

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

Feb 23, 2021 • 1h 1min
Ep. 45: RivetED Talks High Quality Professional Learning (HQPL)
How is professional learning is different with HQIM? How do we define high quality professional learning (HQPL)? Why should HQPL be content focused? Who is best suited to provide support for implementation of HQIM... and why? Answers to these questions and more with Rivet Education! Rivet is passionate about all teachers receiving access to HQIM... AND that the professional learning and development supports help them to use materials as intended. One notable resource from Rivet Education is the Professional Learning Partner Guide (PLPG). This guide supports partners by providing information about HQPL, aligned to HQIM.Rivet believes:Teachers should provide students with grade-level instruction everyday.School and district leaders need to provide teachers with access to HQIM and HQIM-aligned professional learning (PL) in order to provide students with HQ instruction.SEAs should incentivize the use of HQIM; Rivet supports SEAs and LEAs in this work. Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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 19, 2021 • 1h 12min
Ep. 44: Elevating the Education Profession with The Right to Read Project
Margaret Goldberg & Lani Mednick from The Right to Read Project share why we should give equal importance to the ENTIRE reading rope (Scarborough's Reading Rope)!We ask some tough questions, including Why and how are knowledge-building HQIM the epitome of EQUITY?How can we professionalize the teaching profession? How can leaders support teachers?Listen in to learn from their incredible experiences... Lani is currently an assistant principal, and Margaret is currently a classroom teacher. Both are working to apply the tenants of the science of reading in the field! Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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 13, 2021 • 1h 3min
Ep. 43: A Knowledge-Based Approach to Writing: The Vermont Writing Collaborative
Joey Hawkins & Diana Leddy of The Vermont Writing Collaborative share how educators can support students in creating and communicating their understanding through writing. The three pillars for writing for understanding are: Backward design (envision the final goal!)Build understanding (talking about text, writing about text, acting it out, and more!)Direct instruction (writing models, structures, organizers)Writing is a powerful way of working with knowledge - a coherent chunk of knowledge. How do HQIM support and execute this approach to writing for understanding? Listen in to find out, and grab a copy of their book, Writing for Understanding! Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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 27, 2021 • 53min
Ep. 42: Why should we teach social studies?
Adam Tyner, Associate Director of Research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, joins us to unpack his recent research findings on Social Studies Instruction and Reading Comprehension: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. A snapshot of this study is highlighted in EducationWeek's article, Does Social Studies Build Stronger Readers? A New Study Suggests So. We ask Adam about possible reasons why and how social studies instruction impacts reading comprehension, and make connections to why this research is compelling for HQIM implementers. If you'd like to hear more from Adam, you can find him moonlighting on The Fordham Institute's The Education Gadfly Show Podcast.Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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 16, 2021 • 1h 5min
Ep. 41: HQIM + Primary Grades: The Inside Scoop from Two Primary Teachers in Baltimore
How do primary teachers take a 'both and' approach to literacy - building foundational skills for word recognition alongside knowledge and vocabulary for language comprehension? Jen & Sam, two primary teachers from Baltimore, share their experiences with Wit & Wisdom ELA (and the digital component, in Sync) as well as Geodes. How do high quality instructional materials (HQIM) impact the primary grades? Find out from Jen and Sam. They'll share the impact of HQIM, the struggles, the scaffolds, the successes! Grab a notebook... you'll want to takes notes! Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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 2, 2021 • 52min
Ep. 40: See ya 2020! Welcome 2021!
Melissa and Lori reflect on the highs and lows of 2020, and share who they'd like to pod with in 2021! Join us to reflect and reset as we begin the new year. Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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.

Nov 24, 2020 • 58min
Ep. 39: Discussing Dyslexia with Advocate & Mom Liz Hembling
Liz Hembling's daughter, Mia, attended a public elementary school. Liz noticed early on that she struggled terribly learning to read. In second grade, the school placed Mia in a remedial reading group, without communicating this to Liz. When Liz expressed her concerns, she was repeatedly assured that Mia was “on grade level” and “fine.” But... she wasn’t fine. Liz knew there was something wrong.This sent Liz on a quest to understand what's happening in the public school system. How could she create change to ensure all kids could access quality reading instruction and services? Liz joined Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and tirelessly advocates for students and families. Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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.

Oct 7, 2020 • 56min
Ep. 38: Success Amidst a Pandemic in Sioux City, NE
Tracy Heilman, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Sioux City, NE, shares how her district shifted from a standards-driven, balanced literacy approach to Wit & Wisdom ELA. She's led the charge during COVID to transitioning both materials and mindsets to facilitate access to high quality instruction. Visit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookIf 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.

Sep 21, 2020 • 60min
Ep. 37: Placing Text at the Center of the ELA Classroom with Meredith Liben & Sue Pimentel
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 ClassroomIf 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.

Aug 27, 2020 • 1h 1min
Ep. 36: 'Twas the Night Before Back to School with City Schools Teachers, Kyair & Katie!
Kyair and Katie are just exceptional humans with the biggest hearts! Two fabulous teachers from Baltimore join us (again!) to chat about virtual school, share tips and tricks for virtual learning, the benefit of having HQIM during this unprecedented time, and how they'll support students' SEL needs. Connect with them on Twitter:Kyair - @kyairbKatie - @kstoryscottiVisit OUR WEBSITE to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast! https://www.literacypodcast.com/Connect with Melissa & Lori:TwitterInstagramFacebookToday is a great day to start your own podcast... If you’re thinking about it, we say GO FOR IT! We love Buzzsprout for so many reasons, but especially because it’s easy to use and their customer service rocks! Use our Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift card. 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.


