Episodes

What happens when multilingual learners need foundational reading instruction, but existing standards don't clearly establish who is responsible for providing it? In this episode, four Georgia educators explore gaps between WIDA’s English language development standards and the science of reading, particularly for students entering U.S. schools beyond the early elementary grades. Drawing on their collaborative work in Floyd County Schools, they discuss how ESOL and literacy educators can share re...

What does it take to move students beyond accurate decoding toward fluent, meaningful reading? In this episode, we welcome Kelly Maxwell and Deiysi Paredes-Monjaras, co-creators of Elevating Fluency, to explore why foundational literacy skills and language comprehension must develop together. Drawing on their experiences as a struggling reader and a multilingual learner, Kelly and Deiysi discuss the importance of connecting phonics to vocabulary, using visuals without promoting guessing, and rec...

How can educators distinguish expected language differences from signs of a language disorder? In this episode, Dr. Ellen Kester explores how contrastive analysis helps teachers understand the influence of students' home languages on English literacy development. She discusses predictable cross-linguistic patterns, the importance of explicit instruction grounded in students' existing linguistic knowledge, and the role of dynamic assessment in preventing inappropriate special education referrals....

We're revisiting our very first interview on Literacy Across Languages! In this episode, Dr. Jana Echevarría joins us to discuss effective instructional strategies for multilingual students who are learning to read. The conversation highlights the interdependence of language and literacy, the need for collaboration among educators, and the importance of building language, literacy, and knowledge in tandem. Dr. Jana Echevarría is Professor Emerita at California State University, Long Beach, wher...

Dr. Sarah Cioffi joins Mary and Katherine to explore what it takes to make multilingual literacy a shared responsibility across an entire school rather than the work of the ENL teacher alone. The conversation examines teacher preparation, collaboration, MTSS, culturally and linguistically responsive Tier 1 instruction, and the importance of distinguishing language acquisition from reading difficulties. It also highlights oracy as a foundation for literacy and calls on educators to design rigorou...

Dr. Marisa Ramirez Stukey joins Mary and Katherine to explore reading comprehension as an outcome of multiple systems working together rather than a single skill. Their conversation examines how educators can look beneath apparent comprehension difficulties, use students’ home languages and knowledge as resources, and support meaning making across the word, sentence, and discourse levels while keeping language, identity, and cultural context at the center. Dr. Marisa Ramirez Stukey is the Chief...

Dr. Ingrid Heidrick joins Mary and Katherine to explore how educators can use district-adopted literacy curricula while making intentional adjustments for multilingual learners. The conversation examines language demands, background knowledge and comprehension, foundational literacy, oral language development, instructional routines, and the gradual release of scaffolds. Throughout the episode, Ingrid emphasizes teacher knowledge and agency in integrating language development across content area...

Dr. Antonio Fierro explores why language must be understood as the foundation of literacy for English Learners, connecting phonological awareness, word recognition, sentences, and discourse. He discusses how teachers can create language-rich classrooms, listen closely to students’ oral language, build on cross-linguistic knowledge, and pair structured literacy with multilingual education so that rigorous instruction remains accessible without treating language differences as deficits. Antonio A...

Kari Kurto of The Reading League joins Literacy Across Languages to explore how the science of reading and structured literacy can support multilingual learners and English learners. The conversation examines language as common ground between literacy and EL/EB education, including explicit and systematic instruction, linguistic assets, assessment, contrastive analysis, and how educators can provide comprehensive, evidence-aligned literacy instruction that is responsive to multilingual learners....