The Literacy Talks podcast team—Stacy Hurst, Donell Pons, and Lindsay Kemeny—welcomed special guest Jake Downs for a deep dive into the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR) conference held in Calgary. This unique gathering brought together top literacy researchers from around the globe to share new studies, fresh ideas, and implications for classroom practice.
In this episode, Stacy and Jake recap their experiences, highlighting big takeaways for educators, coaches, and administrators who want to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and day-to-day literacy instruction.
What Makes the SSSR Conference Unique?
Unlike many education conferences, the SSSR conference is first and foremost a research-focused event. Presenters are almost exclusively researchers from universities and related organizations, meaning the sessions are often “researchers talking to researchers.”
However, this year’s event broke new ground with its first-ever Practitioner Day, specifically designed for classroom teachers and instructional leaders. This addition gave attendees strategies they could immediately bring back to their students.
Practitioner Day: Turning Research into Practice
A standout session came from Dr. Matt Burns, who emphasized aligning assessment with instruction. His key points included:
- Assessment drives instruction – without it, teachers risk spending valuable minutes on less impactful activities.
- The “right” assessment can pinpoint why a student isn’t progressing.
- Twelve data points are ideal for making informed progress monitoring decisions.
Another highlight was Dr. Devin Kearns’s practical approach to teaching syllable division and simplifying terminology for students. Rather than overloading learners with technical terms, he recommended using straightforward language like “consonant teams” and focusing on flexibility when decoding multisyllabic words.
From Curriculum Comparisons to Teacher Knowledge
Jake Downs also presented his own research, comparing the performance of students using a long-standing Reading First-era curriculum with those learning from a newer Science of Reading-era curriculum. While both programs had strengths, students using the newer curriculum performed better on more complex decoding skills.
Other notable studies explored:
- Teacher knowledge and student outcomes – highlighting the need for stronger preparation for special education teachers, who often work with the most struggling readers.
- The role of coaching – with calls to make coaching practices more consistent across schools.
- Impact of professional development – such as LETRS training, which improved teacher knowledge but benefited from follow-up coaching to strengthen instructional decision-making.
Phonological Awareness, Oral Language, and Content Learning
Research from Shane Piasta and colleagues revealed that for preschoolers, a blend of phonological sensitivity and phonemic awareness instruction produced the best reading outcomes. This raises important questions about whether kindergarten instruction should also include broader phonological training alongside phonemic skills.
Several sessions also focused on oral language as a driver for content learning, reinforcing the idea that comprehension strategies work best when tied directly to building knowledge.
Technology, AI, and the Future of Literacy
One international study explored the use of AI-powered robots in classrooms. While engaging, these robots still made mistakes that young students noticed—undermining trust and confirming that technology works best as a teaching assistant, not a teacher replacement.
Other tech-related research modeled orthographic mapping using AI to estimate how many exposures are needed for sound-letter combinations and words to become automatic—a fascinating glimpse into how artificial intelligence could inform curriculum design.
Comprehension, Text Structure, and Word Difficulty
Presentations from Kay Wijekumar underscored the value of teaching students to recognize text structures to improve comprehension. Her work also highlighted the importance of involving principals and coaches in professional development to ensure instructional practices are well-supported.
Research from Laura Tortorelli examined factors that make words easier or harder to read, including age of acquisition—with later-learned words proving more difficult even when controlling for length and spelling patterns.
Why SSSR Matters for All Literacy Stakeholders
While the SSSR conference can be highly technical, it provides a vital look at where classroom strategies originate. Ideas and findings presented here often influence the literacy practices adopted in schools years later.
From refining assessment practices to integrating oral language and content learning, the studies showcased at SSSR provide educators with a clearer understanding of how to meet students’ needs more effectively.
Final Thought: Whether you’re a teacher, coach, or decision-maker, the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading conference offers a window into the future of literacy education—connecting the dots between rigorous research and the real-world classroom.
Check out Jake Downs’ Teaching Literacy Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
