Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ®

Supported by Great Minds
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Melissa & Lori Love Literacy® is a podcast for teachers. The hosts are your classroom-next-door teacher friends turned podcasters learning with you. Episodes feature top literacy experts and teachers who are putting the science of reading into practice. Melissa & Lori bridge the gap between the latest research and your day-to-day teaching. 

  1. Top Fluency Strategies Teachers Love from K–8 Classrooms

    FEB 20

    Top Fluency Strategies Teachers Love from K–8 Classrooms

    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 gradesPartner reading routines that build accountability and supportPerformance-based practices like Readers’ TheaterUsing oral reading as assessment and feedbackStructuring small groups to support different fluency needsThis 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 GrossmanBaltimore 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 RasinskiLindsay Kemeny YouTubePartner Reading with Paragraph Shrinking3 Phases for Fluency by Aaron GrossmanTim Rasinski's Multidimensional Fluency RubricAaron's website: Just Two We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    51 min
  2. Read Like Us: Building Fluency Through Repeated Reading & Challenging Texts with Jake Downs & Chase Young

    FEB 6

    Read Like Us: Building Fluency Through Repeated Reading & Challenging Texts with Jake Downs & Chase Young

    Episode 245 In 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 with purpose. Jake and Chase share the findings from their recent study, explain how the routine works in real classrooms, and explore why fluency grows when students have multiple supported opportunities to read connected text. The conversation unpacks: what makes Read Like Us different from traditional repeated reading approaches,how wide reading fits alongside repeated reading,and why text choice plays such a critical role in fluency development.You’ll also hear why the study showed especially strong results for fourth-grade readers and how teachers can think about applying this work across grade levels. This episode offers both a clear explanation of the research and practical insights teachers can use as they plan fluency instruction that supports real reading where skills come together in text.  Contact Chase Young at https://lfcreading.com/podcast with your questions! Resources: Research Article: "Promoting Fluency Through Challenge: Repeated Reading With Texts of Varying Complexity"Fluency Listening Guide We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    48 min
  3. Rock Your Literacy Block with Lindsay Kemeny

    JAN 30

    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 strategies, and writing lessons. Lindsay also highlights the importance of small group instruction for differentiation and explains how to manage center work for students! She encourages teachers to focus on progress rather than perfection, sharing practical tips and strategies for enhancing literacy instruction. Lindsay's Book, Rock Your Literacy Block, is available now!  We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    57 min
  4. Building Your Scientifically-Based ELA Block with Jamey Peavler

    JAN 16

    Building Your Scientifically-Based ELA Block with Jamey Peavler

    Episode 243 Jamey 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 instruction to better support each student's unique learning journey. Key Takeaways Word recognition and comprehension can develop at different rates.Differentiated instruction is essential for meeting diverse learning needs.Teachers should empower themselves to adapt their teaching methods.Effective teaching requires awareness of students' varying skill levels.Teachers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between comprehension and skill. We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    50 min
  5. How Learning Happens: Principles Every Teacher Should Know with Carl Hendrick

    JAN 2

    How Learning Happens: Principles Every Teacher Should Know with Carl Hendrick

    Episode 242 In 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 the challenges teachers face in providing effective feedback and the importance of checking for understanding, interleaving, and retrieval practice to ensure that students grasp the material being taught. Check out this resource we made just for you to accompany the content in this episode! Evidence-Based Practices to Make Learning Stick One-Pager  Key Takeaways Timely feedback is crucial for effective learning.The closer the feedback loop, the more powerful the learning.Checking for understanding can significantly improve teaching effectiveness.Understanding checks guide instructional decisions. We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    58 min
  6. Making Sentences Make Sense with Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone

    12/05/2025

    Making Sentences Make Sense with Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone

    Episode 241 Nancy 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 understanding parts of speech, and the interconnectedness of syntax and meaning. The conversation highlights effective teaching strategies, the challenges posed by complex sentences, and the necessity of integrating background knowledge for comprehension. Nancy and Julia share practical instructional moves, emphasizing the need for explicit instruction and cognitive preparation to enhance students' understanding of sentence structures. Takeaways Syntax is the architecture of a sentence. It is essential for understanding sentence structure and meaning.Explicit instruction is necessary for effective learning of syntax.Teaching grammar needs to focus on meaning, not just labeling.Engaging students with authentic texts improves comprehension.Integrating background knowledge is crucial for comprehension.Resources  Tips & Tools: Sentences (resource sheet)  We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    56 min
  7. Placing Text at the Center of the Primary Classroom with Meghan Hein

    11/21/2025

    Placing Text at the Center of the Primary Classroom with Meghan Hein

    Episode 240 Primary 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 highlights practical strategies for teachers to build knowledge through texts and create a more authentic learning experience. Meghan's insights reflect a commitment to continuous learning and adapting teaching practices to better serve students' needs. ✨ You’ll definitely want to listen to the podcast that inspired this conversation! Episode 37 with Sue Pimentel and Meredith Liben dives into their article Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom. Takeaways Shifting from skill-based to meaning-making instruction is crucial.Building knowledge through texts is essential for comprehension.Teachers must empower themselves through continuous learning.Curriculum should support, not dictate, teaching practices.Understanding the intent behind texts enriches the learning experience.Interleaving skills and content enhances understanding.Students thrive when they connect learning to real-world contexts.Resources  Refreshed Companion Episode with Meredith Liben & Sue Pimentel (podcast)Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom (article) Teacher Meghan Hein on Instagram (you might know her as always more to learn!) We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    40 min
  8. [Listen Again] Placing Text at the Center of the ELA Classroom (Updated)

    11/14/2025

    [Listen Again] Placing Text at the Center of the ELA Classroom (Updated)

    Episode 37  The article Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom is a must-read — before or after you listen to this episode! Meredith Liben and Sue Pimentel join us to unpack the true intentions behind the Common Core State Standards and how they’ve sometimes been misinterpreted in practice. They share what they’ve observed in classrooms and schools — both when high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are in place and when they’re not. We also ask them some tough (and important!) questions: What does this mean for assessment, especially “data-driven” instruction?What are better ways to assess and track student progress?Meredith and Sue are smart, funny, and incredibly relatable — you’ll love this conversation. It’s truly a must-listen episode! 📖 Read the article that inspired this episode:  Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom Introduction to Poetry - Billy Collins poem Meredith mentions Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom  We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night. Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com. Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

    59 min
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About

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy® is a podcast for teachers. The hosts are your classroom-next-door teacher friends turned podcasters learning with you. Episodes feature top literacy experts and teachers who are putting the science of reading into practice. Melissa & Lori bridge the gap between the latest research and your day-to-day teaching. 

Information

  • Creator
    Supported by Great Minds
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    329
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ®
  • Show Website
    Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ®

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