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

Episode 250
In 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 unpack common misconceptions about vocabulary teaching, including the pressure to ensure students “master” every word and the belief that vocabulary instruction must always be formal and pre-planned. She explains the power of informal instruction words “running through the classroom” and why repeated exposure over time supports deep word learning.
We also dive into:
What learning words in context actually means (and what it doesn’t)
How to think about vocabulary tiers without treating them like a rulebook
When vocabulary should be taught (before, during, or after reading)
The connection between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension
Better ways to assess vocabulary beyond traditional tests
Margaret reminds us that vocabulary learning is more like climbing a ladder than crossing a finish line. Not every word requires deep instruction, but thoughtful, strategic choices can make a meaningful impact on comprehension.
If vocabulary instruction has ever felt overwhelming, this conversation offers clarity, reassurance, and practical insight for making it manageable and effective.

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 [email protected] to learn more.
Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Episode 248
There’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 episode, we’re joined by Kerry Cusick and Erin Sharon, two reading interventionists, who share how aligning Tier 1 instruction with the small-group work they lead every day transformed both their approach and student outcomes. While their work lives in intervention, the routines and decision-making they describe are just as relevant for classroom teachers running small groups.
In this conversation, we explore:
What small-group intervention looked like before alignment and what had to change
How clearer, more consistent Tier 1 instruction reshaped small-group teaching
What responsive small-group lessons look like when they’re built around student need
How phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and meaning work together in small groups
Why fluency matters and how routines move students from sounds to connected text
Kerry and Erin share practical examples from their MTSS work, including how they use data to form groups, align with classroom scope and sequence, and design small-group instruction that builds accuracy, automaticity, and meaning.
RESOURCES
Small-Group Instruction Listening Guide
Building Fluency with POSSUM with Melissa Orkin and Maryanne Wolf (podcast episode)
Reading Universe 
Read Works 
Read Live 
Roll & ReadsUFLI Kindergarten
UFLI Grade 1 

Neuhaus Education Center Rapid Recognition Chart Generator 
Crafting Minds
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 [email protected] to learn more.
Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

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 published the article Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction.
In this episode, we explore:
 • Why small-group reading instruction has been so widely adopted
 • What the research actually says about its effectiveness
 • Common misconceptions about small-group time
 • What makes small-group instruction purposeful and impactful
If you’re rethinking how small-group time fits within strong Tier 1 instruction, or wondering how to make those minutes count, this episode offers research-informed clarity.
Resources
Maximizing Small-Group Reading Instruction 
Dr. Neena Saha’s Reading Research Recap of this research 
What Should Small Group Instruction Look Like? Tim Shanahan 
Reinterpreting the development of reading skills Scott Paris 
Applying New Visions of Reading Development in Today's Classrooms Kay Stahl 
Text Project with Freddy Hiebert 
Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Our Children’s Learning by Peter Johnston
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 [email protected] to learn more.
Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Episode 247
Small-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 of Small Groups, Big Results, to talk about what actually makes small-group instruction work. Julia helps break down small groups into manageable, intentional practices that don’t require more time or complexity, just clearer purpose.
In this conversation, we discuss:
Why small groups don’t need to be long to have a big impact
How flexible, needs-based grouping supports student growth
The role of immediate, specific feedback in small-group reading
Practical routines teachers can use right away
How small-group instruction connects to Tier 1 teaching
Whether you’re new to small groups or looking to refine your approach, Julia offers clarity, research, and realistic guidance.
RESOURCES
Small-Group Instruction Listening Guide
Small Groups, Big Results: Evidence-Based Routines to Get Every Child Reading by Julia Lindsey 
Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills by Julia Lindsey
Other podcast episodes with Julia Lindsey: Science of Reading Part 1: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, & the Aim of Early Literacy
Science of Reading Part 2: Decodable Texts, Sound Walls, & the Aim of Early Literacy
Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills with Julia Lindsey

Readers' Theater: Easy, Effective, & Fun! with Chase Young
UFLI Foundations Toolbox 
FCRR Student Center Activities
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 [email protected] to learn more.
Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.

Episode 246
Fluency 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 eighth grade, to show how fluency comes to life in real classrooms. Each teacher shares a best practice they use to support accuracy, automaticity, and expression, always grounded in meaningful reading.
You’ll hear about a range of approaches, including:
Songs, shared reading, and read-alouds in early grades
Partner reading routines that build accountability and support
Performance-based practices like Readers’ Theater
Using oral reading as assessment and feedback
Structuring small groups to support different fluency needs
This episode is full of practical ideas, classroom insight, and teacher wisdom, whether you’re teaching in the primary grades or supporting older readers.
Resources: 
Check out our Fluency Listening Guide for links to all of the episodes! 
Featured Episodes: First Steps to Fluency: How Young Learners Become Independent Readers with Virginia Quinn-Mooney 
Improving Student Reading Growth in Months with Fluency Instruction and Practice with Lorraine Griffith and Lindsay Kemeny 
A Classroom Fluency Protocol That Works with Aaron Grossman
Baltimore Secondary Literacy Teachers Talk Fluency with Tanisha Dasmunshi, Emily Jaskowski, and Emery Uwimana 

Watch Virginia Teach Fluency in this video 
Let’s bring back the magic of song by Tim Rasinski
Lindsay Kemeny YouTube
Partner Reading with Paragraph Shrinking
3 Phases for Fluency by Aaron Grossman
Tim Rasinski's Multidimensional Fluency Rubric
Aaron's website: Just Two Teachers (click Readers Theater for links to scripts!)
Chase Young's Readers Theater scripts 
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 [email protected] to learn more.
Get free resources and updates at literacypodcast.com.