Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a fourth season!

Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and practitioners, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!

For this surprise bonus episode, buckle up and join Kate Winn and Una Malcolm for a candid conversation about all things reading! Kate and Una share their "road bumps" and "refuels" along the road to reading for all. 

Stay tuned for Season 4 of Reading Road Trip this summer where we'll bring another carload of fabulous guests along for the ride.

Keen to explore some of the resources Kate and Una mentioned in the episode?

• Kate's UFLI in Ontario Kindergarten document, co-authored with Dr. Holly Lane and Dr. Valentina Contesse
• Season 3 Episode 1 of Reading Road Trip featured Dr. Anita Archer and Dr. Sonia Cabell
• SISEP and NIRN host the Active Implementation Formula Framework Modules
• IDA's Perspectives on Language and Literacy has an issue focused on implementation
• Dr. Stephanie Stollar has an active Facebook page and leads the Reading Science Academy
• ONlit's Screening: The Reel Deal is a series of short videos addressing common questions about early reading screening
• Dr. Diana Burchell was a guest on Season 1 Episode 9, and Dr. Steve Graham joined us for Episode 9 of Season 2
• Mount St. Joseph University offers access to their library database through the Center for Reading Science membership program
• Ontario teachers - the wonderful Jenni vanRees made this brief video showing how to navigate the OCT Library

This week, Kate welcomes fellow podcaster Anna Geiger from The Measured Mom. As two teachers who have shifted from balanced literacy to structured literacy, this episode is filled with candid discussion as Kate and Anna highlight the biggest surprises they encountered along the way!

Anna is the CEO of The Measured Mom, host of Triple R Teaching, and the author of the soon-to-be released book, Reach All Readers: Using the Science of Reading to Transform Your Literacy Instruction.

Show Notes:

• Emily Hanford's reporting, including her article At a Loss for Words, was key to Anna's structured literacy journey. Catch Emily's season 2 episode of Reading Road Trip, too!
• Dr. Mark Seidenberg's book, Language at the Speed of Sight, provides comprehensive insight into how students learn to read, challenging instructional practices that aren't aligned with this research
• Ready for the tables to be turned? Anna interviewed Kate on Triple R Teaching with an episode focusing on structured literacy in kindergarten

Season 3 of Reading Road Trip kicks off with a candid conversation between literacy greats: Dr. Anita Archer and Dr. Sonia Cabell.

Anita and Sonia recorded this episode at the 2024 Literacy & Learning Conference. Their conversation is both thoughtful and lighthearted - we hope you will enjoy!

Show Notes:

• Sonia is a co-author of the new book Strive-for-Five Conversations: A Framework That Gets Kids Talking to Accelerate Their Language Comprehension and Literacy

• Anita is a co-author of the legendary text Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching

• All About Words: Increasing Vocabulary in the Common Core Classroom by Tanya Wright and Susan Neuman is a book both Sonia and Anita discussed

• Anita mentioned the research on Direct Instruction. This is summarized in the book All Students Can Succeed: A Half Century of Research on the Effectiveness of Direct Instruction

• Kate brought up a document Anita wrote on scaffolding reading comprehension

• Check out Kate's new home office setup - complete with a set of Archerisms!

   

Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a third season!

Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and advocates, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!

Season 2 of Reading Road Trip closes out with a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Buckingham. Kate and Jennifer dig into reading science - what do teachers really need to know? From syllable types to comprehension strategies, linguistic terms to cognitive science, this episode distinguishes between what is a "need to know" and what is "nice to know." 

Dr. Jennifer Buckingham is the director of strategy and senior research fellow at MultiLit, and is the founder and director of the Five from Five Literacy Project.

Show Notes:

• Jennifer's research report, Need to Know or Nice to Know, explores many of the topics discussed in the episode
• Kate also mentioned Jennifer's blog Don't Discard Comprehension Strategies
• Jennifer brought up Dr. Daniel Willingham's blog, Can Children be Taught to Comprehend What They Read?

In this week's episode, Kate chats with Dr. Steve Graham about all things writing. Dr. Graham highlights the importance of handwriting and spelling, and unpacks evidence-based strategy instruction to build strong writers.

Show Notes: 

• Steve is an author and editor of many books, including Best Practices in Writing Instruction and Writing Better
• Steve and his co-author Dolores Perin explore many of the evidence-based strategies discussed in this episode in Writing Next, a meta-analysis on effective writing instruction
• Learn more about Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) at thinkSRSD, or with the books Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students or Building Comprehension in Adolescents

Kate chats with Dr. Jack Fletcher this week, unpacking all things dyslexia: Risk factors and prevention, dyslexia vs dysteachia, instructional tips, wait-to-fail, and dyslexia myths and misconceptions.

Show Notes:

Learn more about some of the articles Jack mentioned:

• The importance of early reading intervention (Lovett et al., 2017)
• Problems with dyslexia identification models (Scientific American)
• Helping children with significant reading problems (Vaughn & Fletcher, 2023)
• Identifying and teaching students with significant reading problems - including 18 common misunderstandings of dyslexia (Vaughn & Fletcher, 2020-2021)
• The role of instruction in learning to read: Preventing reading failure in at-risk children (Foorman et al., 1998)
• The Good Behaviour Game 
• Anxiety and reading (Grills-Taquechel et al., 2012)

Kate chats with Clara Fiorentini this week. Tune in to explore novels in the classroom: how class novel studies fit into structured literacy, how complex text can be scaffolded, using "read-alikes" to choose texts, and avoiding the perils of "extractitis" - don't miss this thoughtful conversation about chapter books!

Clara is the president of the Literacy Association of Ireland and a lecturer in initial teacher education at Marino Institute of Education. She is wrapping up her Ph.D. research on current trends in Irish preschool literacy practice. Catch Clara at her blog, on Instagram, and on Twitter.

Show Notes:

• Clara talks about the Matthew effect, an influential paper from Dr. Keith Stanovich that highlights that with early reading, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Take a look at the open-access paper here.
• Dr. Tim Shanahan has several blogs about the importance of using complex text in reading instruction.
• Clara mentions Reading for Pleasure from the Open University - see more here.
• The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction, an article by Nell Duke, Alessandra Ward and David Pearson, can be found here.
• Learn more about book tastings on Clara's blog.

This week Kate talks to Kristin Conradi Smith, Tammy Williams, and Ellen Frackelton about research-based comprehension strategies for the classroom, including considerations for text selection and preparation, common pitfalls to avoid and “use it tomorrow” ideas. Bottom line: no more strategy of the week!

Show Notes:

• Kristin, Ellen and Tammy co-wrote the open-access article "No More Strategy of the Week": Considerations for Connecting Comprehension Instruction Back to the Book. Find it here.
• In this PaTTAN webinar, Hugh Catts discusses the multidimensional nature of reading comprehension sharing how educators need to frame reading comprehension and provide meaningful instruction.
• Dr. Catts also wrote this article for American Educator, Rethinking How to Promote Reading Comprehension
• Kristin mentions this video from Reading Rockets, where Dr. Sharon Walpole walks through comprehension as building meaning and not finding the correct answer
• Bookworms is a free set of instructional resources mentioned in the episode
• Ellen brings up this blog post by Dr. Tim Shanahan, where he highlights that "reading comprehension should be taught with texts that are worth reading, texts from which we want students to gain knowledge."

In this week's episode, Kate welcomes Kareem Weaver for a candid conversation about the role of literacy in equity, and some myths and misconceptions as strive for the goal of literacy for all.

Kareem Weaver is a co-founder and executive director of FULCRUM and is also the Oakland NAACP's Second Vice President and Chair of its Education Committee. Kareem's advocacy is featured in the film The Right to Read. Mr. Weaver was an award-winning teacher and administrator. He has undergraduate degrees from Morehouse College and a Master's in Clinical Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina. Mr. Weaver believes in the potential of all students, the brotherhood of man, and the importance of service above self.

This week, Kate chats with Dr. Deb Glaser about the second edition of Next STEPS for Literacy Instruction, co-authored with Dr. Susan Smartt. Kate and Deb unpack how to use valid and reliable assessments to shape effective literacy instructions, particularly through the Next STEPS framework: Set-up, Teach, Engage, Practice, and Show You Know.

Deb's knowledge and experience in structured literacy is both broad and deep: she is the author of the Reading Teacher's Top Ten Tools online course, Morpheme Magic, and Morphemes for Little Ones.

Show Notes:

The second edition of Next STEPS for Literacy Instruction is now available! ONlit.org has created a slide deck in both English and French to support schools, districts and boards to use this excellent text for a book study.

Small group instruction is a powerful tool to support stronger literacy outcomes. Deb mentioned the research of Dr. Barbara Foorman and Dr. Joe Torgesen - read more here.

IDA Ontario is a registered charity, and we depend on your donations to support our programs, including Reading Road Trip. Please consider donating to support this work. 

Season 3 wraps up with a jam-packed episode featuring Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. Kate and Amanda have a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and human behaviour - how do children learn new things? From the instructional hierarchy to incremental rehearsal, don't miss this fabulous episode!

Show Notes:

Curious about Amanda's insights into Kindergarten math instruction? Take a peek at the links she shared:

• Skills for screening, by grade level and time of year
• Kindergarten classwide intervention for making a quantity with numbers to 10:

  • Paired partner practice

  • Independent practice

  • Teacher-directed whole-class error correction

• Tier 2 intervention - guided practice for finding a missing number

Kate welcomes Catherine Shawana, a member of Wiikwemkoong unceded territory, for a candid discussion about her First Nation school's journey from balanced literacy to structured literacy, as well as a broader conversation about First Nations education. Catherine's passions are rooted in the foundation of building Anishnawbek identity and establishing a connection to Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being. She believes this strength-based identity work is necessary for all students to develop a positive sense of identity and to understand. We all have a community of stories waiting to be told and heard.

Show Notes:

Catherine mentioned that the Right to Read report contains not only recommendations for improving practice in Ontario, but also a historical context of First Nations, Métis and Inuit experiences. Read more here. 

Throughout the episode, Catherine referenced several past IDA Ontario webinars and workshops:

• Kareem Weaver joined IDA Ontario's Right to Read Symposium, discussing barriers to educational equity
• Kate, along with Nellie Caruso and Leigh Fettes, unpacked universal screening in their classrooms in the Becoming a Literacy Leader series
• Dr. Stephanie Stollar joined IDA Ontario for a day-long workshop on the foundations of MTSS
• All past recordings of webinars and workshops can be found on our YouTube channel!

Catherine "binge listened" to the Amplify Science of Reading podcast, hosted by Susan Lambert.

Kate mentioned Dr. Rudine Sims Bishops' metaphor of 'mirrors, windows and sliding doors' - see the paper where she originally coined the phrase, as well as a more recent video of her discussing diversity in books and the authors who write them

IDA Ontario is a registered charity, and we depend on your donations to support our programs, including Reading Road Trip. Please consider donating to support this work. 

This week, Kate is joined by Nancy Chapel Eberhardt to discuss all things syntax. A key element of language comprehension, equipping students with an understanding of syntax is key to supporting strong reading and writing skills! Take a listen to learn more about how syntax develops and how to best teach this domain of language.

Nancy Chapel Eberhardt is the coauthor of Sortegories 3.0, a web-based app designed to provide practice for essential early literacy skills. She serves as a member of the International Dyslexia Association's Perspectives on Language and Literacy editorial board and is a board member of the Reading League Connecticut chapter.

Show Notes:

Nancy is a wealth of knowledge! Here are links to the fantastic resources she mentions in this episode:

• Sortegories 3.0
• Literacy How: Syntax Knowledge to Practice course and book, co-authored with Dr. Margie Gillis
• Cheryl Scott article: A Case for the Sentence in Reading Comprehension
• Oakhill, Cain & Elbro book: Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension
• Coh-Metrix, a tool that analyzes text through measuring word frequency, sentence length, cohesion, and syntactic complexity
• Hochman & Wexler book: The Writing Revolution
• Saddler book: Teacher's Guide to Effective Sentence Writing
• Jennings & Haynes book: From Talking to Writing
• The cohesion circle Nancy mentions is described in this article from Perspectives on Language & Literacy by Haynes, Smith and Laud
• Melinda Hinch, SLP from Greater Essex County DSB, has aligned the teaching materials from the Syntax Project to the Ontario B3 Language Conventions continuum.
• PELI (Preschool Early Literacy Indicators) screening assessment
• CFOL (Comprehension, Fluency & Oral Language) diagnostic assessment
• Hennessy book: The Reading Comprehension Blueprint
• Coming January 2024:

Season 2 of Reading Road Trip kicks off with Emily Hanford! Join Kate Winn to get the inside scoop on Emily's reporting work on the science of reading, including the incredibly popular podcast Sold a Story. Emily unpacks her journey into reporting on literacy instruction, how Sold a Story was made, and how she responds to critics.

Show Notes:

Emily's articles and podcasts through APM Reports have shone a light on reading instruction, and have catalyzed conversations and changes to literacy instruction across the world:

• Hard Words: Why aren't kids being taught to read?
• At a Loss for Words: How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
• What the Words Say: Many kids struggle with reading - and children of color are far less likely to get the help they need

Kate and Emily discuss Sold a Story, the incredibly popular podcast Emily created with Christopher Peak. If you haven't yet listened, check out the six episodes and two bonus episodes.

Kate also mentions a webinar series about structured literacy in kindergarten from Emily Moorhead, an Ontario kindergarten teacher and IDA Ontario volunteer. Take a look at the first, second and third parts of the recordings.

IDA Ontario is a registered charity, and we depend on your donations to support our programs, including Reading Road Trip. Please consider donating to support this work. 

Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a second season!

Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and advocates, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!

In the Season 1 finale, you get to ask the questions! Kate Winn and Una Malcolm answer listener questions, sharing their thoughts on sound spelling walls to structured literacy in older grades. Stay tuned to the end for the answer to the most common question - will there be a Season 2 of Reading Road Trip?

Show Notes:

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we hope to amplify the work of an Indigenous artist in each episode by recommending a picture book. This week's book recommendation is Shi-shi-etko, written by Nicola Campbell and illustrated by Kim LaFave. It is available at GoodMinds, a First Nations family-owned bookstore passionate about Indigenous education.

Kate wrote a free lesson plan, featuring explicit instruction of Tier 2 vocabulary words. Find the lesson plan here.

Dr. Stephanie Stollar and Concha Wyatt hosted a helpful webinar that unpacks options for structured literacy training. 

The International Dyslexia Association has a rigorous accreditation process, and maintains a list of accredited teacher training programs.

IDA also has the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading, which highlight all things educators should know and be able to do to ensure all children receive evidence-based structured literacy instruction.

Kate uses the Letter Form Assessment, from Dr. Karen Ray, which can be found here.

Kate hosts Diana Burchell for a conversation about language learners. Is structured literacy appropriate for multilingual learners? Can early screening and intervention support students in French Immersion? What does research tell us about the language and literacy development of refugees from Syria?

Diana is a former high school French Immersion teacher, and is now a doctoral candidate in Developmental Psychology and Education at the University of Toronto. She can be found on Twitter and at her website.

Show Notes:

Diana works in the Multilingualism and Literacy Lab, led by Dr. Becky Chen, and will soon be working in the Multilingual Families Lab at the University of Alberta led by Dr. Andrea MacLeod.

Take a look at the list Kate compiled of the chapter books she read to her class at snacktime to build vocabulary.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support your discussions.

This week, Kate is joined by Dr. Carolyn Strom for a conversation about the reading brain. What are the neural underpinnings of how students learn to read? How can research in this field help us in the classroom?

Carolyn is a clinical assistant professor of Early Childhood Literacy at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture Education and Human Development. Her work is focused on bridging the divide between scientific research and instructional practices. You can find her on Twitter and at her website.

Show Notes:

Carolyn's A Tale of Three Cities is an analogy that helps clarify the neural circuitry involved in language and literacy. For a visual representation, take a look at the diagram.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book The Sharing Circle by Theresa (Corky) Larsen-Jonasson, illustrated by Jessica Von Innerebner.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support your discussions.

Kate welcomes Dr. Daryl Michel for a candid discussion on literacy coaching and PD. As we look to the beginning of a new school year, and as many systems plan structured literacy teacher PD, how can we create meaningful professional learning opportunities that lead to strong student and teacher outcomes?

Dr. Daryl Michel is the founder of Be A Change, LLC, and a lifelong educator who is passionate about engaging with others to learn, teach, and inspire while appreciating and advocating for voices and perspectives to be heard. Find Daryl on Twitter or at his website.

Daryl’s book, Student-Focused Coaching, co-authored with Jan Hasbrouck, is a fantastic resource for instructional coaches, but also for all educators focused on supporting the learning of colleagues. 

The book outlines the three main coaching roles—Facilitator, Collaborative Problem-Solver, and Teacher/Learner—and provides tools to build strong professional relationships with all educators. It covers various aspects of coaching, including improving communication, setting and achieving goals, utilizing data in an MTSS model, and supporting administrators. The book also includes practical materials for coaches, such as worksheets, checklists, and self-assessment tools.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book Birdsong, written and illustrated by Julie Flett.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support your discussions.

This week, Kate and guest Renata Archie dive into early reading screening: what is it, why is it needed, and most importantly, how it can inform instruction. Renata is a doctoral student in reading science, and an Academic Intervention Services Coordinator for New York City Department of Education where she supports educators and leaders with assessment, data analysis, and instruction. Renata can be found on Twitter.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book Be a Good Ancestor, written by Leona and Gabrielle Prince, and illustrated by Carla Joseph.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support any discussion

Dr. Jan Hasbrouck joins the podcast this week, sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience on reading fluency. Together, Kate and Jan unpack fluency - what is it, how educators can provide instruction that supports reading fluency, and common misconceptions. You can find Jan on her website and Twitter page.

Jan has written several excellent books, including Student-Focused Coaching and Conquering Dyslexia.

Curious about oral reading rate? Jan and her colleague Dr. Gerald Tindal published oral reading rate norms for student in grades 1 to 6.

Jan mentioned a recent study by White et al. (2021) that investigated the link between oral reading rate and comprehension on the NAEP assessment.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock, written by Dallas Hunt, and illustrated by Amanda Strong.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support any discussion

This week Kate is joined by Dr. Amanda Nickerson for a candid conversation about supporting gifted and highly advanced readers. Don't miss this episode that highlights the value of advanced decoding and spelling instruction for skilled readers!

This week, Kate has a conversation with Lindsay Kemeny, a primary teacher from Utah and author of the brand-new book 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-To-3 Reading Success. You can find Lindsay on her website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Lindsay’s book, 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-to-3 Reading Success, is a must-read!

Lindsay and Kate have both used a partner reading and paragraph shrinking instructional routine for classwide fluency and comprehension building. Lindsay’s webinar for PaTTAN gives a nice overview of this research-backed strategy.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book Dancing With Our Ancestors, written by Sara Florence Davidson and Robert Davidson, and illustrated by Janine Gibbons.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support any discussion

Kate is joined by Dr. Holly Lane, professor and researcher at the University of Florida, and creator of the UFLI Foundations program. Together, Kate and Holly unpack some of the considerations for teaching foundational word reading and spelling skills.

Dr. Holly Lane is the Director of the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI), an associate professor of special education, and co-author of the UFLI Foundations program. Holly's research focuses on effective practices for reading instruction and intervention. Holly can be found on Twitter.

UFLI Foundations is a systematic and explicit phonics program. With a scope and sequence for kindergarten to grade 2 students, the program is carefully designed to support educators in providing effective early reading and spelling instruction. The program is composed of a manual (available from Canadian, American, and Australian vendors) as well as free online lesson resources.

Are you a UFLI user? Join the UFLI Foundations Community group on Facebook!

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book Oolichan Moon, written by Samantha Beynon and illustrated by Lucy Trimble.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support any discussion.

Kate Winn welcomes Dr. Sonia Cabell for a candid discussion about five key research-based elements of early language and literacy instruction for young children.

Dr. Sonia Cabell is an Associate Professor of Education at Florida State University and the Florida Center for Reading Research. Sonia's research focuses on early language and literacy instruction for young children, particularly as a preventative approach to support equity in future reading and writing. You can find Sonia on Twitter.

Sonia’s Books:

• Literacy Learning for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers: Key Practices for Educators
• Handbook on the Science of Early Literacy

The Rising Star Scaffolding Guide, written by Sonia and her co-authors, is a great resource for Kate in her classroom as she supports young writers.

The Florida Center for Reading Research is a treasure trove of free resources for educators.

Kate hosted a phenomenal webinar for IDA Ontario, Structured Literacy in Kindergarten: 5 Key Changes That Made All My Students Readers. Curious how Kate did it? Catch the webinar recording and materials.

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book It’s a Mitig by Bridget George.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support any discussion.

In the premiere, Kate is joined by Lyn Stone, a linguist and author. Lyn busts common reading myths and misconceptions, advocating for evidence-based structured literacy for all students.

About Lyn:

Lyn Stone is a linguist, educator, author and founder of Lifelong Literacy. Her books, courses, and presentations unpack the structure of language, supporting educators to improve student reading and writing outcomes with evidence-based practices. Lyn can be found on her website, Twitter, and Facebook.

Lyn’s Books:

Reading for Life - the 21 Days of Writing Challenge Kate mentioned can be found in this book.

Spelling for Life

Language for Life

In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we are amplifying the work of an Indigenous creator in every episode. This week’s pick is the picture book You Hold Me Up, written by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Danielle Daniel.

Are you an educator listening to Reading Road Trip with your colleagues? Use our Podcast Discussion Guide to support any conversations with co-workers!

Kate Winn and IDA Ontario's President, Una Malcolm, introduce IDA Ontario's new podcast Reading Road Trip, premiering July 3rd, 2023.

Dr. Andrea Fraser joins Kate to chat about her systems change journey: first in a board central team role, shifting her district's literacy instruction to structured literacy, and then preparing preservice teachers to teach with a structured literacy approach. Tune in to hear her insights on bridging the gap between research and practice at the district level and in higher education!

The Basics of Decoding and Spelling Instruction is a low-cost, asynchronous online course offered by IDA Ontario. Students in Canadian education, EA, or SLP programs, as well as educators working in First Nation schools, can receive free access here.

IDA Ontario partners with Dyslexia Canada to develop ONlit.org, a free website designed to support educators with the revised Ontario Language curriculum. Don't miss the most recent resource - a free embedded picture mnemonic set!

Kate welcomes Dr. Marc Joanisse for a discussion about the neurobiology of dyslexia and other comorbid disorders, including ADHD and DLD. 

Dr Marc Joanisse is a professor at the University of Western Ontario in the Department of Psychology and the Western Institute for Neuroscience. His research examines the cognitive and brain basis of reading dyslexia and developmental language disability in children, as well as typical reading and language and development. His research team at the Language Reading and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab uses a multimodal approach, including eye tracking, EEG and MRI. His research in dyslexia focuses on better understanding the links between poor reading and spoken language and phonology, and the comorbidities of dyslexia with other kinds of learning disorders like DLD and ADHD.

Stay up to date on research and upcoming studies from Marc's lab:

Language, Reading and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab Facebook page and website

Curious about evidence-based instruction for older readers? This week, Kate welcomes Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer to discuss strategies for helping older readers decode big words and tackle complex texts, focusing on syntactic features like connectives and anaphora to improve text comprehension.

Heidi Anne is the author of several great books, including Big Words for Young Readers: Teaching Kids in Grades K to 5 to Decode - and Understand - Words with Multiple Syllables and Morphemes, and Teaching Skills for Complex Text: Deepening Close Reading in the Classroom. Kate and Heidi Anne also discussed a new article, Time in Text: Differentiating Instruction for Intermediate Students Struggling with Word Recognition.

Find Heidi Anne on twitter at @haemesmer.

Dr. Claude Goldenberg joins us this week. Don't miss this engaging conversation about reading instruction for multilingual students - and keep listening to the end to learn about Claude's real-life road trips inspired by a John Steinbeck book!

Claude is the Nomelini and Olivier professor of education emeritus at Stanford University. A native of Argentina, his areas of research and publication centred on promoting academic achievement among language minority students, particularly those from Spanish-speaking backgrounds.

In the episode, Claude mentioned his work on the National Literacy Panel, an article in Reading Research Quarterly, and his own road trip adventures inspired by John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley:

• April to May 2023
• September to October 2021
• May to June 2019
• October 2018

Kate welcomes Meredith and David Liben for a candid conversation on reading comprehension. The Libens walk through effective instruction to help students understand what they read - from close reading to structured journals, they share practical tips to support comprehension!

The Libens are the authors of Know Better Do Better: Teaching the Foundations So Every Child Can Read, and the newly released Know Better, Do Better: Comprehension: Fueling the Reading Brain With Knowledge, Vocabulary, and Rich Language.

Kate mentions the Matthew effect, a phenomenon coined by Dr. Keith Stanovich where good readers enjoy reading, read more, and develop stronger reading skills. Struggling readers avoid reading, making the gap between skilled and weak readers widen over time. Access this influential paper here.

The Read Aloud Project, mentioned by David, is a repository of lesson plans for rich read alouds of complex books.

Join us this week for a chat with parent educator Maya Payne Smart. Kate and Maya walk through clear, actionable steps to empower parents to support their child's language and literacy development.

Maya is the author of Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six. It is excellent - well-researched, clear, and parent-friendly - and even a great read for teachers, too!

Eager to learn more? Maya's website is a treasure trove of resources for parents and educators. From book recommendations to tips to build language and literacy, don't miss it.

Maya recommended the picture books The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read and An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin & Noah Webster's Spelling Revolution.

This week, Kate Winn welcomes Irish educator and researcher Dr. Jen O’Sullivan to explore how young children develop the ability to make inferences and how educators can explicitly support this essential skill. From playful, practical strategies to research-backed insights, this episode is packed with ideas to bring inferencing to life in the early years.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• The Game by Henry Charles Ten Bears and Shoshannah Greene

• RAND Reading Study Group (2002)

• Oakhill and Cain (2012) study on inference and comprehension

• Tighe and Schatschneider (2014) study on predictors of reading comprehension

• Hall et al. (2019) study on inference instruction with English language learners

• Jen O’Sullivan’s Substack

   

Buckle up - it's the Season 4 premiere of Reading Road Trip! Host Kate Winn kicks off the new season with Dr. Leslie Laud of thinkSRSD for a lively and practical conversation about transforming writing instruction. From kindergarten to high school, discover how this evidence-based approach is scaling across classrooms, building confidence, reducing teacher workload, and aligning beautifully with Canadian curricula.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

• Cedar School Decodables by Strong Nations Publishing

• thinkSRSD

• CommonLit

• ONlit.org thinkSRSD resources: Getting Started with thinkSRSD and Grade 3 thinkSRSD-inspired POWeR Cycles

• thinkSRSD Facebook Group

• thinkSRSD Canadian Facebook Group

This week, Kate Winn chats with educator and SyllaSense decodable book author Lee-Ann Lear. They discuss the role decodables can play in a structured literacy classroom, common misconceptions, and practical tips for using decodable text. Lee-Ann also shares how SyllaSense got started, how the books are written and reviewed, and why their scope and sequence goes beyond just phonics. Whether you’re new to decodable text or already using it regularly, this episode offers helpful insights for educators supporting early readers.

Mentioned in this episode: 

• Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? by Tyna Legault Taylor
• The Reading League Decodable Book Sources
• UFLI Decodable Text Guide
• The Active View of Reading - Duke & Cartwright
• SyllaSense Scope and Sequence
• SyllaSense Teacher Tip Sheets
• SyllaSense deck-odables
• SyllaSense workshops

What is implementation science, and why should educators care about it? In this episode, Kate welcomes Dr. Katlynn Dahl-Leonard to break down how this field can help close the gap between literacy research and classroom practice. They discuss Katlynn's recent study on teacher implementation of a structured literacy intervention, components of fidelity, and what makes implementation easier - or harder - for educators. Tune in for practical insights on supporting evidence-based instruction in real-world settings.

This episode mentions:

• If You Were Here by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Maya McKibbin
• Katlynn's study, co-authored with Drs. Colby Hall & Philip Capin, Exploring the feasibility of implementing the SPELL-Links to Reading and Writing intervention (open source)
• Translational science: A road map for the science of reading by Dr.Emily Solari et al.
• Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)
• Program integrity in primary and early secondary prevention: Are implementation effects out of control?

Kate is joined by Dr. Sarah Lupo, and together, they explore how to support adolescent readers across subjects with practical, research-informed strategies. Dr. Lupo discusses the five major challenges that make texts tough for students, shares tools for scaffolding instruction, and explains how to centre identity, language, and purpose in secondary literacy. Whether you're an English, science, or history educator, this episode offers concrete ideas you can apply right away.

Links:

• Tackling Tough Texts by Sarah Lupo, Dan Reynolds, and Christine Hardigree

• On the Trapline by David A. Robertson and Julie Flett

• Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy – Special Issue on Foundational Skills (Guest Edited by Dr. Lupo)

It’s the season finale of Season 4 of Reading Road Trip! Kate wraps up the season with an all-star lineup of nine expert guests, each sharing one powerful tip to set you up for your best school year yet. From data meetings to integrated instruction, parent communication to avoiding burnout, this finale is packed with practical advice you can use right away. Join us as we celebrate the close of another fabulous podcast season with insights from some of the most thoughtful voices in the field.

Many thanks to this episode's fabulous guests: Dr. Renata Archie, Dr. Sonia Cabell, Dr. Pam Kastner, Dr. Holly Lane, Dr. Matt Burns, Dr. Jamie Metsala, Alicia Smith, Jacqueline Chartier, and Dr. Todd Cunningham!

• Season 1, Episode 6 — Dr. Renata Archie on universal screening

• Season 1, Episode 2 — Dr. Sonia Cabell on early literacy

• Season 3, Episode 1 — Sonia Cabell and Anita Archer (recorded live at Lit Learn 2024)

• Season 1, Episode 3 — Dr. Holly Lane on foundational reading skills

Kate chats with educator and author Blake Harvard about his book Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning. They explore what we know about attention, working memory, and long-term memory, why multitasking doesn’t work, and practical strategies like retrieval and spaced practice that help students remember more.

This episode mentions:

• Métis Christmas Mittens by Leah Marie Dorion, with Michif translation by Norman Fleury

• Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning by Blake Harvard

• The Effortful Educator blog by Blake Harvard

• Powerful Teaching by Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain

Kate welcomes three educators from the Near North District School Board to share how they transformed reading outcomes for intermediate students through a targeted, data-driven structured literacy intervention. Lisa Rogers, Courtney Berger, and Kristen Roy walk us through the data that prompted the initiative, the logistics of scheduling and grouping, and the instructional choices that made a difference for older students. From explicit instruction with the REWARDS program to building safe, motivating classroom spaces, their stories highlight not only measurable academic growth but also powerful shifts in student confidence and identity as readers.

This episode mentions:

• Indigenous Peoples in the World Wars by Simon Rose (Beech Street Books)
• Fluency in Perspective: Grade 8 Changemakers (ONlit)
• Fluency in Perspective: Grade 7 Across the Curriculum (ONlit)
• REWARDS program by Anita Archer, Mary Gleason, and Vicki Vachon
• Tolentino Teaching website
• No Time to Waste: Structured Literacy with Young Adults (Dr. Julie Brown)

This week, Kate welcomes Dr. Tiffany Hogan to explore Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). They dig into what DLD is, how it relates to dyslexia, signs educators can watch for at different grade levels, and how to support students in the classroom. Dr. Hogan shares insights on screening, assessment, and instructional strategies, as well as misconceptions that can impact identification and services. The conversation is packed with practical advice for educators and a call to action to raise awareness about DLD.

This episode mentions:

• Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina
• DLD and Me
• See Hear Speak podcast
• Open access article reviewing DLD screeners
• PELI - Preschool Early Literacy Indicators
• LanguageScreen
• CUBED Narrative Language Measures
• Acadience CFOL - Comprehension, Fluency & Oral Language

Reading Road Trip hits the road! In this special episode, co-producer Dr. Una Malcolm swaps her behind-the-scenes hat for a mic as she and host Kate Winn unpack their highlights and hot takes from the 2025 Society for the Scientific Study of Reading Conference in Calgary. From poster sessions to practitioner panels (and even a scenic detour to Banff), Kate and Una reflect on their conference adventure. Plus, listen in for a bonus segment featuring top structured literacy tips from Reading Road Trip listeners!

Links to past Reading Road Trip episodes mentioned:

• Season 4, Episode 4 – Implementation Science with Dr. Katlynn Dahl Leonard
• Season 3, Episode 8 – Higher Education & Systems-Level Literacy with Dr. Andrea Fraser
• Season 1, Episode 3 – Foundational Literacy Skills with Dr. Holly Lane
• Season 1, Episode 2 – Language and Literacy with Dr. Sonia Cabell

Buckle up. This surprise, between-seasons bonus episode of Reading Road Trip goes behind the scenes of the soon-to-be-released book Reading Assessment Done Right. Kate Winn steps out from the host role and into the guest seat alongside co-author Dr. Stephanie Stollar. Together, Kate and Stephanie candidly discuss why they wrote the book, how the collaboration came together, and the real questions about assessment and instruction that shaped it. It’s an insider look at the thinking behind the book, with practical reflections educators can bring back to their own classrooms.

Our work at IDA Ontario, which is a registered charity, depends on the generosity of people like you. If you find the podcast helpful, please consider supporting our organization.

Show Notes:

• We All Love by Julie Flett – A beautifully illustrated picture book celebrating care, connection, and love, shared as part of this episode’s land acknowledgement and commitment to amplifying Indigenous artists.

• Reading Assessment Done Right – The soon-to-be-released book by Kate Winn and Dr. Stephanie Stollar that anchors this bonus episode, exploring how assessment can be used to inform instruction and improve reading outcomes.

• IDA Ontario's Literacy and Learning Conference 2026 – Kate Winn and Dr. Stephanie Stollar will be presenting together at LitLearn 2026 in Toronto; registration details are available through IDA Ontario.

• Perspectives on Language and Literacy – Reading Assessment Done Right will be featured in the Winter 2026 issue Data: What's Your Question?, co-edited by theme editors Dr. Michelle Hosp and Dr. Una Malcolm; IDA members can access the issue through the member portal, and non-members can learn more about joining the International Dyslexia Association to gain access.