Do You Know the Difference Between These Two Categories of Reading Skills?
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
06/03/26
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Are all reading skills taught the same way? Not according to researcher Scott Paris and understanding the difference could transform how you teach literacy.
In this short from my S5E40 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, I sit down with Dr. Kay Stahl as she explains how Scott Paris introduced a powerful framework that every educator needs to know: the Constrained vs. Unconstrained Skills Continuum. On one end, you have constrained skills like phonics and letter names: sequential, isolated, and learned over a short period of time. On the other end are unconstrained skills like comprehension and vocabulary: lifelong learning journeys that grow incrementally and can never truly be "finished."
This distinction is a game-changer for instructional strategies and lesson planning, because it means we can't use a one-size-fits-all approach to effective teaching. When we understand that phonics has a finish line but comprehension does not, we become better equipped to support the whole child and build a path toward true student success.
Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E40 interview.
📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
📚 CHAPTERS
0:00 – Introduction: Not All Skills Are Equal
0:08 – What Are Constrained Skills? (Phonics & Letter Names)
0:20 – The Skill Continuum Explained
0:32 – What Are Unconstrained Skills? (Comprehension & Vocabulary)
0:45 – Why This Framework Changes How We Teach
#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #effectiveteaching #instructionalstrategies #teachingtips #studentengagement #activeLearning #inclusiveclassrooms #culturallyresponsiveteaching #professionaldevelopment #instructionalcoaching #teachercoaching #schoolleadership #schoolimprovement #educationleadership #newteachers #mentorteachers #lessonplanning #wholesomechild #studentsuccess #empowerededucators #educationtransformation #literacydevelopment #readinginstruction #phonics #comprehension #constrainedskills #unconstrainedskills #scottparis #teacherimpact #schoolculture #equityineducation
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
What if the biggest obstacle to student success isn't summer, it's what teachers stop doing after the standardized test?
In Part 1 of my S5E40 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Dr. Katherine (Kay) Stahl, literacy consultant, clinician, and former director of the NYU Literacy Clinic, she shares what 25+ years in classrooms taught her about reading, assessment, and what actually works. Learn about effective methods for teaching reading and supporting learning to read, ensuring summer reading is a time of continued progress. This conversation offers practical education tips for teachers, emphasizing the importance of phonics and ongoing teaching, especially after standardized testing concludes.
🎯 In this episode, you'll also learn about:
• The constrained vs. unconstrained skills framework every teacher needs to understand
• Why diagnostic assessment has fallen by the wayside and how to bring it back
• What fluency really means beyond reading speed (hint: it's about comprehension)
• The case for morphology instruction in 3rd grade and beyond
• How to turn end-of-year data into something useful for families and next year's teacher
• Paired reading: the research-backed strategy parents can use at home this summer
Some resources mentioned:
- Assessment for Reading Instruction
- Paris, S. (2005). "Reinterpreting the Development of Reading Skills." Reading Research Quarterly
- Stahl, K. (2011). "Applying New Visions of Reading Development in Today's Classroom." The Reading Teacher
- Keith Topping, paired reading research and methodology
- Kay's website — specifically a parent-facing section on diagnostic assessment with 12 questions parents should ask their child's teacher
- Kay's five co-authored books
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction ➡️Dr. Kay Stahl
1:45 Who is Kay? Background & NYU Literacy Clinic
2:45 Constrained vs. unconstrained skills (Scott Paris research)
5:30 The biggest mistake teachers make at year-end
8:30 Turning data into action ➡️ end-of-year assessment tables
11:00 Why diagnostic assessment has fallen by the wayside
13:00 Science of reading & Assessment for Reading Instruction
13:45 Morphology ➡️what it is and why it matters
15:40 Fluency beyond reading speed ➡️accuracy, prosody & comprehension
18:00 The speedometer➡️teaching kids to match reading rate to purpose
20:30 Paired reading ➡️ the research-backed family strategy
22:30 Lightning round ➡️summer tips, myths & quick wins
25:30 Wrap-up & what's coming in Part 2
Part 2 drops Friday: covering summer reading plans, what counts as reading, and a comprehension finding that changes everything.
Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.
🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #ScienceOfReading #LiteracyInstruction #ReadingFluency #TeachingTips #InstructionalCoaching #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #EffectiveTeaching #SummerReading #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyLiteracy #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #EmpoweredEducators #Morphology #DiagnosticAssessment #ProfessionalLearning
#TeacherLife
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
In Part 2 of my S5E40 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Dr. Kay Stahl, we explore practical tips for families to keep reading alive over the summer. This episode provides valuable educational strategies to enhance reading comprehension and foster essential reading skills, especially for children who say they are not readers. Dr. Stahl shares the latest research on comprehension (from the National Academy of Education's free report, Reaping the Rewards of the Reading Initiative), which shows that active learning matters more than passive reading: children need to MAKE something (a map, a book, a podcast) to demonstrate true understanding.
We also cover:
→ Why everything counts as reading (menus, stats, movie discussions) and how low-engagement readers can find their entry point
→ The social side of reading: how family partnerships and shared books drive student participation and inspire students to read more
→ Why there's no age limit for read-alouds and the connection to parent involvement, home-school connection, and inclusive teaching
→ What reading struggle looks like at home and education strategies caregivers can use to support striving readers
→ How to use "pulse points" to identify roadblocks to comprehension and apply instructional strategies that work
💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & the linked resources mentioned:
- Assessment for Reading Instruction (5th edition)
- Reaping the Rewards of the Reading Initiative — a free report from the National Academy of Education, summarizing 250 studies across five research groups on comprehension
- National Academy of Education website
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction & episode overview
1:45 What "I'm not a reader" really signals
3:30 The four traits of reading motivation
4:45 What counts as summer reading (everything!)
6:15 Should you ever stop reading aloud?
7:30 Books being banned — and why families should read them at home
9:00 Family book clubs & social reading experiences
10:30 Building vocabulary and knowledge over summer
11:15 The comprehension research that changes everything: make a product
12:30 Maps, books, recordings — authentic learning in action
13:00 What reading struggle looks like at home
15:00 How context, support, and interest affect comprehension
16:30 Modeling reading as a caregiver
17:00 Reaping the Rewards of the Reading Initiative (free report)
18:00 Key takeaways & wrap-up
🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!
Next week's episode: @CoachGelardi , New York State Teacher of the Year and the force behind 15 million YouTube views, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to keep kids moving, focused, and thriving. From keeping 64 kids in one gym safely engaged to building a viral at-home fitness empire during COVID, this conversation will completely change how you think about physical education.
#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #SummerReading #ReadingInstruction #StudentMotivation #ParentInvolvement #LiteracyTips #TeachingTips #EducationPodcast #SummerReading #ReadingInstruction #StudentMotivation #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyPartnerships #CaregiverSupport #TeachingTips #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #LiteracyTips #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolCulture #InclusiveTeaching #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #InspiredTeaching #EducationTransformation #Schoolutions #KayStahl #OliviaWall #EducationPodcast #NewTeachers #TeacherMentors #SchoolAdministrators #Homeschoolers #ReadingComprehension #VocabularyBuilding #ReadAloud #LiteracyResearch
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student...
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