In Episode 77 of the Teaching Literacy Podcast, guest host Dr. Laura Tortorelli sits down with Dr. Jake Downs to unpack a recent grade 3 intervention study published in Reading Research Quarterly with co-authors Freddy Hiebert, Kristin Conradi Smith, and Katie Martz. Together, they explore the demands of reading long, complex words and a straightforward blending routine for supporting multisyllabic word reading. They also discuss the need for supporting accuracy and automaticity in complex text and how to use the multisyllabic blending strategy with the repeated reading Read Like Us protocol.
It’s a special roundtable on the Teaching Literacy Podcast! Host Dr. Jake Downs, Lori Southington, and Blythe Anderson record live from the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR) conference in Rotterdam to bridge the gap between emerging research and classroom practice. The trio unpacks key studies on interactive read-alouds and morphology instruction, highlighting how teachers can move past superficial vocabulary “mentioning” to foster deep, active meaning-making. Additionally, Jake shares findings from his own study on multisyllabic word profiles in upper-elementary curricula, de
In this episode of the Teaching Literacy Podcast, host Jake Downs sits down with Dr. Laura Tortorelli and Dr. John Strong to unpack how vocabulary and advanced decoding interact to help upper elementary students navigate complex academic texts. Discussing their recent study on multisyllabic decoding achievement, the researchers explain why treating vocabulary and word recognition as isolated instructional buckets is a critical mistake. They dive into the mechanics of the fourth-grade slump and Linnea Ehri’s consolidated alphabetic phase, sharing striking findings like why nearly 100% of strugg
In this episode, Jake sits down with Dr. Amanda Shimizu to discuss her research paper, A Multimodal Content Analysis of Popular Early Childhood Stories and Read-Alouds on YouTube, co-authored with Dr. Margaret Quinn. Together they analyzed the 50 most popular preschool read-aloud videos on YouTube over a one-year period, examining both video design and instructional quality. Reference: Shimizu, A. Y., & Quinn, M. F. (2026). A multimodal content analysis of popular early childhood stories and read-alouds on YouTube. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 14687984261442422. https://doi.org/10.1177
In this episode I sit down with the SRI Education research team—Dr. Dan Reynolds, Dr. Anna Jennerjohn, and Dr. Sara Rutherford-Quach—to unpack their learning brief, Beyond the Surface. This episode explores the gap between using high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and achieving deep, robust reading comprehension. Read the Brief Here: https://www.sri.com/publication/education-learning-pubs/beyond-the-surface-leveraging-high-quality-instructional-materials-for-robust-reading-comprehension/ Quick Summary: Actionable advice for coaches and school leaders to build systems that support genui
This is a rebroadcast of Episode 245 from the Melissa and Lori Love Literacy Podcast – you can check out that episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/read-like-us-building-fluency-through-repeated-reading/id1463219123?i=1000748503901 Make sure to check out the Literacy.io training on the Kat Framework for Comprehension this June! -June 24-25 in East Lansing Michigan -Individual registration available at: https://tamu.estore.flywire.com/products/cusp—the-reading-leagueliteracy10-participant-registration–412940 -Group registration available at: https://tamu.estore.flywire.com/product
In this episode we welcome Dr. Sharon Walpole, a professor at the University of Delaware. We explore the challenges teachers face in addressing varying student needs, Dr. Walpole’s pragmatic approach to differentiation, and the developmental roadmap for reading proficiency. Dr. Walpole shares insights on the importance of grade-level instruction, the flaws of certain assessment systems, and practical classroom applications. Make sure to check out Dr. Walpole’s books with Guilford Press! https://www.guilford.com/author/Sharon-Walpole 00:00 Introduction to Differentiation 01:03 Meet Dr. Sharon W
In this episode of the Teaching Literacy Podcast, host Jake Downs discusses with Dr. Michael Coyne from the University of Connecticut the concept of advanced phonemic awareness and its implications for early reading proficiency. Dr. Coyne shares findings from his recent study that examines the impact of using oral-only advanced phonemic awareness instruction on first graders. They explore the theoretical underpinnings, practical recommendations for teachers, and the overall relevance of these findings to classroom practice. Tune in to understand the nuanced debate around advanced phonemic awar
How can we best apply the Science of Reading to support multilingual learners? This episode tackles that critical question with Dr. Steven Amendum from the University of Delaware. We explore how evidence-based literacy instruction must leverage a student’s first language as a key asset, not a barrier. Dr. Amendum breaks down practical teaching strategies to boost decoding and reading comprehension for bilingual and multilingual students in diverse classrooms. You’ll also learn how to build effective collaboration between classroom teachers and language specialists and hear about the research-d
In episode 69 of the Teaching Literacy Podcast, host Jake Downs speaks with Dr. Kay Wijekumar, Houston Endowed Chair in the Department of Teaching and Learning and Culture at Texas A&M University. They discuss the importance of teaching students to generate rather than find the main idea in texts, detailing Dr. Wijekumar’s evidence-based KAT framework (Knowledge Acquisition and Transformation). The episode delves into how the main idea is foundational for reading comprehension and explores practical strategies for teachers, touching on the inefficacies of current curricular practices. Dr. Wije
Dr. Adrea Truckenmiller and Dr. Eunsoo Cho discuss building a strategic assessment system in literacy education. They cover how to use data to inform reading instruction, the difference between screeners, diagnostics, curriculum based measures, and computer adaptive tests, and the importance of reliability in assessments. Common pitfalls like over-testing and teaching to the test are […]
Guest host Dr. Kristin Conradi Smith interviews Dr. Jake Downs about the ‘secret soup’ of highly effective K-2 teacher teams. Link to Jake’s Study: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/259 Downs, J., Martz, K., & Mohr, K. (2025). Exploring the Instructional Effectiveness of High-Growth K-2 Teacher Teams in Foundational Reading. Education Sciences, 15(2), https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020259 Link to ULEAD Report: https://schools.utah.gov/ulead/uleadfiles/reports/ipr/Instructional%20Clarity%20Early%20Lit%20IPR.pdf Please […]
Melissa and Lori invited Jake to discuss Synchronous Paired Oral Reading Techniques (SPORT) — Listen to the episode here! Please write a short impact statement for Jake’s USU review packet (and thank you!): https://forms.gle/QcUs8ciMcAy2yG6L6
Please write a short impact statement for Jake’s USU review packet (and thank you!): https://forms.gle/QcUs8ciMcAy2yG6L6 In this episode, host Jake Downs welcomes guest Dr. Freddy Hebert, a renowned literacy researcher, CEO/Founder of TextProject. The conversation covers topics such as the importance of automaticity, the core vocabulary, reading volume, and shifts in text complexity over the decades. […]
Jake interviews Dr. Steve Graham of the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University Please write a short impact statement for Jake’s USU review packet (and thank you!): https://forms.gle/QcUs8ciMcAy2yG6L6
Dr. Phil Capin joins the show to discuss 40 years of reading comprehension instruction. References: Capin, P., Dahl-Leonard, K., Hall, C., Yoon, N. Y., Cho, E., Chatzoglou, E., Reiley, S., Walker, M., Shanahan, E., Andress, T., & Vaughn, S. (2024). Reading Comprehension Instruction: Evaluating Our Progress Since Durkin’s Seminal Study. Scientific Studies of Reading, 1–30. […]
Jake Downs talks with Dr. Blythe Anderson and Dr. John Strong about effective summer tutoring programs to prevent the summer slide in elementary reading. They discuss strategies such as small-group tutoring, differentiated instruction, and interactive read-alouds, based on multi-year research that shows significant gains in vocabulary, reading fluency, and foundational skills. The episode emphasizes the […]
Host Dr. Jake Downs is joined by Dr. Katherine O’Donnell, an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah, to discuss her research on student outcomes in states following the implementation of science of reading legislation. 03:02 Historical Context: Reading First Era09:37 Mississippi’s Science of Reading Legislation17:02 Comparative Analysis of State Outcomes29:08 Impact […]
Dr. Danielle Colenbrander joins the show to discuss the benefits of morphology instruction with students. Reference:Colenbrander, D., Von Hagen, A., Kohnen, S., Wegener, S., Ko, K., Beyersmann, E., Behzadnia, A., Parrila, R., & Castles, A. (2024). The Effects of Morphological Instruction on Literacy Outcomes for Children in English-Speaking Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Educational […]
Dr. Cherish Sarmiento joins the show to talk about how fifth and eighth grade students use academic language in their writing. Importantly, we learn that words with seven or more letters may be one way to quickly identify academic words. Reference: Sarmiento, C. M., Truckenmiller, A. J., Cho, E., & Wang, H. (2024). Academic language […]
In this episode, Jake is joined by Dr. Blythe Anderson to discuss her research with vocabulary instruction strategies. References: Anderson, B. E. (2024). Vocabulary Talk Moves: Using Language to Promote Word Learning. The Reading Teacher, 77(4), 439–452. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2263 Anderson, B. E., Wright, T. S., & Gotwals, A. W. (2023). Teachers’ Vocabulary Talk in Early-Elementary Science […]
In this episode, Dr. Marianne Rice joins Jake to discuss the different types of inferences and how teachers can support their students in generating inferences to enhance comprehension. For more information, be sure to check out literacy.io References:
Utah Educators — let’s talk about fluency and comprehension!October 1 – Brigham CityOctober 7 – Salt Lake CityOctober 22 – St. George Make sure to sign up for both sessionsFluency: https://usbe.midaseducation.com/professional-development/courses/course/64621Comprehension: https://usbe.midaseducation.com/professional-development/courses/course/64623All sessions are free of charge and 7 relicensure hours will be credited for the full day. A big thanks to the Utah State […]
In this episode, Drs. Tricia Zucker and Sonia Cabell join Jake to discuss their “Strive-for-Five Conversations” strategy for promoting oral language development through simple, serve and return style conversations in the classroom. References: Strive-for-Five Conversations, by Tricia Zucker & Sonia Cabell Cabell, S. Q., & Zucker, T. A. (2023). Using Strive‐for‐Five Conversations to Strengthen Language […]
In this episode Dr. Jake Downs joins us to talk about his research on Synchronous Paired Oral Reading techniques. Guest hosted by Dr. Chase Young. Reference: Downs, J., & Mohr, K. A. J. (2024). A Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Synchronous Paired Oral Reading Techniques in Elementary Classrooms. Literacy Research and Instruction, 0(0), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388071.2024.2319654 Downs, J., […]
