Hi Literacy Lovers! This week we wanted to offer you all a chance to listen to one of our favorite episodes from when we just started the podcast. The absolutely incredible and inspirational Emily Hanford drops a TON of information in this episode, so it's worth another listen if it's been a while. We hope you get as much from our conversation with her as we did! We will back next Friday with a brand new episode for you all. [From Feb 10, 2020] Today Emily Hanford joins Melissa and Lori to define the Science of Reading, addressing the current misinterpretation of the term and what it really means. She shares thoughts on teacher prep programs and where teachers get knowledge about what or how to teach, contemplates why teacher prep programs are not preparing teachers to teach kids how to read, and how curriculum plays a role in helping teachers who do not know the science of reading.Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Jan 28, 2022 • 56min
Ep 92: Talking About the Literacy Block with Two Early Elementary Teachers
We’re joined by two dedicated early grade teachers from Vista Peak Exploratory in Aurora, CO—April Evans (Grade 1) and Danielle Hunter (Grade 3). They share their journey toward more effective literacy instruction and discuss how intentional teaching practices build student engagement, knowledge, and community. Hear what literacy looks like in grades 1 and 3 and how educators align learning across grade levels to support every reader’s growth.Decodable Readers Protocol from Student Achievement Partners Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram If you’re enjoying Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, bring us to your school or event.We offer keynotes, presentations, and live podcast-style sessions focused on practical, science of reading–aligned strategies aligned to our podcast and book, The Literacy 50. Email LiteracyPodcast@greatminds.org to learn more.Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.


