resources
Podcasts, Books and Articles
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PODCASTS
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Sold a Story, How Teaching Kids How To Read Went So Wrong
Everything you need to know about NPS' current curriculum, Units of Study
https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/
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Knowledge Matters
A great primer on knowledge-building curricula
https://knowledgematterscampaign.org/podcast/
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Amplify Science of Reading Podcast
Season 3 included several episodes (episodes 1,2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13) titled “Deconstructing the Rope”. Each episode focuses on a different “strand” of reading. Together, they serve as a helpful overview of each of these components of reading
https://amplify.com/episode/science-of-reading-the-podcast/season-3/episode-3-deconstructing-the-rope-an-introduction-with-dr-jane-oakhill/
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BOOKS
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Why Our Children Can’t Read and What to Do about it by Diane McGuinness
https://www.amazon.com/Children-Cant-Read-What-About/dp/0684853566
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A Parents’ Guide to Phonics by Ann Sullivan and Geoff Vaughn
https://www.amazon.com/Parents-Guide-Phonics-Version-Understanding/dp/B0CCCPKC3V
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The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading
By Christopher Such
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Teaching-Primary-Reading-Corwin/dp/1529764165
Thinking Reading: What every secondary teacher needs to know about reading by James and Diane Murphy
https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Reading-Every-Secondary-Teacher/dp/1911382683
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The Reading Mind: A Cognitive Approach by Daniel Willingham
https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Mind-Cognitive-Approach-Understanding/dp/1119301378/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=the+reading+mind&qid=1636599329&s=books&sr=1-3
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Robust Comprehension Instruction with Questioning the Author by Beck, Mckeowan and Sandora. This is particularly useful for educators and presents a detailed look at an effective method for fostering students’ understanding of what they read
https://www.amazon.com/Robust-Comprehension-Instruction-Questioning-Author/dp/1462544797/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=questioning+the+author&qid=1636599234&s=books&sr=1-1
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WEBSITES
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Phonic Books website. A terrific catalog of engaging, well-designed phonically controlled or ‘decodable’ books for beginning readers and older readers with word-level difficulties. There are also many free resources and helpful blog posts that may be of interest to both teachers and parents
https://www.phonicbooks.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=phonic_books&utm_content=homepage&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAibeuBhAAEiwAiXBoJNVk9lxC2bnSmxh-FpCn4QFfOQDacGEoyozfE6Y8RPfj4ZndWpUcxBoCqYQQAvD_BwE
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BLOG POSTS and ARTICLES
What is dyslexia?
https://understandingreading.home.blog/2019/11/16/what-is-dyslexia/
Reading Fluency
https://www.decodingreading.com/post/reading-analogies-part-1-reading-fluency-and-learning-to-drive
Reading comprehension requires knowledge–of words and the world
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/Hirsch.pdf
Teaching literacy in an integrated way
https://eblireads.com/avoid-island-teaching-integrate-literacy-instruction/
Video
The Right to Read
Illiteracy is one of the most solvable problems of our time.
https://www.therighttoreadfilm.org/
Check out RECORDED EVENTS from our friends at Brookline Literacy Coalition
Links
Needham Links
1/3 of students grades 3-5 aren't meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA
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​​January 7, 2025 School Committee
Pilot Update starting at 10:30
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Needham Schools Rethink Literacy As National Debate Intensifies
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Needham Schools Control Controversial Literacy Program