Louisa C. Moats, Ed.D.

Implementation Is Where It’s At: What’s Next for the Science of Reading?
2025-12-04 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | TN
In state after state, governors and legislatures have enacted science of reading laws intended to overhaul how children are taught to read—mandating changes in curricula, teacher preparation, professional learning, and/or intervention. But in practice, will these laws live up to their potential? How can we support effective implementation?
Join the Thomas B. Fordham Institute on December 4 at 3:00 p.m. ET for a discussion of what’s next for the science of reading. Fordham President Michael J. Petrilli will moderate a panel discussion among instructional experts (and contributors to our ongoing Wonkathon), followed by a Q&A session.

Rocket Science Revisited: Where Should Reading Research Take Us Next?
2026-01-22 | TN
EDview360 Podcast with Dr. Tim Odegard Listeners will walk away with a renewed understanding of what it means to teach reading well, and a renewed understanding of what is necessary to capitalize on the lessons of reading science.. This episode is essential for educators, administrators, policymakers, and advocates who want to move beyond buzzwords and toward meaningful, measurable change.

The 13th Annual MTSU Literacy Research Conference
2026-02-21 | TN
This conference provides an opportunity for students, scholars, and educational leaders to present their research and practices related to literacy in a supportive, collegial environment. We welcome researchers, practitioners, and literacy leaders from diverse fields—such as education, psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience—to attend and engage. We especially encourage presentations of original literacy research, with a particular interest in studies that bridge the gap between research and practice in education and leadership in literacy.
Keynote Speaker: Louisa Moats
Louisa Moats, Ed.D., has been a teacher, psychologist, researcher, graduate school faculty member, and author of many influential scientific journal articles, books, and policy papers on the topics of reading, spelling, language, and teacher preparation. Dr. Moats is the lead author of LETRS Professional Development and the textbook, Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers. Dr. Moats is also author of LANGUAGE!Live, a blended instructional program for middle and high school students, and co-author of Spellography, a structured language word study program for intermediate students. Dr. Moats’ awards include the prestigious Samuel T. and June L. Orton award from the International Dyslexia Association for outstanding contributions to the field; the Eminent Researcher Award from Learning Disabilities Australia; and the Benita Blachman award from the Reading League.

Keynote Speaker for the Reimagining Literacy Conference
2026-03-06 | MTSU Conference, Murfreesboro, TN, United States
I invite you to join me at the 13th Annual MTSU Literacy Research Conference—a gathering dedicated to advancing our shared understanding of literacy and the science that supports it.
Conference Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026Registration: October 31, 2025 – January 31, 2026 Conference Rate: $60.00Virtual option available for the keynote and select presentations
This conference offers a warm, collegial space for students, scholars, educators, and leaders to share their research and practices related to literacy. Experts from education, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and related fields come together each year to explore ideas, exchange findings, and bridge the gap between research and practice. I especially encourage those conducting original literacy research—and those committed to improving instructional leadership—to join the conversation.
As many of you know, my career has taken me through the roles of teacher, psychologist, researcher, graduate school faculty member, and author. My work includes LETRS Professional Development, the textbook Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers, the instructional program LANGUAGE! Live, and the word study program Spellography. I’ve been honored to receive recognition from the International Dyslexia Association, Learning Disabilities Australia, and The Reading League, but the work that matters most is the work we continue to do together to support educators and students.
My Keynote: Speech to Print: Reading’s Most Important (and Least Understood or Practiced) Idea
In my keynote, I will explore why literacy acquisition rests firmly on language foundations. Skilled reading and spelling require rapid, integrated processing of phonology, orthographic patterns, morphology, word origins, and syntax—all the linguistic features encoded in English print. Together, we’ll examine the contrast between a speech-to-print approach and the more traditional print-to-speech model, and why the former is more aligned with both the logic of the English language and how the brain learns it.
I look forward to sharing this time with you—learning from your insights, celebrating your research, and strengthening our collective understanding of effective literacy instruction.
I hope you’ll join me.
