Podcasts about Lexile

In this conversation, Jeffrey Bradbury interviews Amy Lau, the Director of Learning at MetaMetrics, about the Lexile and Quantile frameworks and the newly launched Lexile Hub. They discuss the importance of accessibility in educational resources, the functionalities of the hub for teachers and parents, and the significance of Lexile and Quantile measures in assessing reading and math levels. The conversation also touches on the future developments of the hub and the community engagement initiatives that aim to enhance the user experience. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you.  Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today! Conversation Takeaways The Lexile Hub is designed to be accessible for all users. Teachers can find resources tailored to their students' Lexile and Quantile measures. Parents can use the hub to understand their child's reading and math levels. The Find a Book tool helps users locate books that match their Lexile measures. Community engagement is a key focus for the future of the hub. The Resource Center offers over 3000 linked math resources for educators. Curated lists can be created for students to facilitate targeted learning. The hub aims to save educators time in utilizing assessment data. Lexile and Quantile measures provide a universal scale for reading and math proficiency. The hub is a one-stop shop for educators, parents, and students. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to MetaMetrics and the Lexile Hub 02:53 Accessibility and User Experience Enhancements 05:52 Understanding Lexile and Quantile Measures 08:50 Tools for Parents and Educators 12:06 The Resource Center and Community Engagement 14:53 Future Developments and Closing Thoughts About Company MetaMetrics Brings Meaning to Measurement MetaMetrics is guided by a powerful north star—to support student growth through actionable learning measurement. Over the last 35+ years, MetaMetrics' staff of educators, psychometricians and policy leaders have developed learning frameworks that now support over 35 million students in the US. More than half of the K-12 students in the US receive Lexile and Quantile measures and over a hundred million pieces of content have corresponding measures. MetaMetrics was founded in 1984 by Dr. A. Jackson Stenner (retired) and Dr. Malbert Smith with the singular goal of making measurement meaningful by matching students to learning resources using a scientific, universal scale. Today, Lexile and Quantile measures are available in all 50 states, either through formal partnership agreements with 21 state departments of education or at the local level through partnerships with edtech companies who deliver services to schools and districts. Levering the most advanced AI technology and learning theory, MetaMetrics continues to innovate solutions for a wide range of applications including early reading, career readiness and tutoring. For more information, visit MetaMetricsInc.com. Links of Interest Website: https://metametricsinc.com/ Lexile Hub: https://hub.lexile.com/ Twitter: @MetaMetrics_Inc YouTube: www.youtube.com/@metametrics LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metametrics-inc-/ Follow Our Podcast And Subscribe

In this episode of the Digital Learning Today Podcast, Jeff welcomes Sue Ann Towle, Vice President, Product Management, MetaMetrics on the podcast LIVE from ISTE 2024 to discuss the new Lexile & Quantile Hub. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you.  Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today! In This Episode … MetaMetrics, an innovative leader in educational measurement, assessment, and AI announced at ISTE, the launch of the redesigned Lexile® & Quantile® Hub, set to debut in September. This major update underscores MetaMetrics' commitment to accessibility, enhanced user experience, and increased support. First launched in 2018, the Hub is an online collection of innovative tools and resources that leverage the Lexile® Framework for Reading and the Quantile® Framework for Mathematics. Users visited the Hub nearly 3 million times in 2023 to access learning materials and guidance that bridge the gap between assessment scores and instructional content used in the classroom, saving teachers time and supporting academic growth. The new Lexile & Quantile Hub was rebuilt from the ground up to prioritize accessibility, complying with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accessibility requirements like WCAG 2.1 AA are evolving to provide better support and research shows only 4% of companies have a website that meets these requirements. Social media integration further connects the user community, allowing educators and parents to share insights and resources effortlessly. Tools, like the popular Lexile® Find a Book, are now easier to access and faster to navigate for educators and parents who want to locate appropriately challenging reading materials on topics of interest for their students. A new Resource Center centralizes materials supporting instruction to ensure that educators and parents can efficiently find and utilize the information they need. For example, resources like maps that align student measures and content measures, grade level charts, and decodable practice passages are reorganized into a central location making them easy to locate. This saves time for teachers who are supporting differentiated instruction in their classrooms. The redesign also enhances the visibility of features at all subscription levels from the free visitor account through premium partner access. Users can easily create accounts and access resources tailored to their membership tier. Educators in states that have a contractual partnership with MetaMetrics enjoy free access to the highest tier of Hub membership which provides the most access to usage of tools and features. About MetaMetrics MetaMetrics Brings Meaning to Measurement MetaMetrics is guided by a powerful north star—to support student growth through actionable learning measurement. Over the last 35+ years, MetaMetrics' staff of educators, psychometricians and policy leaders have developed learning frameworks that now support over 35 million students in the US. More than half of the K-12 students in the US receive Lexile and Quantile measures and over a hundred million pieces of content have corresponding measures. MetaMetrics was founded in 1984 by Dr. A. Jackson Stenner (retired) and Dr. Malbert Smith with the singular goal of making measurement meaningful by matching students to learning resources using a scientific, universal scale. Today, Lexile and Quantile measures are available in all 50...

In this episode of the Digital Learning Today Podcast, Jeff welcomes Ilene Rosenthan and Kathy Maximov from Footsteps2Brilliance on the program to discuss how they have been successfully engaging parents and accelerating literacy for more than a decade. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you.  Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today! Follow Our Podcast And Subscribe View All Episodes Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Stitcher Radio Follow Our Host Jeff Bradbury | @JeffBradbury TeacherCast | @TeacherCast About our Guests: Ilene Rosenthal Ilene is a seasoned educator and executive who brings over 25 years of experience designing, developing, and implementing innovative technology to accelerate learning. She was a co-founder of Lightspan, the first educational software company to connect school and home through videogame technology. She also served as President of Strategic Initiatives for Achieve3000, a company that developed groundbreaking technology to differentiate content based on each student's individual Lexile reading level. Ilene currently serves as CEO of Footsteps2Brilliance®, a company designed to scale early learning by connecting school and home through mobile technology and expanding strategies for parental involvement in order to help all children realize their full potential. Ilene began her career as a teacher, during which time she designed curriculum and authored textbooks. In her capacity as a lawyer, she has served as General Counsel to the Government Operations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. She also served as General Counsel to the Software Publishers Association (now SIIA) and Special Assistant to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Ilene received her J.D. from Georgetown University and her B.A. from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. Kathy Maximov Kathy is a product manager, blended learning expert, and business development professional with nearly 20 years in the educational technology industry including early education as well as corporate and teacher professional development. Kathy is passionate about education. After launching her career as a classroom teacher, Kathy found her niche working with educational technology design teams to create engaging content that would help all children learn how to read. Since that time, she has successfully managed large-scale software and app releases, created and executed strategic business partnerships, coached district, and school leadership to create transformative early literacy initiatives, organized pilot projects, written teacher guides, led design and development teams, developed complete e-learning solutions, and trained hundreds of educators around the world. Links of Interest Website: https://www.footsteps2brilliance.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyF2B LinkedIn: 

There are some common methods and practices for teaching reading that I don't agree with. Now, I don't say this to ruffle feathers but rather to challenge the status quo and make us think deeply about how we approach literacy education and how we can make the biggest impact on our students' reading journeys.We all want to provide the best reading instruction possible, but I believe that some of the current practices and beliefs take away from doing just that. In this episode, we are diving into 5 controversial opinions about teaching reading. I'm uncovering why I don't use Lexile levels, how building stamina is unnecessary, why centers are overrated, how over-differentiating can do more harm than good, and why whole-group instruction is necessary. I'd love to hear what you agree or disagree with or answer any questions you may have. Send me a DM on Instagram or email me at Ciera@CieraHarrisTeaching.com to continue the conversation!02:58 - Why Lexile levels are pointless06:34 - The difference between reading stamina and attention10:23 - Why centers are overrated12:45 - How differentiation can be damaging 15:23 - The importance of whole group instructionResources:Episode 13. Unveiling Three Game-Changing Strategies to Transform Your Teaching in 2024Free Close Reading GuidebookThe Literacy Lounge Facebook groupLeave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts!Grab all the podcast links and resources mentioned in this episode inside the show notes: https://cieraharristeaching.com/episode19

On this episode of the Classical Et Cetera podcast, to celebrate the end of a huge year for the show, the gang takes it back to the basics with an episode that covers how Memoria Press reviews, analyzes, critiques, and selects the best of the best to assemble the traditional Christian curriculum for homeschool education around the world.  Join Tanya, Paul, and Martin at the table as they discuss how we choose literature to include in our curriculum. In the episode, you'll hear about organizing literature, the importance of content over Lexile levels, historical context in literature, and the philosophy of teaching literature early on rather than solely focusing on decoding abilities. We hope you enjoy this in depth review of our literature studies program and how the reading list comes together!  Looking for a great online homeschooling option for your kids? Check out the Memoria Press online academy! https://www.memoriaacademy.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=106 Want to learn more about our literature programs? Visit us today!  https://www.memoriapress.com/literature-poetry/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=106

With a background as a classroom teacher, a master's in educational neuroscience, and a doctorate in special education, Dr. Neena Saha has seen all facets of education. In her work, she noticed a gap in the research-to-practice workflow for early literacy and dedicated herself to streamlining the process of finding and disseminating the best educational research for educators. Together, Susan Lambert and Neena discuss the need for reading researchers to work together and collaborate in a more focused and concerted group effort, the challenges of implementation, and how educators can best keep up with research that often feels overwhelming.Show notes:Listen: Our recent episode with Claude GoldenbergRead: Neena's monthly reading research updateWatch: Neena's July video about a Bayesian network meta-analysisWatch: Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Bud RoseWebsite: Center for Research Use in EducationRead: “Survey of Evidence in Education for Schools Descriptive Report”Read: “The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect” by Judea PearlRead: Reading Research Recap—If you want to start receiving monthly notifications for this series, please register or sign in to your Lexile & Quantile Hub account and join the Reading Research mailing list.Quotes:"What I did was focus really on dissemination, right? Getting rid of that hurdle of, you know, there's so many journals out there." —Dr. Neena Saha"You have to look at the full body, you're like cherry picking stuff if you're going to social media and the person with the biggest megaphone wins or whoever has the most interesting way of presenting it." —Dr. Neena Saha"We need a more concerted effort. There needs to be a bunch of researchers that come together and hash it out. It can't just be single ones here and there." —Dr. Neena Saha"Teachers or educators out there right now, when you're feeling overwhelmed and you can't figure out how to find the evidence, or some evidence, guess what? We're affirming for you that there's no easy way to do it...this is more of a systemic problem." —Dr. Neena Saha"It's not enough to do the science. You have to make sure it gets out there." —Dr. Neena Saha

We open things off with some everyday things that cause us great aggravation. After that, we go over high Lexile books, which is the measurement of book difficulty. We discuss if we think the books mentioned are actually difficult which leads us to discuss our self-perceived intelligence levels.  Check us out @dpwpodcast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also follow Caleb's work at www.calebjamesk.com.

In this episode of Talking with Tech, Chris interviews Bruce Alter, a pediatric Physical Therapist and AT Consultant with the Tigard-Tualatin School District in Oregon. Bruce has a long history working with technology, including as a user; he was an early adopter of assistive technology in school to support his challenges with dyslexia. Bruce and Chris's discussion focuses on artificial intelligince (AI) like Open AI's Chat GPT, including some of the uses it can have in the schools and some applications for AAC users in general.    Before the interview, Chris and Rachel get together with Rachel's twin Matt Madel to talk about Rachel and his connection as twins and some of the ways that he uses Chat GPT in his own work, including quickly creating code in Python.    Key ideas this week:  

In this episode of Literacy Talks, our three literacy experts share some of their reading instruction pet peeves. From humorous to heartwarming, you'll hear why English is not a complicated language (it's complex), why reading instruction can't and shouldn't end at third grade, the problem with limiting students to books only at their Lexile level…and more. It's a fast-paced, fascinating look at rethinking and relearning what we thought we knew about teaching reading.Here are the six pet peeves shared by Stacy, Donell, and Lindsay:When people refer to English as a crazy languageWhen people think that IQ and reading are relatedWhen we tell children they can only read books at their Lexile levelNot learning what we needed to learn about the science of reading when we were in collegeThe resistance to getting rid of the 3 cueing strategyWhen people think that reading instruction ends at third grade

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by Achieve3000.The edLeader Panel recording can be accessed here.Listen to Star Connor, Region Superintendent of Transformation Schools in Hillsborough County Public Schools (FL), in this engaging edWeb podcast about how she has helped more than 60% of the lowest-performing schools in her district move up at least one letter grade on Florida's school rating scale over the course of a single school year. With 17 years of experience as an educator, principal, and leader, Star has a powerful understanding of how to engage all members of the school community in helping students to succeed. Listeners leave with an understanding of how the Lexile® Framework for Reading can inform a comprehensive and effective strategy for setting relevant goals, monitoring progress, and celebrating student success. This edWeb podcast is of interest to PreK-12 teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, and education technology leaders.Achieve3000 Together, unlocking potential and accelerating learning for every student

Looking for a children's book series that's guaranteed to make adults as well as kids smile? The Lindie Lou Adventure Series, based on award-winning author Jeanne Bender's adventures with her real pup, Lindie Lou, is a great introduction to chapter books for children ages 5 to 9. This truly delightful series seamlessly blends common early childhood experiences, problem solving and adventure through encouraging, relatable stories. Web: https://lindielou.com Bender's fifth book in the series, Lindie Lou On Ice: Exploring the Arctic with a Polar Bear Cub (Pina Publishing; November 2021; Hardcover: 978-1-943493-27-2), with art by Kate Willows, inspires young readers to go on an exciting expedition with puppy Lindie Lou as she embarks on her biggest adventure yet: heading to the Arctic Circle in Svalbard to study the Northern Lights and solar winds with a team of scientists! Along the way, Lindie Lou meets family, makes new friends, explores the Arctic, learns about science, and develops new relationship skills and responsible decision making. This vibrantly illustrated book is also available in paperback and e-book. Bender has lovingly and painstakingly created this series to captivate and invigorate young readers, from kindergarten through fourth grade. Each Lindie Lou book encourages reading advancement by helping young readers transition from picture books to chapter books, with 50-60 colorful illustrations and easy-to-read, dynamic fonts. The series is designed to appeal to young readers and those with learning difficulties; features Multiple Social Emotional Lessons (SEL); is on the book distributor's "safe reading list"; has a Lexile rating of 570, Letter “M”; and has a 5-Star Amazon rating. The Lindie Lou Adventure Series takes children on delightful journeys filled with positive messages, life lessons, and motivation delivered through vibrant illustrations and easy-to-understand language intended to inspire the next generation of kind, compassionate and happy youth as they embark on their individual life adventures. Each book in the series includes videos, games, coloring pages and educational materials. Visit the author's website at https://lindielou.com/index.html. Book 1: FLYING HIGH - Takes place in St. Louis, MO Book 2: UP IN SPACE - Takes place in Seattle, WA Book 3: HARVEST TIME - Takes place in Des Moines, IA Book 4: BIG CITY MAGIC - Takes place in New York City, NY Book 5: ON ICE - Publishing December 2021 - Takes place in Svalbard, Norway Jeanne Bender, author of the Lindie Lou Adventure Series, has traveled the world with her Cocker-Spaniel, Lindie Lou. Their many shared adventures were the inspiration behind the series. Bender studied writing in Seattle and at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and is passionate about animals and children's literacy. Bender's series was piloted in elementary schools with students in grades K-3. About the show: ► Website: http://www.ashsaidit.com ► Got Goli Gummies? https://go.goli.com/1loveash5 ► For $5 in ride credit, download the Lyft app using my referral link: https://www.lyft.com/ici/ASH584216 ► Want the ‘coldest' water? https://thecoldestwater.com/?ref=ashleybrown12 ► Become A Podcast Legend: http://ashsaidit.podcastersmastery.zaxaa.com/s/6543767021305 ► Review Us: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ash-said-it/id1144197789 ► SUBSCRIBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/c/AshSaidItSuwanee ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1loveash ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashsaidit ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/1loveAsh ► Blog: http://www.ashsaidit.com/blog ► Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/1LoveAsh/ #atlanta #ashsaidit #ashsaidthat #ashblogsit #ashsaidit® Ash Brown is a gifted American producer, blogger, speaker, media personality and event emcee. The blog on AshSaidit.com showcases exclusive event invites, product reviews and so much more. Her motivational podcast "Ash Said It Daily" is available on major media platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio & Google Podcasts. This program has over half a million streams worldwide. She uses these mediums to motivate & encourage her audience in the most powerful way. She keeps it real!

Looking for a children's book series that's guaranteed to make adults as well as kids smile? The Lindie Lou Adventure Series, based on award-winning author Jeanne Bender's adventures with her real pup, Lindie Lou, is a great introduction to chapter books for children ages 5 to 9. This truly delightful series seamlessly blends common early childhood experiences, problem solving and adventure through encouraging, relatable stories. Web: https://lindielou.com Bender's fifth book in the series, Lindie Lou On Ice: Exploring the Arctic with a Polar Bear Cub (Pina Publishing; November 2021; Hardcover: 978-1-943493-27-2), with art by Kate Willows, inspires young readers to go on an exciting expedition with puppy Lindie Lou as she embarks on her biggest adventure yet: heading to the Arctic Circle in Svalbard to study the Northern Lights and solar winds with a team of scientists! Along the way, Lindie Lou meets family, makes new friends, explores the Arctic, learns about science, and develops new relationship skills and responsible decision making. This vibrantly illustrated book is also available in paperback and e-book. Bender has lovingly and painstakingly created this series to captivate and invigorate young readers, from kindergarten through fourth grade. Each Lindie Lou book encourages reading advancement by helping young readers transition from picture books to chapter books, with 50-60 colorful illustrations and easy-to-read, dynamic fonts. The series is designed to appeal to young readers and those with learning difficulties; features Multiple Social Emotional Lessons (SEL); is on the book distributor's "safe reading list"; has a Lexile rating of 570, Letter “M”; and has a 5-Star Amazon rating. The Lindie Lou Adventure Series takes children on delightful journeys filled with positive messages, life lessons, and motivation delivered through vibrant illustrations and easy-to-understand language intended to inspire the next generation of kind, compassionate and happy youth as they embark on their individual life adventures. Each book in the series includes videos, games, coloring pages and educational materials. Visit the author's website at https://lindielou.com/index.html. Book 1: FLYING HIGH - Takes place in St. Louis, MO Book 2: UP IN SPACE - Takes place in Seattle, WA Book 3: HARVEST TIME - Takes place in Des Moines, IA Book 4: BIG CITY MAGIC - Takes place in New York City, NY Book 5: ON ICE - Publishing December 2021 - Takes place in Svalbard, Norway Jeanne Bender, author of the Lindie Lou Adventure Series, has traveled the world with her Cocker-Spaniel, Lindie Lou. Their many shared adventures were the inspiration behind the series. Bender studied writing in Seattle and at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and is passionate about animals and children's literacy. Bender's series was piloted in elementary schools with students in grades K-3. About the show: ► Website: http://www.ashsaidit.com ► Got Goli Gummies? https://go.goli.com/1loveash5 ► For $5 in ride credit, download the Lyft app using my referral link: https://www.lyft.com/ici/ASH584216 ► Want the ‘coldest' water? https://thecoldestwater.com/?ref=ashleybrown12 ► Become A Podcast Legend: http://ashsaidit.podcastersmastery.zaxaa.com/s/6543767021305 ► Review Us: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ash-said-it/id1144197789 ► SUBSCRIBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/c/AshSaidItSuwanee ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1loveash ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashsaidit ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/1loveAsh ► Blog: http://www.ashsaidit.com/blog ► Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/1LoveAsh/ #atlanta #ashsaidit #ashsaidthat #ashblogsit #ashsaidit® Ash Brown is a gifted American producer, blogger, speaker, media personality and event emcee. The blog on AshSaidit.com showcases exclusive event invites, product reviews and so much more. Her motivational podcast "Ash Said It Daily" is available on major media platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio & Google Podcasts. This program has over half a million streams worldwide. She uses these mediums to motivate & encourage her audience in the most powerful way. She keeps it real!

In this episode of the TeacherCast Podcast, Jeff sits down with Sue Ann Towle from https://metametricsinc.com/ (MetaMetrics) to discuss the https://educatoracademy.lexile.com/ (Lexile & Quantile Educator Academy), a new self-paced professional learning program to help teachers learn how to have a deeper understanding of Lexile and Quantile frameworks. To receive a http://educatoracademy.lexile.com/ ($10 discount, please use the code "TeachCast") If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our http://teachercast.net/contact (Contact Page) and let us know how we can help you today! In This Episode ...Both the Lexile and Quantile courses offer an interactive curriculum featuring direct instruction, knowledge checks, summative assessments, and performance tasks. Each course is 10-hours, self-paced and asynchronous. Upon completion of the professional development courses, teachers become Certified Lexile or Quantile Educators. In addition, in more than 20 states, teachers will be awarded CEUs or professional development hours on completion of each course. Summer has long been the time for teachers to take advantage of professional development opportunities, particularly options that are self-directed. A https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA196-1.html (recent study by Rand's American Teacher Panel) revealed that 99 percent of teachers surveyed said they participated in professional learning activities over summer break. http://educatoracademy.lexile.com/ () “After facing the challenges of the 2020-2021 school year, teachers tell us they are looking for professional development opportunities to help individualize instruction when they return to the classroom in the fall,” said Malbert Smith, CEO and co-founder, MetaMetrics. “With our Lexile and Quantile certification courses, teachers can leverage the measures their students are likely already receiving through a state or classroom assessment and learn about strategies and resources for implementing individualized instruction.” Teachers who complete the courses will gain a deeper understanding of how to make the Lexile and Quantile frameworks actionable for learning and discover award-winning tools and resources on the Lexile or Quantile Hub to support their efforts. They will also learn strategies for communicating effectively with parents about student performance and growth and ways to use the universal measures with their colleagues. Educators who participated in a preview of the Quantile Certification Course had high praise. “This has been a very valuable course. I had zero background in all things related to Quantile measures,” said Laura Graham, elementary teacher at Pender County Schools in North Carolina, “This will help me better plan for my students, sharing with my colleagues, and communicating with parents. The myriad resources allow me to expand my knowledge of teaching mathematics.” Each course is $99. For information about volume discounts, contact support@lexile.com. To enroll or learn more, go to http://educatoracademy.lexile.com (EducatorAcademy.Lexile.com). Follow our Podcast and Subscribehttps://www.teachercast.net/episodes/teachercast-podcast/ (View All Episodes) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-teachercast-podcast/id546631310?mt=2 (Apple Podcasts) https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL1RlYWNoZXJjYXN0Q2FzdFBvZGNhc3RGZWVk (Google Podcasts) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/teachercast-podcast/the-teachercast-podcast-network-your-educational-professional?refid=stpr (Stitcher Radio) About CompanyMetaMetrics is an award-winning education technology organization that offers the only scientifically valid, universal scales for measuring silent and oral reading and listening (Lexile) and math (Quantile) with plans to develop measures for writing. The Lexile and Quantile Frameworks measure student ability and the complexity of the content they...

Hello everyone! It has been said that middle school is where the love of reading goes to die… but not if Christina Hanson has anything to say about it! Christina, otherwise known as @Hansonhallway on Instagram, has a lot to say about how to get kids engaged with books. Under her deeply engrained philosophy of letting students read what they want and often in class, is solid pedological practice that includes reading a picture book a day, and being a reader herself. In this episode we dive into the daily routine, independent practice, and even question the value of Lexile and screeners.  If you feel like reading is dying in your class, or maybe on your campus. this is the episode for you.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Writing Unbound: How Fiction Transforms Student Writers by Thomas Newkirk. Writing Unbound is about the value of writing fiction in secondary classrooms.  Tom Newkirk asks a tough question:  if reading fiction is the center of most English classrooms, why is writing fiction often ignored? Why do we separate fiction reading and fiction writing? Tom argues that when our writing curriculum is too analytical, students think of “writing” as impersonal, formulaic, and…well…boring. He says that opening a door to fiction writing can ignite students’ interest and convince them of the value of writing. He even argues that allowing kids to write fiction will improve their analytic writing. Learn more about how fiction can transform student writers. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Writing Unbound.

Join a special guest who discusses ways to instill the love of reading in your kids, whatever their age.

Josey was a 3rd grade student. Before our first session, I listened to her read passages at Lexile level 330 (approximately 1.9 grade level). She read 50 WPM with 97% accuracy. Seven weeks later, after 14 sessions, she read passages at Lexile level 440 (approximately 2.5 grade level). Here she read 74 WPM with 98% accuracy. Our work focused specifically on two deficit areas: reading fluency and word identification.

本集主題：「打造英文閱讀力：帶孩子看懂文章、學會文法」介紹 訪問：周昱葳（葳姐） 內容簡介： 閱讀一直是在英文考試拿高分的重要關鍵 學校英文考試╳國中學測╳108年課綱 你的孩子準備好了嗎？ 文章看不懂，其實就是對文法不夠清楚 帶你閱讀七篇短文，介紹34個文法重點 讀懂文章的同時，也讓孩子對文法更有概念 本書最適合： 家有8~15歲孩子的家長 想促進小孩英語閱讀能力的父母 想提升學生閱讀能力與興趣的老師 已經有上英文課，但仍想幫孩子加強閱讀能力的家長 想幫小孩更了解文法，但不知從何下手的家長。 四大特色： 1.以七篇短文來教學，介紹34個文法重點，帶家長和孩子看懂文章 2.五篇爸媽實作，真正做到親子共學 3.利用藍思閱讀分級(Lexile)幫孩子選擇適合的書籍 4.每篇文章皆附音檔，用QR code隨掃隨讀 作者簡介：周昱葳（葳姐） 【學歷】 加州大學柏克萊分校企管碩士（UC Berkeley MBA） 教育部公費留學 台灣大學國際企業系學士 【經歷】 英文親子共學暢銷書作者，現任臉書「葳姐親子英語共學」版主，20多年金融業及企管顧問業經驗，歷任台新銀行資深協理、PwC（資誠）企管顧問公司、ABN AMRO Bank、Bank of America等國際知名企業

I was recently reading the September/October, 2020 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the Editor's Note column “Straight from the Headlines”  written by Patty McGinnis. There are many ways that current events can be incorporated into the classroom.  Current events can be used as an introductory phenomenon to a problem, can support a claim, or can be utilized to provide students with an engineering task.  The use of websites can provide teachers with vetted articles about recent events and current events, most of which are identified by Lexile score.  Resources include: Readworks — http://readworks.org TweenTribune — https://www.tweentribune.com Science News for Students — https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org Science Daily — https://www.sciencedaily.com

Jafet reviews Torn by David Massey. Lexile: 780

Shan review Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon. 7 10 Lexile

Logan reviews The Novice by Taran Matharu. This roughly 400 page fantasy book has a 890 Lexile and is worth 16 AR points

Eva reviews he sci-fi thriller The Martian by Andy Weir. This book is roughly 400 pages long, has a 680 Lexile score, and is worth 16 AR points

Khiana reviews The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin. The novel is a murder mystery is worth 14 points, has a 920 Lexile, and is roughly 350 pages.

Jacobie reviews A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini an novel set in war torn Afganistan. The book is roughly 400 pages, has a Lexile of 830, and is worth 16 AR points

La'Asia reviews the murder mystery I Hunt Killers by Berry Lyga. This book is roughly 360 pages, has a 750 Lexile score and is worth, 13 AR Points.

Zane review of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern--a roughly 400-page magical love story. It has a 950 Lexile and is worth 20 AR Points.

Faith reviews Gets Well Soon by Julie Halpern, a novel about mental health struggles. This book is roughtly 230 pages, at a 850 Lexile, and worth 8 AR points.

Lacey reviews the murder mystery novel Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson. This book is roughly 350 pages, has a 770 Lexile score and is worth, 9 AR Points.

Amanda reviews The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan-a complex family drama that is roughly 350 pages with a 800 Lexile score worth 18 AR Points.

Imani reviews Saint Iggy by K.L. Going. The novel is a roughly 260-page young adult drama and has a Lexile score of 1190 and is worth 8 AR Points.

Simeon Reviews The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan-- a fantasy novel with roughly 250 pages and a Lexile score of 950.

Harley reviews We are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos. A powerful story of war trauma affecting a family. The roughly 350-pages full of drama and terrorism goes in at about an 610 Lexile score. This book is worth 13 AR points.

Joseph reviews the 350 page brutally honest feminist story is set at a Lexile score of 750. It is worth 14 AR Points

Quint reviews The Final Four by Paul Volponi. The novel is a roughly 250-page sports novel and has a Lexile score of 870 and is worth 8 AR Points.

Shiann reviews Perception a paranormal mystery, by Kim Harrington. The novel is a roughly 300-page paranormal quest novel and has a Lexile score of 600 and is worth 9 AR Points. .

David reviews Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby. The book is a roughly 260-page slow paced survival novel and has a Lexile score of 750 and is worth 8 AR Points.

Cyrus reviews the high-paced action novel Hero by Mike Lupica. This book is roughly 200 pages, has a 490 Lexile score and is worth, 8 AR Points.

Makayla reviews the African American novel Bad Boy by Dream Jordan. This book is roughly 200 pages, has a730 Lexile score and is worth, 8 AR Points.

Logan reviews the prehistoric thriller Jurassic Park by Michael Chriton. This book is roughly 416 pages, has a 710 Lexile score and is worth, 20 AR Points.

Taraycho reviews the murder mystery I Hunt Killers by Berry Lyga. This book is roughly 360 pages, has a 750 Lexile score and is worth, 13 AR Points.

In this episode reviews Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu with Kimberly. Roughly 300-page mystery thriller clocks in at about an 800 Lexile score. Worth 11 AR points. **Staff Addition**

Holden reviews Out of The Pocket by Bill Konigsberg is a 280 page book that has a 710 Lexile. Out of the Pocket is a heartfelt story that captures the struggle of sports and the complexity of life as a teen worth 10 AR point.

In this episode, Devin reviews Game by Kevin Waltman-- a compelling and brilliant sports novel. It has a Lexile score of 1050 with 217 pages, and it is worth 9 AR points

In this episode review, Minnie reviews Into The Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern-- a roughly 250-page novel that is an 890 Lexile worth 9 AR points.

In this episode review, Jordan reviews A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)-- a roughly 350-page novel that is an 1150 Lexile worth 7 AR points.

In this episode review, Adam reviews Dread Nation by Justina Ireland-- a roughly 450-page young adult horror novel with zombies that is an 870 Lexile worth 17 AR points.

In this episode review, John reviews Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury-- a roughly 250-page dystopian novel that is an 890 Lexile worth 7 AR points.

In this episode's review, Alex reviews Wings of a Bee by Julie Roorda-- a roughly 220-page, oppressive, young novel that is a 940 Lexile.

In this episode's review, Jayanti reviews Caged Warrior by Alan Lawrence Sitomer-- a roughly 200-page young adult novel that is a 850 Lexile worth 8 AR points.

In this episode's review, Saxon reviews Bluefish by Pat Schmatz-- a roughly 230-page young adult novel that is a 600 Lexile worth 6 AR points.

Many state assessments, mid-year tests, and reading programs report students' progress using a Lexile measure.But the number is not just a measurement of student growth—it can be a tool for challenging students and promoting a love of reading.To view the original blog, visit: https://www.lexialearning.com/blog/more-number-what-is-lexile-measure 

Hello everyone! Does an ELA teacher need to be a practitioner of reading and writing? Teri Lesesne, a former middle school teacher and Professor in the Department of Library Science at Sam Houston State University, says YES YES YES! And I agree.  In part one of our discussion, we hit on popular disagreements between what educators and other commentators think quality reading instruction is, why there is a battle at all, and what the best research in the field is inviting teachers all over to implement into their classrooms. In part two, we really hit on this idea of teacher as a practitioner, and why that makes such a big difference in the quality of instruction happening in the classroom. We also take a few minutes to hit on the Lexile obsession in schools, and how it's bad for everyone involved.  Enjoy! Don’t forget to subscribe and review the show on iTunes!  For more on reading instruction, check out my episode with Mary Howard (as mentioned in the episode!)

Thank you to our new show sponsors – Fusion Academy! To find out more about Fusion Academy and their revolutionary approach to school, visit www.fusionacademy.com  You can catch the entire panel discussion from the fundraiser event here and find out more about our panelists in this episode. Show Notes Reading comprehension and language processing affects a child’s overall ability to learn. Knowing this, we wanted to focus on learning about reading strategies and restructuring the learning environment in this episode. We’re joined by Adrian Ojeda, Director at the Palos Verdes and Long Beach Lindamood-Bell centers. Adrian joins us to discuss the importance of reading strategies and cognitive processes in schools in helping ensure children learn the best way according to their unique learning abilities. Adrian explains that learning to read can address potential underlying problems with academic issues and can help teachers and parents recognize gaps in cognitive processes. Helping a child learn how to read helps him/her succeed in other aspects of their academic and social lives. Full transcript to this episode can be found on our site here.  What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why is learning difficult for some children and not others? What are cognitive process and what do they have to do with the way children learn? How Lindamood-Bell tutors attempt to fix the problem behind academic issues How having basic reading comprehension skills can have an effect on the child’s whole perspective of the English language How language processing deficiencies can lead to deficiencies in peer interaction, athletic events and everyday functions How restructuring the learning environment around the child can help minimize or eliminate the need for constant remediation What are some strategies that teachers can use to help students with learning deficiencies? How can they help bridge that gap? What are some tools that may be helpful for teachers and parents in getting the student excited about reading? What is a Lexile level and how can you decode it to figure out where your child falls on the spectrum? What is the difference between fluency and stamina in relation to reading? Help your child identify their mistakes while reading, rather than giving them the answer Resources Mentioned: Lindamood-Bell in Palos Verdes and Long Beach Contact Information: Adrian.ojeda@lindamoodbell.com  Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show. Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: Facebook Instagram Twitter IEP website This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In this final installment of my series on examining student data, we look at how preassessment data and Lexile scores can really illuminate gaps in learning for students in any subject area. Getting baseline data in the form a preassessment can help teachers know what skills students come prepared with, and what they may need to reteach. Tie this together with Lexile scores, and teachers can fully understand their students' ability to access grade-level material. Click HERE to grab my Data Collection Contact Sheet to help you remember the key people in your school who manage the different types of student data!  Love this show? Become an AWESOME SUPPORTER! Don't forget to leave a voicemail! Let your voice be heard! Click here how to find out how you can be a part of the podcast by telling us your favorite parts of teaching! Listeners who leave a voicemail will be eligible to receive a FREE Teachers Need Teachers sticker! Click HERE to find out more! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher Join my Facebook Group where I occasionally podcast live Message me through Instagram or Twitter

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。​

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。​

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。

欢迎订阅微信公众号“老虎小助手”，进入右下角菜单“会员中心”，收听本专辑完整音频，以及超过一万个中英文有声学习资源哟！当孩子有了自然拼读的能力之后，如何让孩子自发地独立阅读？这时阅读素材的趣味性与多元性是吸引孩子阅读的关键之一。《彩虹兔儿童英语分级故事屋》不但涵盖了语言故事与自然科学故事，更依据全球*公信力的蓝思（Lexile）分级阅读体系，确认各个级别读本句子的长度与词汇的难易度，让孩子按部就班打下英语阅读的基础。

I May Be Certified, But Do I Feel Qualified?If you’re like us, you took your ESL certification test for one inspiring reason  -  your district mandated it. And despite the rigorous preparation provided by taking that test, we still felt unprepared for the actual reality of beginner and intermediate English learners in our classrooms. This year close to a million Texas students are classified as English Language Learners or ELLs, according to PEIMS data released by TEA. Teaching English Language Learners is certainly one of the biggest obstacles we encounter as high school teachers. Districts throughout Texas have been, with varying levels of speed and enthusiasm, accepting this new reality. More and more of our students are actively engaged in the process of learning the English language - even though that may be not be what we are actively engaged in teaching them. The bald fact is that nowhere in the high school standards does it call for us to teach phonics, verb conjugation or the thousands of high-frequency words that make up the structure - if not the content - of our subjects.This month we spoke with educational stakeholders at every level of ESL education - teachers, parents, and students - and we discovered a surprising truth. The secret to preparing your English Language Learners for success lies in … The accommodation sheet you get at the beginning of the year. Wait...Really?Accommodations, of course, are not our favorite thing. And we deal with them literally every single day with virtually every single student. Yet after speaking with our three podcast guests - listen to a teacher/parent here, a student here, and an ESL specialist here - one thing was clear. It is the accomodations - but it’s not about what you do but why you do them. Accommodations are not there to make the content “easier”.Let’s break down the most common, most helpful accommodations, and how we should be using them. Shortened Assignments/Extra time:How We Use It: On multiple choice tests, we strike out one answer. Instead of 20 vocabulary words, we assign 10. If an essay requires three examples, now they only need two. We give an extra day for reading the chapter.Why It’s There: You know that feeling you get every Friday of every week, where you think, “If I have to listen to one more ridiculous excuse for not turning in their work, I will move to Hawaii and never look back!” That deep soul tired that sends you, yet again, to the drive through line for dinner because that is just all the advanced planning you can take.Brain fatigue is an actual neurological issue that results in forgetfulness, uncontrollable falling asleep, difficulty retaining information, and emotional turmoil. That is the feeling our ELs are getting every time they do work in English. Kids who are working hard to learn a language must read an English text, mentally translate the words, string them into ideas in their native language, and then process their reactions back into English. This fatigue is exacerbated by background noise and side conversations (otherwise called high school classes). The cognitive work required to filter and process all the different sensory inputs drains the brain quicker than a last generation iPhone the week after release date.Your ELLs are using multiple brain “apps” to read, and they frankly can’t sustain it for very long. Their language centers have just not become background system processes yet. In the second part of our English Language Learner series, Ali - a brilliant refugee student who came to our schools speaking very limited English and graduated in two years - spoke candidly about the struggle of sustaining the mental energy needed for a five-hour English End of Course test. If you listened to Ali in that episode, you know that if he can hardly do it - it’s way too much. How We Should Be Using It:We certainly never connected the shortening of assignments accommodation to this reality of brain fatigue. Don’t shorten assignments to make them “easier”. Instead “chunk” them. English Language Learners need just as many repetitions and opportunities to interact with content as we all do. So if you have twenty necessary vocabulary words, then you have twenty necessary vocabulary words. Don’t shorten the assignment by removing those words. But chunk them together. Are some of the words related to each other by theme? Are they part of a word family? Can they be chunked together and studied as a group? Can you use a word bank on your tests, or sentence stems for writing assignments that will take some of the burden off of their minds?Another way to shorten assignments is actually to allow talking about it beforehand. Just giving your students talking time to process can help an ESL student feel more confident and comfortable with an assignment. And the repetition is a key variable in good learning practice. Reducing the Reading/Difficulty Level:How We Use It: We take advantage of Lexile-leveled texts when available. Difficult reading passages are not assigned. We show movies or use summaries of difficult texts. Instead of assigning passages with “big words”, we simplify the vocabulary using descriptive language.Why It’s There:You would be surprised at how many words an ESL student will try to translate in their readings. We once watched a kid meticulously go through a paragraph assigned by a teacher, translating roughly 70% of the words she encountered. Can you imagine the brain fatigue this creates? The toll on comprehension? According to research, students must know 98% of the words they read in order to have a shot at understanding a text, let alone analyze that text.How We Should Be Using It:When you’re reducing the reading level of text, what, exactly, are you reducing?Research shows that BICS develop quickly with ESL students. These are the basic 500 or so words that every kid knows in order to get their basic needs met. But CALP, the rigorous academic vocabulary needed to succeed in academic settings, comes much slower. When we reduce reading level, if we’re not very targeted, we end up sacrificing the necessary academic language - the CALPs - in our quest to remove the stumbling block BICS. Simpler reading assignments run the risk of shortening or abridging academic vocabulary. The fact is that it is not helping your students to expose them to less vocabulary. All three of our guests used one word repeatedly - vocabulary. Taking vocabulary shortcuts, like calling the numerator and denominator “top and bottom” number, may help students in the moment, but all you’ve actually done is push the necessary learning off to another point of time. A poor application of the “reading level” accommodation leads to that common complaint - “Well my students really KNOW the content, they just can’t transfer that to the test.” Often they can’t transfer their knowledge to a test because they learned the content but not the language. Don’t shortchange one goal to meet another.If you’re reading a long, complex text - chunk it. What are the “must haves” in that reading? Assign those and provide vocabulary-rich summaries for the rest. Texts are more comprehensible when they include shorter sentences, with fewer clauses, and a lot of context clues. As teachers, we can and should write up our lessons and lectures using grammatically simpler language and sentence structures, while utilizing academic vocabulary and context clues and pictures. Creating our own expository texts can be a great way to make sure the kids practice reading, follow up on the information you gave them, and have a study sheet for vocabulary in context.Individual/Small Group Instruction:How We Use It:“Sheltered” classes with ESL students working together on specialized curriculum that is accommodated and modified. Pairing an ESL students with a classroom mentor student.Why It’s There:Sheltered instruction is more of a mindset than a class - a set of guiding instructional principles that ensure ELLs have access to lessons with explicit language support and academic task instruction. We teach students what to learn, how to understand it, and how to retain it. By its very nature, it requires a flexible and individualized approach to student learning and a pacing that is both academically challenging and that adapts to their burgeoning proficiencies.How We Should Be Using It:There is a significant difference between language competency and cognition. Just because two students are at the same English language proficiency level, does not mean they are going to experience equal levels of frustration or success in a class. A very bright student who would excel in a Pre AP class if they were just linguistically capable needs to have the accommodations that will enable him or her to learn the more universal content language as quickly and completely as a regular student. Rather than using sheltered classes as an opportunity to slow down the pace of curriculum and instruction, these classes should be providing instruction at an accelerated pace and focus on the must have standards in the foreground, while keeping the nice to know standards to enhance or deepen understanding and skill in the background as needed. Many teachers say they cannot differentiate for so many variables, but you don’t always have to. Your gifted ESL students have burning questions and curiosities that they want to know more about. Give them an opportunity to create their own learning goals.  Some kids need a coach rather than a teacher, and adopting a sheltered individualized plan to address content goals can be done with conferences and and action plans can be the key to quickening student progress in content and language goals.Linguistic Accommodations:How We Use ItKids get a Longman’s dictionary from the shelf as needed, or we allow them to use Google translate on their phones. If they raise their hand and ask, we come over and re-word directions for them. We make sure we use gestures, and we put pictures in our powerpoint slides.Why It’s There:According to research, it takes four to ten years to be able to own a new language. A high school freshman who started speaking English in elementary school is still well within that gap.How We Should Be Using It:Language acquisition is overwhelming. Students by necessity will make inferences and draw conclusions about the meaning of individual words in order to make it through complex texts without looking every single word up in the dictionary. In Love’s Labor Lost, Shakespeare said, “They have been at a great feast of languages, and stol’n the scraps.” Unfortunately these scraps oftentimes lead to erroneous, or less than ideal, conclusions that can dilute or completely destroy the meaning of the content.All ESL students (and most intervention students generally!) should be directly taught high frequency academic vocabulary that will assist them in any content in addition to your contents’ vocabulary. For linguistic accommodations, providing an easily accessible copy of your content’s high frequency words that they can use with their assignments is much more relevant and user-friendly than simply providing a dictionary. For a place to start here’s Jim Burke’s list. While Google Translate is undeniably great, don’t underestimate the power of the human voice - specifically your human voice. Then need to hear you pronounce words and use inflection that varies based on word context. (Are you entering a CONtest, or do you conTEST the police officer’s ticket?)What it all comes down to is...It’s not what you’re doing - it’s why you are doing it.Accommodations can be frustrating at the high school level, where you’re overwhelmed with the sheer number of them, and they often feel like they are not actually doing anything at all. But with just a slight shift in perspective of how you view these accommodations you will suddenly find them making a huge impact in your students’ success.

BYU's Quinn Mecham on South Korea and the president's offer to resign. BYU's Isaac Wood on coaching inmates to run marathons. Dr. Eric Fleeger, Harvard Medical School, discusses laws to reduce firearm homicides. The Date Safe Project's Mike Domitrz, author of "Can I Kiss You?", talks culture of consent in sexual relations. Worlds Awaiting host Rachel Wadham on interpreting Lexile scores.

I am increasingly fascinated by the world of EdTech. Technology is not disrupting classrooms it's improving them, and it's not replacing teachers it's actually helping them with an entire range of tools to offer a whole new level of education. Two Examples Achieve3000 provides the only patented, cloud-based solutions that deliver daily differentiated instruction for nonfiction reading and writing that’s precisely tailored to each student’s Lexile® reading level. Achieve3000 is the leader in online differentiated instruction, serving millions of students worldwide. For nearly 15 years, the company has been reaching students at their precise Lexile® reading levels to deliver significant reading gains—often double-to-triple the expected gains. The Achieve 3000 free app enables access to Achieve3000 lessons for all students with active KidBiz3000, TeenBiz3000, and Empower3000 subscriptions. Essentially Achieve3000 is using technology to accelerate literacy and help students achieve lifelong success. Renaissance is on a mission to accelerate learning for all. Renaissance’s purpose is grounded in these core beliefs: They believe everyone can be a successful learner and that learning is a growth process: a continual journey from year to year, and for a lifetime. The company is armed with a conviction that empowering teachers is integral to student success. Every student should have the chance to reach his or her full potential.  Globally, teachers trust Renaissance to spark tremendous math and reading growth. Renaissance helps ensure all students reach their full potential. Students receive the unique attention and quick feedback they need to meet their goals. Monitoring student progress is easier than you’ve ever imagined thanks to the combination of precise growth data with state-specific, scientifically proven learning progressions. Saki Dodelson CEO of Achieve3000 and Jack Lynch CEO at Renaissance chat about their partnership, their solutions for learning analytics, differentiated literacy instruction and how they intend to create the school of the future. Guest Info www.renaissance.com www.achieve3000.com      

Keshawn Dodds is an author, actor, motivational speaker and advocate for education. Inspired by the death of his best friend, Marcus McDowell, Mr. Keshawn Dodds is on a mission to help all youth enjoy the love of reading and education. Mr. Dodds’ eight book series will inspire people to not only read his books, but to continue to grow their love of reading with other books. The Book: Menzuo: The Calling of the Sun Prince A Science-Ficition Novel An 11-year old who finds something out before his 12th birthday A new Superhero Writen for all ages April 16th was the day he was found The Author: Grew up in Springfield Massachusetts Wanted to be a fireman and athlete The Boys and Girls Club was a big help growing up Both his father and best friend passed away from Cancer Excelled in Football and Writing Book he admires: Makes Me Wanna Holler by Nathan McCall The Mindset: English professor motivated him to do something with the idea Says “Your Can’t is My Can” Wrote late nights after family is in bed sleeping Acquired a Lexile score to make book readily available in the schools “Just Write! Because if you don’t write your story, it will never be told” Thank You for finishing your book Keshawn and for sharing your message with the world! Listen to the episode to hear the Tip he provides for the soon-to-be published authors. Learn alot more about Keshawn Dodds at www.keshawndodds.com Other books by Keshawn: