
The Reading Instruction Show
Dr. Andy Johnson
Show overview
The Reading Instruction Show has been publishing since 2019, and across the 7 years since has built a catalogue of 322 episodes. That works out to roughly 80 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence, with the show now in its 26th season.
Episodes typically run ten to twenty minutes — most land between 9 min and 18 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Education show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 5 days ago, with 20 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2020, with 81 episodes published. Published by Dr. Andy Johnson.
From the publisher
The Reading Instruction Show is a podcast about reading instruction (and other things) with a little bit of attitude. There is plenty here to inform and entertain all. And, by the way, I'm not trying to sell any books. I don't have any curriculum or programs to market. I don't accept speaking fees. And, I don't ever want to be a consultant.
Latest Episodes
View all 322 episodesDr. Johnson is Not Very Smart
George Hruby presents After the Flood: Reading Instruction Post SoR

S26 Ep 18Minnesota, Reading Legislation, and Tarot Cards
In Minnesota our special reading law called The Read Act. The Read Act makes certain kinds of reading instruction mandatory and other kinds illegal. I will confess that during the last two years at Minnesota State University, Mankato, I’ve been teaching illegal reading instruction. Every day I expect masked READ agents to kick down my door, handcuff me, and drag me off to a LETRS training facility somewhere in Wyoming or Texas.

S26 Ep 17Living Your Values, MAGA, and Christianity
Prince of Peace. How’s that working out for you? How’s that peace thing going? I have to be honest, I don’t see a lot of peace coming out of my Jesus-loving MAGA friends. I see anger, hatred, retribution, violence, and lies. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men (and women and children and animal life and our planet). How’s that goodwill working out for you? Are you feeling it? Is your will good? Or is it selfish? Did I misread Luke? Did the angel say, “Selfish will to all”? I don’t see a lot of goodwill emanating from the Jesus-loving MAGA folks. I see greed, selfishness, violence, indifference, entitlement. I’m sorry. That’s what I’m seeing. And now I see war. And I see killing. And I see people being beat up and locked up. The Christian bible has policies about these sorts of things.

S26 Ep 16Trained Seals, Reading Instruction, and Educational Overlords
Effective teachers are reflective teachers (Sternberg & Williams, 2010; Zeichner & Liston, 2010). They think about what they’re doing, what they did, and what they’re going to do. There are two levels of reflection: surface level and deep meaning. Both are necessary. But one without the other is not sufficient.

S26 Ep 15The Rich Man, Brother Lazarus, and Donald J. Trump
The bible is quite clear on this point: To hell with you who support the Rich Man while Brother Lazarus is sick and starving. To hell with you. To hell with you who turn your back on the poor, the sick, and the strangers among us. To hell with those of you who protect the people who raped and trafficked young girls. To hell with you. The bible cannot be more clear on this point.https://substack.com/home/post/p-188718695

S26 Ep 14God Exists
Videos, articles, and much more at my free Substack: Transpersonal Christianityhttps://dr731.substack.com/

S26 Ep 13The Importance of Argument in Reading Instruction
The argumentation process is the foundation of academic discourse within the academy. It’s worked well for centuries, enabling our various academic fields to continually evolve. These arguments usually take place in academic journals, academic conferences, and various other academic presentations.

S26 Ep 12Teaching Reading at Home: Tips for Parents
This podcast describes simple, pragmatic, research-based tips for parents to help their child with reading at home and over the summer.

S26 Ep 11God Has a Plan
Videos, articles, and much more at my free Substack: Transpersonal Christianityhttps://dr731.substack.com/

S26 Ep 9The National Reading Panel: Phonics and Word Work
Research-based strategies to addres phonics and word work.

S26 Ep 10The National Reading Panel: Comprehension
This podcast reviews and applies the research related to Comprehension.

S26 Ep 8Introduction to Systemic Racism
This is a good time to revist systemic racism. Trump posted a racist tweet, showing the heads of Barak and Michelle Obama on Monkeys. He won’t apologize for this. Many Trump Republican supporters refused to call him out for this.

S26 Ep 7Twisted Scripture
Somebody accused me of twisting scripture to fit my political perspective. I didn’t know that wanting to stop the bullying, beating, imprisonment, and killing was a political perspective. I didn’t know that wanting to feed the hungry, attend to the sick and poor was a political perspective. In this Sermon Short I will twist some more biblical scripture at you.Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Matthew 5:8 . “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 12:34. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 15:18-20. But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. https://dr731.substack.com/p/twisted-biblicap-scripture

S26 Ep 6A Journalist is NOT a Literacy Scholar
Jurnalists should not get a free pass on ignorance. This podcast describes the difference between journalists and literacy scholars.

S26 Ep 5Conference Presentation: LETRS - Behind the Pretty Words
Just because it says it’s ‘research-based’ or ‘scientifically based’ doesn’t mean that it is. Dr. Louisa Moats’ website states that, “Moats developed the landmark professional development program LETRS for teachers and reading specialists and the scientifically based LANGUAGE!” This presentation will demonstrate (a) how Moats misrepresents the results of her own research, (b) how she falsifies and distorts the research of others in her 2021 paper, and (c) how the publishers of LETRS (Lexia Learning) misrepresent the 18 research studies describes in their LETRS Efficacy Research paper.

What is Evidence and Research?
Evidence and research are at the heart of current SoR mandates. Yet little time and few resources are provided to enable teachers to understand exactly what these terms mean. Worse, it is assumed that teachers must allow the “experts” to read and explain “the research” for them. This patronizing paradigm serves to further chip away at teachers’ autonomy in favor of dependence and subservience. This presentation will use the context of a study by Linnea Ehri (2007) to demonstrate how to read and evaluate a research article. It also demonstrates common tricks and buzzwords used to misinterpret and misrepresent research. This in turn enhances participants ability to be responsible consumers of educational research and research-based claims.

S26 Ep 4Sunday Sermon: Bat Shit Crazy Ramblings
There are travelers who have been beaten, robbed, and left on the side of the road. Why are you walking by? Stop the abuse. Stop ICE.Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Matthew 9:17 - Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” Mark 2: 22 - And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” Luke 5:37-39 . And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” “Ephesians 2: 3-5. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Hebrews 4: 12. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

S26 Ep 3Sunday Sermon: People of Faith or People of Belief?
James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” Matthew 23: 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

S26 Ep 2Sunday Sermon: The Lord Detests These Things
“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: (a) haughty eyes, (b) a lying tongue, (c) hands that shed innocent blood, (d) a heart that devises wicked schemes, (e) feet that are quick to rush into evil, (f) a false witness who pours out lies, and (g) a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”