This week, Melanie sits down with Storyshares Chief Academic Officer Shira Engel to give you the PD you wish you'd had — breaking down the key terms, acronyms, and foundational concepts that come up again and again in the adolescent literacy world. No jargon. No gatekeeping. Just clear, accessible definitions that will help you engage in these conversations with confidence.

We cover:

• What adolescent literacy actually means — and why the definition might surprise you
• The science of reading — and why it's not a curriculum
• Acronyms on acronyms: ORF, MTSS, HQIM, PLC
• Foundational literacy skills — phonics, phonemic awareness, morphology, fluency, and more
• The decoding threshold — and why it matters for older striving readers
• Assessments: universal screeners vs. secondary literacy diagnostics
• Interdisciplinary vs. disciplinary literacy
• Strategies you can use in your classroom tomorrow

Links:

• Decoding threshold research: https://www.ets.org/research/the-decoding-threshold-measuring-the-roots-of-older-students-reading-diffulties-new-evidence.html
• Reading Universe resources: https://readinguniverse.org/

• Information on MTSS: https://www.nwea.org/blog/2025/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment/
• Adolescent literacy definition: https://www.unr.edu/education/research/centers-and-student-resources/initiatives/naln

Questions or want to connect? Reach out to melanie@storyshares.org