In this episode of Literacy in Color, Michelle sits down with Alejandra Ramirez, a seasoned bilingual educator, reading coordinator, and literacy leader, to explore one of the most important questions in today’s classrooms: Is the Science of Reading for Multilingual Learners?

With over a decade of experience in dual language programs and extensive training in LETRS and Esperanza, Alejandra brings a nuanced and equity-centered lens to structured literacy. In this episode, Alejandra unpacks common misconceptions, explores the importance of oral language, and discusses how foundational skills instruction can be adapted to support bilingual and multilingual learners.

Key Takeaways:

• Why Structured Literacy is for multilingual learners
• The importance of cross-linguistic connections
• The role of explicit instruction, teacher mindset, and instructional equity

Resources & Notable Figures Mentioned:

• Esperanza Dyslexia Program
• LETRS Training
• Book: Aprender a Leer by Stanislas Dehaene, neuroscientist
• Claude Goldenberg
• Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan
• Book: Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan
• Dr. Antonio Fierro
• Dr. José Medina

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Connect with Alejandra Ramirez:

• Instagram: @stuffaboutreading

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
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• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this episode of Literacy in Color, I’m joined by my dear friend, Christina Winter from Lead in Literacy. Together, we dive into one of the hottest topics in structured literacy: small group instruction.

While some Science of Reading conversations debate whether small groups have a place in the literacy block, Christina reminds us that when done correctly—grounded in assessment, efficiency, and aligned routines—small groups can be one of the most powerful tools to differentiate instruction and target students’ exact needs.

Christina walks us through her ABC Framework for small groups:

• A — Assess
• B — Be Efficient
• C — Cut the Fluff

We also discuss how to fit small groups into busy schedules, what effective routines look like, how to handle pacing, and why teachers don't need to feel guilty about not seeing every student every day.

Key Takeaways:

• How small group instruction supports differentiated, targeted reading instruction.
• The importance of assessment-driven groupings based on universal screeners (Acadience, DIBELS, i-Ready, etc.)
• Why consistent instructional routines reduce teacher overwhelm and student anxiety.
• High-impact routines for small group instruction: phonemic awareness, word mapping, high-frequency words, blending, decodable text, comprehension, dictation, and word awareness.
• Teachers should prioritize students below benchmark for daily small groups while others can be seen less frequently.

Resources Mentioned:

• Christina's Free Small Group Toolkit (downloadable resource with lessons & templates)
• Book: A Fresh Look at Phonics by Wiley Blevins
• Dr. Julia Lindsey’s Instagram Post
• Stephanie Stollar’s Reading Science Academy
• Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Christina Winter:

• Website: https://leadinliteracy.com/
• Instagram: @lead.in.literacy
• Christina’s Membership Site: Leaders of Literacy

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit:

In this powerful episode of Literacy in Color, we are joined by Dr. Molly Ness to explore the deep impact of read-alouds, particularly think-alouds, as well as book access.. Dr. Ness, educator, author of Read Aloud for All Learners, and host of the End Book Deserts podcast, brings her research, experience, and passion to this conversation about how language comprehension is often overlooked, but absolutely essential in the Science of Reading-centered conversations.

Dr. Ness shares what the research says about read-alouds, how teacher planning (or lack thereof) affects instructional impact, and what educators can do to be more intentional in their read-aloud routines.

We also unpack the concept of book deserts, areas where children lack access to books in their homes, schools, and communities. Dr. Ness shares creative ideas and solutions for bringing books to the kids who need them most.

Key Takeaways:

• The concept of book deserts and why book access is an equity issue
• Creative ways to distribute books in under-resourced communities
• The physiological and emotional benefits of read-alouds for all ages
• What research tells us about the power of read-alouds for language comprehension
• How think-alouds support comprehension beyond simple questioning
• Planning read-alouds with intentionality: modeling, stopping points, & strategy alignment

Resources Mentioned:

• Read Aloud for All Learners by Dr. Molly Ness
• Research: What Are Teachers Reading and Why?: An Analysis of Elementary Read Aloud Titles and the Rationales Underlying Teachers' Selections - Conradi-Smith, Craig Young, and Jane Core Yatzeck
• White paper on Language Comprehension written by Dr. Molly Ness
• Making Words Stick (newly released book by Dr. Molly Ness & Dr. Katie Pace Miles)

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Dr. Molly Ness:

• Website: https://www.mollyness.com/
• Website: https://www.dirigoliteracy.com/
• LinkedIn: Molly Ness, PhD
• Instagram: @a_reading_mother
• BlueSky: ‪@mollyness.bsky.social‬
• End Book Desert Podcast
• End Book Desert Website

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook...