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Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
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, Melissa & Lori explore topics in reading instruction by talking with researchers, authors, and classroom teachers who are bringing reading research into their classrooms.
Melissa & Lori are like the teachers next door, now behind the mic. They learn alongside listeners and ask the same questions educators everywhere are asking: What does the research say about reading? What does strong literacy instruction actually look like in real classrooms? Through these conversations, the podcast helps bridge the gap between reading research and day-to-day teaching.
Episodes explore topics including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, spelling, reading intervention, and other key areas of structured literacy instruction.
Melissa & Lori help teachers think through what reading research can look like in their own classrooms.
Episodes
347 episodes
The Science of Spelling with Brennan Chandler
Episode 258In 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...
Live from SSSR: What Reading Science Research Says Right Now
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...
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Helping Every Reader Move Past the Decoding Threshold with Rebecca Kockler
Episode 257Why 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 ...
Routines for Reading & Spelling Big Words with Faith Howard
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 of...
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[Listen Again] Helping Students Read Multisyllabic Words with Devin Kearns
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 ...
Making Sense of Multisyllabic Words with Don Compton & Laura Steacy
Episode 255Experts 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...
Word Chaining for Building Phonemic Awareness with Anjanette McNeely
Episode 254In 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 look...
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[Listen Again] What Research Says About Phonemic Awareness Instruction with Matt Burns
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 w...
Research-Based Shifts to Strengthen Phonemic Awareness with Marianne Rice
Episode 253In 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 ...
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Supporting Readers as Texts Get More Complex with Luke Morin
Episode 252What actually happens when students encounter a complex text?In this episode, we’re joined by Luke Morin to discuss his article "
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[Listen Again] Why Knowledge Matters for Comprehension with Daniel Willingham & Barbara Davidson
Episode 139As 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.
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To Read Stuff, You Have to Know Stuff with Kelly Gallagher
Episode 251One 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...
Vocabulary Strategies to Boost Word Learning with Melissa Cheesman Smith, Savannah Campbell, & Tim Rasinski
Episode 251In 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 d...
[Listen Again] Ten Vocabulary Moves Backed by Research with Blythe Anderson
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 re...
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The Research on Vocabulary Instruction with Margaret McKeown
Episode 250In 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 unp...
Small-Group Interventions That Actually Work with Kerry Cusick & Erin Sharon
Episode 248There’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 epi...
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[Listen Again] Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction
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 pub...
Small Groups, Big Results with Julia Lindsey
Episode 247Small-group instruction can feel powerful and overwhelming at the same time. Questions about grouping, time, routines, and impact come up constantly.In this episode, we’re joined by Julia Lindsey, author o...
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Top Fluency Strategies Teachers Love from K–8 Classrooms
Episode 246Fluency looks different across grade levels, but it always matters.In this special mashup episode, Melissa and Lori bring together voices from seven classroom teachers, spanning first grade through eigh...
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Read Like Us: Building Fluency Through Repeated Reading & Challenging Texts with Jake Downs & Chase Young
Episode 245In this episode, Melissa and Lori are joined by researchers Jake Downs and Chase Young to discuss Read Like Us, a research-backed fluency routine designed to help students reread challenging texts...
Rock Your Literacy Block with Lindsay Kemeny
Episode 244 Lindsay Kemeny shares her insights on effectively managing a literacy block in a primary classroom. She discusses her daily schedule, emphasizing the importance of routines in phonics instruction, close reading st...
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Building Your Scientifically-Based ELA Block with Jamey Peavler
Episode 243Jamey Peavler discusses the importance of recognizing the varied learning needs of students in all grades! She emphasizes the distinction between comprehension and word recognition skills, advocating for differentiated ...
How Learning Happens: Principles Every Teacher Should Know with Carl Hendrick
Episode 242In this episode, Carl Hendrick emphasizes the critical role of timely feedback in the educational process, highlighting how immediate responses to misconceptions can significantly enhance student learning. He discusses ...
Making Sentences Make Sense with Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone
Episode 241Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone discuss the often-overlooked topic of syntax and its critical role in reading comprehension. With Melissa & Lori, they discuss the architecture of sentences, the importance of under...
Placing Text at the Center of the Primary Classroom with Meghan Hein
Episode 240Primary teacher Meghan Hein shares how she keeps the text front and center of learning. She discusses the shift from a skills-based focus to an approach where meaning-making drives instruction. The conversation highligh...
