Literacy Matters: Empowered Conversations

S5E9. Kelly Maly and Virginia Boulware - Real Schools, Real Impact: From Chit Chat to Academic Language

Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift is joined by Montessori educators, Kelly Maly and Virginia Boulware, to explore how oral language supports literacy. Learn practical strategies—from turn-and-talks to read-alouds—that build vocabulary, confidence, comprehension, and help students move from chit chat to academic language.

S5E8. Dr. Terrie Noland - The Word Well: Why Language Is the Foundation of Literacy

Before students become readers and writers, they are speakers and listeners. In this episode, Dr. Terrie Noland explores oral language as the true foundation of literacy—what she calls the “word well.” She shares how language shapes the brain for reading, why it must be intentionally developed, and how educators can build stronger outcomes through purposeful talk in everyday instruction.

S5E7. Cristina Gonzalez - Real Schools, Real Impact: Making It Impossible for the School Community to Fail

At PS 94 in Brooklyn, Principal Cristina Gonzalez shows how equity lives in everyday decisions. In this episode of Literacy Matters: Empowered Conversations, Cristina shares how to support teachers, honor student thinking, and build systems rooted in belonging and high expectations—making it possible for the entire school community to succeed.

S5E6. Kass Minor & Cornelius Minor - Equity on an Ordinary Tuesday: The Instructional Choices That Shape Belonging

Equity isn’t a program—it’s a daily practice. In this episode, Cornelius and Kass Minor, founders of The Minor Collective, explore how belonging is shaped in small instructional moments—how we respond to mistakes, define rigor, and support students struggling to express ideas in writing—and how minor shifts create classrooms where every student feels seen and capable.

S5E5. Denise Johnson - Real Schools, Real Impact: The Leadership Moves Behind Strong Writing Instruction

In this episode of Literacy Matters: Empowered Conversations, Denise Johnson, Curriculum Director and Building Principal at Lawrence Public Schools in Kansas, shares how leaders can strengthen writing instruction through intentional scheduling, explicit modeling, and classroom support—bridging theory to practice and addressing writing as the missing link in literacy efforts.