Have you ever wondered what it takes to write your own decodable books—or how to make them both phonics-aligned and fun to read? In this episode of the Route2Reading Podcast, Amie sits down with Brooke Vitale, former children's book editor turned author and co-creator of Charge Mommy Books, to talk about how she began writing decodable texts during the pandemic and what she's learned along the way.

Brooke shares her journey from working with top publishers like Penguin and Disney to creating her own line of decodable readers that blend phonics progression, story engagement, and authentic language. Together, Amie and Brooke unpack practical tips for teachers who want to fill gaps in their phonics sequence or even try writing their own decodables.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SHOW NOTES

Are you using decodable books the right way? In this episode, we're breaking down six of the most common mistakes teachers make with decodable texts—and how to fix them. You'll learn how to align books to your phonics lessons, prep students before reading, balance decoding with meaning, and know when it's time to move beyond decodables. Practical, honest, and grounded in the Science of Reading—with insights from experts like Wiley Blevins, Heidi Anne Mesmer, and Jeanne Chall.

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Small group time is where the most powerful reading growth can happen — but if you're feeling overwhelmed by what to use, how to organize it, or whether you have the "right stuff," this episode will give you clarity (and a deep breath).

I've spent years trying all the things — leveled tubs, centers, flashcards, flip charts… you name it. But over time, I realized the most effective small group reading block didn't require more. It just needed the right few tools and the routines to go with them.

Full Show Notes Here

Episode Summary:
In this episode, I'm joined by the incredible Yvette Manns — educator, certified dyslexia practitioner, and the creative mind behind the Phonics Readalouds series. If you've ever wished your phonics lessons could be more engaging and aligned with the science of reading, you're in for a treat.

Yvette shares how her teaching experiences and structured literacy background led her to write decodable-aligned readalouds that bring tricky phonics concepts to life — from Bossy R pirates to silent letter ghosts. We talk about the power of story to make phonics memorable, how to keep instruction joyful and research-aligned, and why engagement is never fluff.

You'll also hear about what's next for her growing literacy universe, including upcoming books, hardcover releases, digital resources, and exciting national (and international!) teacher events.

• Why Yvette started writing phonics readalouds — and how they support decoding and language comprehension

• The inspiration behind student favorites like The Not-So-Lazy Schwa and The Very Talented Silent E

• How to use phonics readalouds meaningfully in your instruction

• Advice for making phonics fun without sacrificing instructional integrity

• How multimodal routines and strong classroom systems create space for joyful learning

• What's coming next: new books, teacher trainings, and her vision for growing the Phonics Readaloud universe

🌐 Phonics Readalouds Website — Get Yvette's free ebooks when new books launch (available for 48 hours only!)
📚 Yvette's Author Website — Explore all of her titles, including non-phonics books
📧 Contact: info@phonicsreadalouds.com
📸 Instagram: @phonicsreadalouds | @thelitteacher
🛍️ Books available on Amazon (hardcover editions coming soon!)

• Presenting at The Reading League in Chicago this fall

• International speaking engagements this summer

• The Elevate Your Classroom Conference – happening in Nashville, St. Paul, and Austin

• Partnering with early learning centers in Georgia for community-based literacy support

Want More Like This?
Subscribe to the Literacy Unlocked podcast and leave a review to help other educators find us. And don't forget to grab your freebie and join our newsletter for practical tips, resources, and conversations that connect research to real classrooms.

If you've ever had a student who reads "c...a...t..." and by the time they finish the sentence, they can't remember what it was about, this episode is for you!
Today, we're diving into a super common (and totally normal!) stage of early reading: sound-by-sound decoding — why students get stuck there, and how to help them move into smoother, more confident word reading.
You'll walk away with simple, practical steps you can start using tomorrow to bridge the gap from choppy decoding to fluent reading.

• Why students get stuck in sound-by-sound reading

• How to check and strengthen decoding foundations

• Blending strategies that actually make reading easier

• How to use blending lines for daily fluency practice

• What comes next after students move past sound-by-sound reading

✅ Accuracy always comes before speed — strengthen the foundation first
✅ Teach and model blending explicitly (traditional, successive, and continuous)
✅ Use blending lines daily for structured, targeted practice
✅ Celebrate small wins — fluency is built word by word!

• Printable version of this episode (Message me @literacyedventures on Instagram to grab it!)

• Stay tuned for Episode 2, where we'll cover sentence- and passage-level fluency strategies like echo reading, fluency pyramids, phrase-cued reading, and more!

• Instagram: @literacyedventures

• Website: Literacy Edventures

Would you leave a quick review or share this episode with a teacher friend? Your support helps me reach more educators and keep these episodes coming!

🎙 Episode Title: Bridging MTSS and the Science of Reading with Stephanie Stollar & Sarah Brown

📚 Episode Summary:

In this episode, I'm joined by the brilliant minds behind the upcoming book MTSS for Reading Improvement — Stephanie Stollar and Sarah Brown. These two powerhouses bring decades of experience supporting schools in implementing the Science of Reading within an MTSS framework, and I could not be more excited for the practical, systems-level support their new book provides. We dive into what MTSS really looks like when done well, common roadblocks schools face, and how to build sustainable systems that actually move the needle for student achievement.

Whether you're a literacy coach, classroom teacher, or school leader, this episode is packed with real talk, actionable insights, and encouragement.

✨ In this episode, we cover:

• Why the Science of Reading alone isn't enough — and how MTSS brings it to life at the system level

• Common misconceptions about MTSS (Spoiler: it's not just about interventions)

• How to strengthen Tier 1 instruction and use data to make the right decisions

• Practical strategies school leaders can implement right now

• Tips for fostering collaboration and building trust within school teams

• How to bridge the gap between research and daily instruction

📘 About the Book:
MTSS for Reading Improvement by Sarah Brown and Stephanie Stollar is available for pre-order now and officially releases on May 5, 2025. This book is designed for school leaders, coaches, and educators who want to create meaningful, lasting change in literacy outcomes by building a solid MTSS framework that aligns with the Science of Reading.

💡 Bonus Insight: Sarah shares a powerful end-of-year strategy involving extra practice folders that helped close gaps just in time. Stephanie offers a must-do action step: schedule your cross-grade data meetings now!

👥 About Today's Guests:

• Stephanie Stollar
  Founder of the Reading Science Academy and a consultant helping schools align instruction with the Science of Reading.
  🔗 Website: Reading Science Academy
  📘 Courses & Membership: Reading Science Academy Programs

• Sarah Brown
  MTSS consultant, founder of System Impact Consulting, and co-author of Effective Universal Instruction. She supports schools in making data-driven decisions to improve instruction.
  🔗 Website: System Impact Consulting
  📥 Free Resource: MTSS Data Academy Tools
  📧 Contact: Sarah@systemimpactconsulting.com

🎉 Big News:
The Reading League will be using MTSS for Reading Improvement for its national Summer Book Study — keep an eye out for resources and discussion opportunities hosted through local chapters!

🔗 Pre-Order the Book:

• Pre-order on Amazon (link will update when live)

• Pre-order on Solution Tree

💬 Let's Connect:
If you loved this episode, take a screenshot, share it on Instagram, and tag me @literacyedventures. I'd love to hear your biggest takeaway!

In today's episode, we're tackling one of the biggest transitions in early literacy—helping students move from writing individual letters to constructing full sentences. If you've ever wondered how to bridge the gap between handwriting and confident writing, this episode is for you!

We'll walk through:
✅ How to transition from letter formation to writing words
✅ The role of phonemic awareness and sound-to-letter mapping in writing
✅ Scaffolded word-building to strengthen encoding skills
✅ Sentence structure—teaching kids what makes a complete thought
✅ Engaging strategies like "Who/Do" sentences and The Missing Piece Game
✅ Why dictation and shared writing are essential for early writers
✅ How to make writing meaningful and connected to real-life experiences

By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear, step-by-step approach to support your students as they grow into confident writers!

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Handwriting often gets pushed aside, but it's a game-changer for literacy success. In this episode, we're diving into:
✔️ Why handwriting matters for reading and spelling
✔️ Research-backed strategies to build fluency
✔️ The 5 essential components of writing success
✔️ Simple, effective ways to fit handwriting into your day

By the end of this episode, you'll have practical strategies to help students move from letters to words to full sentences with confidence!

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Lisa Russo:

• Administrator in New York Public Schools at P.S. 152.

• Became a teacher in 2022 at P.S. 152 and taught for 13 years in a variety of grades.

• Pursued a masters and became assistant principal at P.S. 152 for seven years - the same school she grew up in!

• Now serves as the principal at P.S. 152.

You mention that you have former students who return as staff members or with their own children.  Can you talk about that?

• It's so incredible and unique - a true family.

• It makes my job more important because I have a great connection with the families, staff, and kids.  I grew up alongside them!

• Having my own students come back or have their children is just so special.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Small group instruction: where the magic happens.   It's here where we get to see those long-awaited lightbulb moments.  But with so many  needs and so little time, it can feel overwhelming.  Today, we will help you simplify your planning, chat about why small groups are so important, and give you all the tools you need to make your small group instruction successful.

Why Small Groups Matter

• Small groups allow us to meet them where students are and provide targeted support.  

• In fact, research supports that this time is one of the most effective ways to boost reading success.  

• But with so much planning, what do we do?

• We follow a structure and this three-part framework:

1. Warm-up with cumulative review

2. Explicit teaching

3. Application.  

• Following a framework takes the guessing out of planning and ensures that your lessons are aligned with the science of reading. 

• This framework works because it's digestible, it's consistent, it's aligned with the science of reading, it's efficient for teachers, and gives students a confident path towards reading.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

LE Podcast #52 

The Importance of Decodable Text with Elise Lovejoy

All About Elise Lovejoy:

• Former teacher and currently serves as an probono interventionist at a nearby school.

• Runs Express Readers, a foundational skills reading program as well as a decodable book series.

• Passionate about the science of reading.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

LE Podcast #51 

New Year, New Goals: Using Data to Reset and Plan for 2025

What's the most important question we can ask ourselves as teachers and reading specialists and coaches?  That's easy: How do we teach reading in a way so that we can reach every student and every need?  The answer may not be what you think!  It all starts with assessments.  Analyzing data we get from assessments can completely transform our reading instruction and help us reach every student.  Today, we're doing a deep dive into assessments and why we need them to drive our reading instruction.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

What if I told you morphology isn't too advanced for young readers—it's actually the missing piece that makes decoding, spelling, and vocabulary stick?

In this episode, I'm joined by two of my favorite literacy leaders, Michelle Sullivan and Sarah Paul, to talk all things morphology. We unpack what it is, why it matters from the very start of reading instruction, and how to make it engaging and approachable for even our youngest students.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SHOW NOTES

I want to share with you essential building blocks that can help your students move from letters to reading CVC words.  Before we begin, let's start with some vocabulary we'll use during these show notes today.

• Phonemic awareness - the ability to blend, segment, and manipulate phonemes.  This is oral and doesn't involve letters or print.

• Phonemes - our smallest units of sound.

• Alphabetic principle - taking the sounds and connecting it to written letters.

The Checklist That Students Need Before Reading CVC Words

These foundational skills must be in place if we want to support our students efficiently.

• Letter name knowledge - They have to be able to look at the letter and know the name and sound of that letter.

• Automaticity - Simply knowing their sounds isn't enough.  Students must be able to say their letter sounds automatically, which is what will help them blend and decode words.

• Phonemic awareness - blending and segmenting is critical for our students.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Anna Geiger:

• Author of Reach All Readers: Using the Science of Reading to Transform Your Literacy Instruction.

• Former teacher in 1st-4th grades.

• Currently serves educators through her website, www.themeasuredmom.com.

• Shares tons of hands-on lessons, thoughtful articles, and printable resources and has been doing so since 2013.

• Hosts a weekly podcast called Triple R Teaching and presents at various summits and conferences.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Podcast #48 - Yearlong Phonics Pacing Guide

Show Notes

You guys - it's here!  My Yearlong Phonics Pacing Guide for Grades K-2 is designed to help you plan and implement effective phonics instruction throughout the school year. Here,  we'll share tips on how to make the most of this invaluable resource in your classroom.

• Ensure a smooth and successful school year by planning ahead.

• Benefits of planning ahead:

• You have organization and clear goals and timelines to keep you on track.

• You have consistency to ensure a logical progression of skills.

• You have flexibility because you're able to see ahead and adjust the framework as needed.

• Start by mapping out your phonics instruction for the entire year.

• Use the pacing guide to outline your weekly goals and objectives.

• Doing so will help you stay organized and, best of all, reduce stress throughout the entire year.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Neena Saha:

• Neena earned her master's degree in educational neuroscience from Columbia and has a PhD in special education from Vanderbilt.

• Her doctoral work on decoding resulted in a patent and her research can be found in journals like The Journal for Learning Disabilities and The Reading and Writing Interdisciplinary Journal.

• Upon graduating, Neena founded Elemeno, which helps bridge the research practice gap in early literacy.

• Meta Metrics acquired Elemeno and Neena joined their team to help build out early literacy products, tools, and services.

• Neena also continued the Reading Research Recap, which is a newsletter aimed at translating recent research into useful information for teachers.

• Currently, she's exploring better ways of translating research for all.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Scheduling literacy blocks and finding enough time in a day is an ever-present challenge in our classrooms.  How do we do it, and where do we start?  Today, we'll go over some of the challenges we face, what to do about them, and how we can get in the time we need to teach literacy.

The Challenges of Literacy Blocks

• Not enough time

• Teachers are interrupted many times a day with student needs, broken copiers, announcements, and so on. There's sometimes simply not enough time in our day to implement literacy blocks in the way we'd like.

• Overload of materials

• You may have a phonics program, fluency program, a comprehension program, etc.  All of these materials are simply too overwhelming.  And when we get overwhelmed and don't know where to start, what actually happens is that we don't end up starting at all. 

• Over-adopting curriculum

• With the rise of the science of reading (yay!), many districts have adopted new curriculums.  Although the intention is good, this leads to an overwhelming amount of resources. When we over-adopt curriculum, start valuing quantity over quality.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Meghan Hein:

• Proudly been in education for 20 years with jobs as a 2nd grade teacher as well as a math coach.

• Eventually transitioned into a literacy intervention teacher and served there for 5 years.

• She's now back in the classroom using the skills and knowledge she learned as a literacy interventionist.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

The Complexity of Letter Formation

• Letter formation is the foundation for literacy development. This is because practicing letter formation helps students with shapes and sounds of letters, which is important for foundational reading skills.  

• Students also need fine motor skills in order to accomplish appropriate letter formation.  Good letter formation needs good fine motor skills.

• Writing by hand engages the parts of the brain that enhance memory and learning.  When students are writing the letter and saying the sound, we're helping them make the sounds stick.  

• One study found a significant correlation between letter recognition and handwriting fluency in students who were practicing their letter formation and had handwriting fluency.  This proves that children who practice writing letters become more familiar with their shapes and sounds.

• Another study showed that explicit instruction in letter formation is effective.  As educators, we need to guide students through the correct strokes, use correct visual aids, and even teach students chants so they can understand how to write each letter. 

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

The Birth of Alphabet Quest

• During the pandemic, I was asked to leave my literacy coaching role and teach kindergarten.  When I went back to the classroom, I discovered that we were in desperate need of speeding up and enriching how we learned our alphabet.

• My time in the classroom was what birthed a really fun and effective idea I had:  Alphabet Quest!  Alphabet Quest is the idea of teaching the alphabet in an intense, systematic (and faster) way. 

• I returned to my literacy coaching role and introduced Alphabet Quest to my co-workers.  

• Instead of teaching one letter a week and spending 26 weeks inside the alphabet, Alphabet Quest was designed for children to learn their alphabet and letter sounds in only 5 weeks' time.  

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Melanie Brethour:

• Full-time elementary resource teacher in Montreal, Canada and also a parent to a child with severe dyslexia.

• Passionate about dyslexia and the science of reading, specifically supporting parents through navigating the dyslexia journey.

• Her son was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of nine.  This influenced her to learn more about dyslexia and how she could support both her son and her students.

• Founded Decoding Dyslexia Quebec, which raises awareness about dyslexia and gives support to educators and parents.

• Her passion resides in sharing resources and information for parents, teachers, and all educators so that those with dyslexia can feel supported.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Megan & Laura from Developing Readers Academy:

• Both taught in the same intervention room at a school in Minnesota.

• After looking at their end-of-the-year data, they realized their students simply were not making progress.

• Megan and Laura then went through LETRS and Orton Gillingham training to sharpen their skills.

• After that, they devoured every single SOR training and resource they could!

• When they implemented these practices, they instantly saw results in their intervention room.

• Megan and Laura wanted to ensure all kids were being given the resources that they need in order to be successful readers - not just the ones in their own small intervention room.

• So they started sharing ideas on Instagram and realized how fun it was to share structured literacy approaches and the magic of the science of reading.

• From there, Developing Readers Academy was born.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Syllables can feel "big" or confusing—but they don't have to be. In this episode, I chat with reading specialist Savannah Campbell (Campbell Creates Readers) about how to make syllable instruction clear, doable, and effective from k–5. We cover the six syllable types, how (and whether) to teach division patterns, set-for-variability, and simple multisensory tools that help kids read and spell multisyllabic words with confidence.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Jake Daggett:

• Began teaching in 2015 and mostly has taught in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classrooms.

• Recently took a new role as Foundational Literacy Director at a school in Milwaukee.

• Loves sharing ideas about the science of reading, especially about how we can make it fun and engaging for students.

• Focuses on the rhythm and movement in literacy classrooms.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

All About Wiley Blevins:

• Author, travel-lover, and expert in all things literacy.

• Comes from a history of grandparents who were illiterate - books were not a part of his everyday life.  It was these limitations that encouraged him to perform well in school and learn to read.

• When he began teaching, he didn't know how to teach reading, so he had to do his own mini studies in his classroom.

• This led him to graduate school at Harvard where he learned how children learned to read.

• His educational journey led him to work with and learn from people like Jeanne Chall, Marylin Adams, and Louisa Moats.

• With their expertise, he took their research and knowledge and applied it to his own classroom, made it practical, tested out nuances, and talked about how we can better help our students.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Full Show Notes Here

All About Dr. Stollar:

• Former Vice President for Professional Learning at Acadience Learning Inc.

• Part-time assistant professor in the online Reading Science Program at Mount St. Joseph University.

• Founding member of a national alliance for supporting reading science in higher education.

• Support educators to learn about and implement the science of reading.

• Consults and helps other teacher programs to align programs to reading research.

• Has an online membership community called The Reading Science Academy where she supports educators to learn about the science of reading and implement it in their various educational roles.

What does MTSS stand for?

MTSS:

• …stands for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.  

• …is first and foremost a framework for putting into place things that we know about reading research.  

• …uses data to make decisions that allow schools to eliminate barriers to student reading success. 

• For example, we know that reading problems can be prevented for the vast majority of students primarily through the way we teach reading for the first time in the classroom.  Research also tells us there are effective ways to intervene for the students who have difficulty with reading. 

• …is all about making decisions as a team at a variety of levels within schools (district, school, grade) that will allow the educational system to get all students reading.  Everyone can become a reader, but they're not going to do so with the same type or amount of instruction.  

• …is made up of three tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.  These are tiers of instruction and intervention.

• …is set up to be a continuum of instructional supports that are available to every student from day one of kindergarten.  It's the school's job to get the system of supports in place.  Each school will have its own way of doing this - think of these tiers as customized to the needs of the school community, its students, and its resources.  

• …and the science of reading aren't separate - they're joined together.  They are not separate initiatives.  Let's think about MTSS as the delivery system for what's in the reading research.

• ..is a model where each and every student is considered (from accelerated to struggling). 

Check Out Dr. Stollar:

• Website: https://www.readingscienceacademy.com/

  • https://www.readingscienceacademy.com/#section-1591199462991

• Check out her MTSS course, plus her Reading Science Academy membership!:

• Instagram: readingscienceacademy

• YouTube: @readingscienceacademy

• Email:  stephaniestollar@gmail.com

Let's talk assessments and get straight to the point: We can't have meaningful, effective instruction without assessments.  If instruction is the sail of a boat, assessments are the winds that drive and guide it.  Before we can teach effectively, we need to know the needs of our students as well as their capabilities. Let's chat!

Assessments are important because they:

• identify strengths and weaknesses

• Inform instruction

• track progress

• guide intervention

• support differentiation

• inform curriculum planning

Tools and Resources

• Check out my Phonics Quick Checks for the best starting place!  They are easy to use and, yep, you guessed it - quick!  

• Check out my Phonemic Awareness Screener for free!

• My Phonics Screener for Units 2-4 assesses both decoding and encoding.

• Also check out my Letter Name/Sound Check (5 Word CVC).

Remember that reading is not a race - it's a journey.  When we embrace ongoing assessments in our classroom as well as data-driven instruction, we can ensure that we are delivering the best possible instruction to our students - no matter where they are. 

Full show notes here!

The Importance of Phonics Instruction

Phonics instruction, which teaches the relationship between sounds and letters, is a fundamental component of reading development. To ensure effective phonics instruction, teachers must follow a well-designed scope and sequence. When it comes to choosing or creating a phonics scope and sequence, there are many things we should consider. 

In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of choosing and following a phonics scope and sequence by drawing insights from current research. Understanding the significance of this structured approach to phonics instruction can lead to improved reading outcomes for our students.  So let's dive in!  

Full Show Notes Here

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Heather O'Donnell

• Former special education teacher who worked with kids with autism

• Dyslexia practitioner through Wilson Reading System

• Structured literacy dyslexia interventionist

• Started tutoring practice called New Paltz Multisensory in September 2018

  • Works with students not only with dyslexia but also with kids with special needs, autism, and children who are in self-contained classrooms.

• Passionate about reading and writing instruction and loves watching kids' confidence soar

Full Show Notes Here

Even though I'm now a literacy coach, I too have been caught teaching with leveled readers!  In my first-grade classroom, when my students came across an unknown word, I'd have them guess by looking at the picture or skipping the word.   I was creating a classroom full of great guessers - not great readers.  But as we always say here at Literacy Edventures - when you know better, you do better!

I had a hunch this wasn't the best approach, but I also didn't know what else to do.  That's when these decodables entered my life and saved the day!  Today, we will chat about decodable texts, what they are, who needs them, and how best to utilize them in the classroom.

Full Show Notes

          Congrats!  You've got students who can decode words effectively.  This is half of the battle!  Now for the other half: Are they efficient yet?  This second part can take an ample amount of time, and students need plenty of practice building fluency.  Fluency is so important because it bridges the gap from decoding to comprehension, especially in the foundational years.  For our kindergarten through 2nd graders, developing fluency in reading, writing, and communication is crucial for future academic success.  Today, I'm sharing some tips and tricks to help build fluency during these foundational years that you can walk away with and start tomorrow!

 FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Resources from Episode

My Favorite Resources Regarding Fluency:

Scooping Phrases (FREE)

Fluency Builders

...and MORE!

My Favorite Books and Articles Regarding Fluency:

Rasinski, T. V. (2020). The importance of fluency instruction in the early grades.

Chard, D. J., & Pikulski, J. J. (2005). Developing fluency: Theory, research, and practice.

Gambrell, L. B., & Morrow, L. M. (2017). Best practices in fluency instruction for early readers.

Allington, R. L., & McGill-Franzen, A. (2016). Fluency: Still waiting after all these years.

Wouldn't it be wonderful that as soon as students knew their letter sounds and could blend phonemes, blending CVC words would be a breeze?  We can dream, can't we!?  Sometimes it's not always that simple. We still need to explicitly teach them how to put all of the reading pieces together.  CVC instruction still needs to be systematic, logical, practiced in whole group and small group, and needs to follow a "gradual release" model - I Do, We Do, You Do.  

I've found that having a prerequisite list to word reading is super helpful when beginning to learn CVC words.  I'm here to share that with you today, along with what it looks like to put CVC instruction into practice in a classroom setting.

Full Show Notes and Freebies Here!

These days, we're often told what not to do while teaching reading, but what we're often lacking is what we should replace those "don't do" activities with.  Well,  I have a list of don'ts that are accompanied by a list of do's when it comes to specifically teaching letter sounds

Full Show Notes Here

More of What You Need:

Check out my other two podcasts that compliment this one and give you more info on how to make your students masters of letter sounds:

• Podcast #9: Letter Sounds: Your Questions Answered 

• Podcast #10: Making Letter Sounds Stick.

In this episode, I'm excited to share a conversation I originally had on the Triple R Teaching Podcast with Anna Geiger (The Measured Mom). Together, we dive into my book Literacy Unlocked: How to Implement the Science of Reading with Young Learners and explore how to bridge research with practical classroom application.

We cover the real-life challenges teachers face when it comes to foundational literacy skills and the shifts required to move from balanced literacy to the science of reading. This episode is packed with actionable ideas that you can take straight into your classroom.

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

I don't know about you, but teaching blends can be tricky. Blends (also known as consonant blends) are two or three consonant sounds that appear together in a word without any vowel sounds in between. These are words like flip, stop, strip, help, desk and spring. When students begin learning blends, they struggle to hear both sounds at the beginning or at the end. They often leave out the second sound. This happens because they are so used to reading and writing CVC words and this shift makes it difficult. 

But it doesn't have to be!  That's why today I am going to share with you a few ways that you can make blends stick for your students. No longer will you have to fear blends on your scope and sequence, because these tips and tricks will make them easy and fun!

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

"Phonics instruction should be an essential component of a comprehensive reading program to ensure that children develop strong foundational skills necessary for reading success." 

-National Reading Panel Report

Phonics instruction plays a crucial role in developing strong reading skills in young learners. By teaching the relationship between sounds and letters, we can equip students with the necessary tools to decode words and comprehend texts. To ensure effective phonics instruction, it is essential to incorporate explicit and systematic teaching methods into our instruction. In this blog post, we will explore five powerful strategies that can boost phonics instruction and promote reading proficiency in your students.

See Full Show Notes Here

Meet Chrissy Beltran

• Check her out!

  • Website: Buzzing with Ms. B

  • Instagram: buzzingwithmsb

  • YouTube: Buzzing with Ms. B

  • Podcast: Buzzing with Ms. B: The Coaching Podcast

  • Courses: Instructional Coaching Courses

Three Moves Literacy Coaches Should Make at the Beginning of the Year

The beginning of the year can be tough - there's lots to do, lots of overwhelm, and the tasks ahead seem daunting.  But it's important to start it off right, because it can set the tone for the entire year.  Below, Chrissy shares three tasks that literacy coaches can do to begin the year on the right foot.

First things first:  Chrissy states that it's foundational to introduce your role as a literacy coach to teachers and staff and let them know what they can expect from you.  Before these three steps, be sure to define your role within the school and in what ways you'll be helping them.

Full Show Notes Here

Recap: 

In today's podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Julia Lindsey, author of Reading Above the Fray. Julia is a literacy expert and reading researcher. In this episode, she helps us bust some common myths about decodables. Full show notes here.

Meet Kaylee McCaslin:

• Currently teaching second grade in Washington

• 9th year of teaching

• Our very own Literacy Edventures member!

• Reach out to her!: kaylee.kinsey@gmail.com 

We love to feature all kinds of people here on the LE Podcast, and we feel that teachers who are still in the classroom are so important to hear from because they're in the trenches with us.  Today, we're chatting with Kaylee about a "day in the life" in her amazing classroom!

Full Show Notes Here

Show Notes: 

Michelle Sullivan, a literacy coach in New Jersey talks with listeners all about background knowledge. She shares what it is, why it's important, and five ways we can easily implement it in our classrooms. See full show notes here.

Meet Lindsay Kemeny:

• Currently teaching first grade

• Once a kinder teacher who taught balanced literacy, she went on a quest to find out what it really meant to teach reading when her son was diagnosed with dyslexia and depression.

• Author of Seven Mighty Moves

• Check her out!

• Website:  Lindsay Kemeny

• Podcast:  Literacy Talks

• Instagram: lindsaykemeny

• Facebook: Teaching with Lindsay Kemeny

• Book: Seven Mighty Moves

Full Show Notes Here

Full Show Notes Here:

Automaticity of letter names and sounds is important because letter-sound correspondences are the foundation to phonics and decoding.  So the quicker they are, the faster they can decode.  When we help students connect the letters and sounds and help them both master and be automatic, we're giving them a strong reading foundation.

One common question that's always asked when talking about the science of reading is, "Where do I start my instruction?  What do my students need?"  The answer lies in assessments.  

Four aspects to keep in mind when choosing assessments:

1. Each assessment serves a different purpose.  

2. The assessments we are using need to be closely linked to our instruction and should be the driving force behind our instruction.

3. The data from these assessments must answer the questions we have about our students and those questions must drive our instruction. It's absolutely vital that the assessments you're choosing are at the developmental abilities of the students so that the data can reflect their areas of strength and weakness.

4. We need to be informed of what assessments are out there and how each one can help us in different ways.

Full Show Notes Here

Dictation and its Importance:

• What Is Dictation: Dictation is an activity that provides students the opportunity to spell phonics patterns that they are currently focusing on, as well as the opportunity to practice previously-taught skills.

• What it Is Important:  When students practice dictation, they're connecting sound to symbol.  Many studies show that when students practice these letter-sound relationships, students excel.  Dictation is a great way to practice this.  Reading and writing go hand-in-hand, and once you incorporate dictation into your lessons, you'll find quicker student success!

Full Show Notes Here

In this episode of Literacy Unlocked, I'm joined by Susan Lambert, host of the Science of Reading: The Podcast by Amplify, to dig into one of the most essential—and often overlooked—components of reading success: language. Susan shares personal stories and professional insights that make a powerful case for elevating language development right alongside decoding.

We explore:

• Why word recognition is necessary but not sufficient
• The importance of oral language in early grades
• How syntax, vocabulary, and background knowledge support writing and comprehension
• What teachers can do tomorrow to build stronger language routines
• How oral discussion and sentence-level writing set the stage for later literacy success

FULL SHOW NOTE HERE

Full Show Notes Here

The other day, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Sarah Paul, the mastermind behind Sarah's Teaching Snippets.  She's a current reading interventionist for K-3rd and a prior first-grade teacher.  As with many of the experts on my podcast, she too was a balanced literacy teacher who found that her students were struggling to read and wasn't sure why.  So, she set out on her own science of reading journey in order to learn more about how kids really learn to read.  Through this, Sarah's Teaching Snippets was born and now she helps educators teach reading the right way.

Where to Find Sarah:

• Blog - Sarah's Teaching Snippets

• YouTube Channel - Sarah's Teaching Snippets

• Instagram - Snippets by Sarah

Today, we're asking Sarah all of our fluency questions and getting some awesome answers.  Through this conversation, we chat about what exactly fluency is, how we can help our kids achieve fluency, and the importance of it.  

Savannah Campbell shares all about the importance of cumulative review!

Full Show Notes Here

Cumulative Review:

• Cumulative review is simply giving children enough practice in the skills that we have taught them, so they are able to read to automaticity.

• We do a great job teaching the "skills" from day to day, but what we don't do is give them multiple opportunities to practice.

• Automaticity is a precursor to reading comprehension. We have to practice these skills 4-6 weeks after we have taught them.

Connect with Savannah:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Resources for Cumulative Review:

Cumulative Review Blog Post- Savannah Campbell

Sound Decks

Fluency Grids

Word Chaining

Dictation Helpers

Many of us hear the words "science of reading" and automatically assume it's just about phonics.  While phonics is an essential part of learning to read - it's not the only thing.  Let's take a look at how phonics is related to another very important aspect of reading: comprehension. Full Show Notes Here

Additional Resources & References:

Resources:

Comprehension Visuals

Mystery Words Phonics Activity

Phonemic Awareness Activities (Blending & Segmenting CVC)

Blog Posts:

What is Comprehension?

5 Engaging Phonics Activities

Mentor Texts

• Former elementary school teacher for 13 years, mostly in 1st grade

• Certified in reading grades K-12

• Jessica learned about the science of reading in 2019 and although her heart sank with guilt at how she was initially teaching her students, she began to read and learn all she could about the science of reading.  Fast forward and she's now sharing Tik Tok phonics videos that help both teachers and parents learn about phonics so they can best teach their students and kids!

• Connect with Jessica Farmer:

• Tik Tok

• Instagram

• YouTube

• Facebook

• Orthographic Mapping is NOT an activity - it's something that happens in our brain.  

• Our brain is not hard-wired to read.  Because of this, we must create pathways and roads that help our brains learn how to read. 

• Orthographic Mapping pathways look a little like this: