Teaching Literacy Podcast

Jake Downs
  • 4.9 (56)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Bridging literacy research and practice. Hosted by Jake Downs.

  1. SEP 6

    E68|Strategic Assessment Systems with Dr. Adrea Truckenmiller and Dr. Eunsoo Cho

    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 […]

    1h 18m

  2. AUG 5

    Practices of Effective K-2 Teacher Teams with Dr. Jake Downs

    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 […]

    1h 5m

  3. JUL 7

    Jake Talks Paired Oral Reading with Melissa and Lori

    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

    54 min

  4. JUN 9

    E66|Linking Automaticity, Vocabulary, and Text With Dr. Freddy Hiebert

    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. […]

    1h 1m

  5. MAY 5

    E64|AI and the Future of Writing Instruction with Dr. Steve Graham

    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

    1h 6m

  6. APR 7

    EP63| Is Comprehension Instruction Getting Better? with Dr. Phil Capin

    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. […]

    51 min

  7. MAR 4

    E62|Stopping the Summer Slide with Dr. Blythe Anderson and Dr. John Strong

    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 […]

    1h 4m

  8. FEB 3

    E61| Does Science of Reading Legislation Improve Reading Outcomes with Dr. Katherine O’Donnell

    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 […]

    52 min
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Bridging literacy research and practice. Hosted by Jake Downs.

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