Author Interview: "Round Robin must fly away” and More on Ineffective Literacy Practices

Literacy has been one of the most talked-about aspects of education over the last few years, due to a statewide focus on the science of reading, several grant opportunities, and now the dyslexia legislation going into effect next school year. And now, as our podcast delves into ineffective teaching practices this season, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tim Shanahan to the podcast. Dr. Shanahan is a noted researcher, speaker, and thought leader on all things literacy, and he has been a partner with the Ohio Department of Education for the last several years, as we have developed and implemented Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement. Today, Dr. Shanahan talks with SST8’s Sarah Egan-Reeves and gives us a lot to think about in terms of how we design literacy instruction - really, this is a master class on literacy from one of our favorite gurus. We can’t wait for you to hear all that he has to share.

Co-Host: Sarah Egan-Reeves, SST8 Educational Consultant

About Our Guest:

Dr. Timothy Shanahan is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chi­cago where he was Founding Di­rector of the UIC Center for Literacy. Previously, he was director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools. He is author/editor of more than 200 publications on literacy education, and research emphasizes the connections between reading and writing, literacy in the disciplines, and improvement of reading achievement. Tim is past president of the International Literacy Association. He served as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and he helped lead the National Reading Panel, convened at the request of Congress to evaluate research on the teaching reading, a major influence on reading education. He chaired two other federal research review panels: the National Literacy Panel for Language Minority Children and Youth, and the National Early Literacy Panel, and helped write the Common Core State Standards. He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007, and is a former first-grade teacher.

Additional Resources:

Shanahanonliteracy.com | Dr. Shanahan's website and blog

Why Children Should Be Taught to Read With More Challenging Texts (Article, 2019)

What Constitutes a Science of Reading Instruction? (Article, 2020)

Disciplinary Literacy in Elementary Education: Video | Slides (presentation at Ohio Literacy Academy, 2020)