Dr. Douglas Fisher is Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College. He was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame in 2022. Doug has published extensively on leadership, reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design, including The Teaching Reading Playbook and his newly published book, The Courage to Learn: Building Risk-Ready Classrooms Where Students Thrive.In this conversation, Dr. Doug Fisher discusses the importance of shifting the educational perspective from a deficit-oriented mindset to one that recognizes and celebrates student strengths. He emphasizes that by focusing on what students can do and their assets, educators can raise expectations and foster a more positive learning environment. This approach not only changes the way educators view their students but also influences the strategies they employ in teaching, ultimately leading to better outcomes for learners.Key Takeaways:Start with strengths, not deficits. Discussing what students can already do raises expectations and changes how we plan instruction.Multilingual learners are not a monolith. Understanding the four types (literate newcomer, pre-literate beginner, progressing English learner, persistent English learner) helps teachers provide appropriate supports for each student.Students need conceptual understanding for words to stick in any language. Build concepts before teaching vocabulary. Academic risk-taking (the courage to learn) is essential for multilingual learners. It develops through trust, strong relationships, and frequent experiences of success.Timestamps:(0:00) Welcome to Literacy Across Languages!(01:33) Meet Dr. Doug Fisher(06:37) Four Multilingual Learner Profiles(13:59) ML Profile 1 - The Literate Newcomer(18:07) ML Profile 2 - The Pre-Literate Beginner(23:19) ML Profile 3 - The Progressing English Learner(27:59) ML Profile 4 - The Persistent English Learner(37:26) Tailoring Instruction for Each ML Profile(43:32) Academic Risk-Taking for Multilingual Learners(50:44) TakeawaysEpisode Resources:Explore Dr. Fisher's books on education.Watch this fascinating TED Talk short about how American Sign Language works with Christine Sun Kim.Visit Dr. Fisher and Dr. Frey's website for more resources for literacy and language development.Stay Connected:Visit us at literacyacrosslanguages.com.Email us with questions or episode suggestions at literacyacrosslanguages@gmail.com.Follow Mary and Katherine on LinkedIn.Like, subscribe, and share this episode with fellow educators, or share a review to help others find us!Keywords: education, student strengths, deficit mindset, teaching strategies, language development, social-emotional learning, learner evidence, expectations, growth mindset, teaching practices, multilingual learners
Maya Valencia Goodall is co-creator of OL&LA (Online Language and Literacy Academy), co-founder of Lingual Learning, and co-creator of Lexia English. She continues to shape the field of education as a leader in the design and enhancement of the Online Elementary Reading Academy at CORE Learning. Maya is dedicated to ensuring every student receives the literacy and language instruction they need and deserve, with a focus on bridging structured literacy and second language acquisition research.In this conversation, Maya Valencia Goodall shares her journey into multilingual education, emphasizing the importance of heritage languages and the need to redefine success in language learning. She discusses practical strategies for embracing multilingualism in classrooms, the connection between structured literacy and second language acquisition, and the significance of professional development for educators. Maya advocates for a collaborative approach among teachers to support multilingual learners and highlights the ongoing need for celebration and recognition of diverse identities in education.Key Takeaways:Structured literacy and second language acquisition research align beautifully and should be integrated, not taught separately.Oral language is the foundation for literacy in any language. Students need ample opportunities to practice speaking.Redefine the template of success from monolingualism to bilingualism. Students can learn to read, write, and speak in two languages simultaneously.Timestamps:(0:00) Welcome to Literacy Across Languages!(01:12) Meet Maya Valencia Goodall(05:37) The Impact of Language on Identity(07:05) Benefits of an Asset-Based Lens(09:26) Practical Strategies for Multilingual Classrooms(13:30) The Connection Between Language and Literacy(17:28) Myths and Misconceptions(20:37) Small Shifts for Specialists (25:01) Collaboration and Professional Development(33:45) TakeawaysEpisode Resources:Learn about structured literacy and the domains of language.Read Maya's article in Language Magazine on connecting ELD and ELA instruction.Explore OL&LA (Online Language and Literacy Academy).Discover professional learning resources with CORE Learning.Stay Connected:Visit us at literacyacrosslanguages.com.Email us with questions or episode suggestions at literacyacrosslanguages@gmail.com.Follow Mary and Katherine on LinkedIn.Like, subscribe, and share this episode with fellow educators, or share a review to help others find us!Keywords: multilingual education, language learning, bilingualism, heritage languages, structured literacy, second language acquisition, teacher training, classroom strategies, identity, professional development
Dr. Claude Goldenberg is Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, where he focused on promoting literacy development and academic achievement among English learners. He has taught from first grade through university level and now shares research-based knowledge through articles, blogs, podcasts, and webinars to help all students develop high levels of literacy in English and other languages.In this episode of Literacy Across Languages, Dr. Claude Goldenberg shares his extensive journey in education, emphasizing the importance of understanding literacy, especially for multilingual learners. He discusses the evolution of reading instruction, the significance of the science of reading, and the principles of second language acquisition. Dr. Goldenberg advocates for bilingual education, highlighting its benefits for all students and the need for effective literacy instruction that supports both English learners and native speakers.Key Takeaways:Oral language is the foundation for literacy. Students must connect written symbols to meaningful oral language they already know. Multilingual students need additional oral language development support to build that foundation as they learn to read.Foundational skills and language comprehension work together to produce skilled, competent readers. Multilingualism and multiliteracy should be the goal for all students. Timestamps:(00:00) Welcome to Literacy Across Languages!(03:09) Meet Dr. Claude Goldenberg(13:01) The Literacy Research(25:30) Second Language Acquisition Principles(32:13) Navigating Literacy with Multilingual Learners(39:05) Applying the Research in the Classroom(48:54) Multilingualism and Multiliteracies(53:15) TakeawaysEpisode Resources:Read Dr. Goldenberg's Substack on literacy and language learning.Explore models of reading instruction.Learn more about Scarborough's Reading Rope.Stay Connected:Visit us at literacyacrosslanguages.com.Email us with questions or episode suggestions at literacyacrosslanguages@gmail.com.Follow Mary and Katherine on LinkedIn.Like, subscribe, and share this episode with fellow educators, or share a review to help others find us!Keywords: literacy, multilingual education, science of reading, second language acquisition, bilingual education, English learners, reading instruction, phonics, oral language development, literacy research
Dr. Jana Echevarría is Professor Emerita at California State University, Long Beach, where she was selected as Outstanding Professor. She is co-creator of the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) Model and a leading researcher in effective instruction for multilingual learners. Dr. Echevarría was inducted into the California Reading Hall of Fame in 2016 and has served as an expert on English learners for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She is also an author on a new research-aligned reading program, Emerge!, published by McGraw-Hill.In our first 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. Key Takeaways:Language is the engine of literacy. They develop together, not in isolation.All teachers are both language and literacy teachers. Collaboration is essential to meet students' needs.Effective literacy instruction for multilingual learners requires both code-based skills (decoding) and meaning-based skills (language comprehension) delivered with intentional scaffolds.Comprehensible input through visuals, gestures, and structured interaction accelerates both language development and meaning-making.Timestamps:(0:00) Welcome to Literacy Across Languages!(09:29) Bridging the Science of Reading and the Science of Language Acquisition(12:54) The Relationship Between Language and Literacy(22:59) Comprehensible Input(25:44) Leveraging the Home Language(29:08) Code-Based vs. Meaning-Based Instruction(38:45) Finding Common Ground(44:31) TakeawaysEpisode Resources:Visit Dr. Echevarría's website for SIOP resources.Download the SIOP Model Lesson Planning Framework Checklist.Join The Reading League's Monthly EL/EB Meeting Zoom calls.Stay Connected:Visit us at literacyacrosslanguages.com.Email us with questions or episode suggestions at literacyacrosslanguages@gmail.com.Follow Mary and Katherine on LinkedIn.Like, subscribe, and share this episode with fellow educators, or share a review to help others find us! Keywords: multilingual education, SIOP model, language literacy, comprehensible input, cross-linguistic resources, effective teaching strategies, science of reading, teacher collaboration, literacy instruction, bilingual education