{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Literacy Mindset","title":"Science of Reading: Addressing Multilingual Learners' Literacy Needs","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2146,"description":"\nIn this episode of Literacy Mindset, we sit down with Benjamin Zulauf, Director of Literacy at Cicero School District 99 in Illinois, to discuss how strategic leadership, professional development, and a commitment to research-backed literacy practices are transforming education.\nBen shares his unconventional journey into education, the challenges of uniting different pedagogical philosophies, and the steps Cicero has taken to improve literacy outcomes—nearly tripling student proficiency in just a few years. He also dives into the importance of professional learning, multilingual literacy instruction, and how his district has embraced structured literacy to drive measurable success.\nIf you're an educator, administrator, or literacy advocate looking for real-world insights on driving systemic change, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways on curriculum adoption, intervention strategies, and the future of literacy instruction.\n\nKey Moments\n\n05:30 Internal Debates on Reading Strategy\n08:07 \"Initiating District-Wide Training Program\"\n12:02 Science of Reading Debate Misunderstood\n16:00 Ensuring Effective Student Readiness\n19:36 District Develops Internal Literacy Program\n22:52 Language vs. Reading Intervention Debate\n25:47 Accelerating Foundational Learning Skills\n30:23 Implementing Integrity in Education\n33:10 Prioritize Teacher Prep Over EdTech\n\nWhy You’ll Love This Episode\n\nPractical Literacy Leadership – Learn how Ben Zulauf and his team transformed a fragmented literacy approach into a structured, research-driven program.\nActionable Strategies – Gain insights into professional development, structured literacy, and intervention strategies that have made a measurable impact.\nMultilingual Literacy Insights – Discover how Cicero School District is supporting English learners while improving Spanish literacy at an accelerated pace.\nA Fresh Perspective on EdTech – Ben shares his candid thoughts on the role (and limitations) of technology in literacy...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/6NQE-t3FMJOJ5GikcOBWKZ86_VsW02XrDwsypAO8MgU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xMDU3/MWM5MjRmNzQ0ZDEy/YThlYzdkNGI1Nzk0/MWM5Ni5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}