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Helping Students Read Entire Books with Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica Woolway

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

Chapters
0:00
Why Whole Books Are Disappearing
2:55
Attention, Phones, and “Skillsiness”
8:15
What Whole Books Actually Build
13:52
Early Grades, Read-Alouds, and Access
18:28
Choosing Worthy, Complex Texts
24:06
When You Don’t Pick the Book
28:29
Purposeful Read-Aloud: Techniques That Work
34:21
Close Reading Within Whole Novels
40:32
One Book We’d Teach Tomorrow
44:40
Closing Notes and How to Connect
Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
Helping Students Read Entire Books with Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica Woolway
Nov 07, 2025

Episode 239 

Experts Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica Woolway join Melissa & Lori to tackle one of the biggest questions in teaching today: What happened to reading whole books in school? From the pull of digital distractions to the rise of skill-focused instruction, they explore why diving into full texts matters more than ever. You’ll hear inspiring ideas for making books come alive in the classroom, the magic of read-alouds, and the power of close reading. Plus, each guest reveals their favorite book to teach. Reading entire books ignites curiosity, builds stamina, and so much more.

Resources

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