Reading Teachers Lounge

Shannon and Mary chat with critically acclaimed author and experienced actress & advocate Colette Hiller about ways to make word learning innovative and fun. Colette is releasing a new book titled Colossal Words for Kids, which combines educational poetry with vibrant illustrations to teach new words and related content knowledge. The book is delightful and so is Colette. Listen to this episode to gain creative ideas about how to help get students excited about word learning and how to help make the vocabulary stick in the students' minds. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Colossal Words for Kids by Colette Hiller, Illustrated by Tor FreemanThe B on Your Thumb: 60 Poems to Boost Reading and Spelling by Colette Hiller, Illustrated by Tor FreemanColette's websiteNPR Ways with WordsStreet Pianos projectStatue Stories Chicagoour episode about Building Vocabularyour episode about Morphologyour episode about EtymologyGet a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary chat about how to best support learners with working memory challenges. This is a companion episode to a deep dive learning topic we went through with our Patreon community about Working Memory. Listeners to this episode will walk away with increased awareness about which students may have working memory challenges AND strategies to help those students during reading instruction. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Working Memory and Learning: A Practical Guide for Teachers 1st Edition by Susan Gathercole (Author), Tracy Packiam Alloway (Author)What Is Working Memory? Understanding our mental ‘scratchpad’ Writer: Rae Jacobson Clinical Experts: Matthew Cruger, PhD , Linda Hecker, MEd8 Working Memory BoostersWhy I Can't Remember Things -- How ADHD Affects Working Memory15 Memory Exercises for Forgetful KidsImproving Working Memory Capacity | Torkel Klingberg | TEDxNorrköpingDr. Erica Warren Executive Functioning activitiesLumosity appBrain HQ appPeak appGet a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary talk with Kelly Butler and Carla Stanford about professional learning that is meaningful. Kelly Butler worked with the Barksdale Reading Institute to bring about systems change in reading instruction in the state of Mississippi over the last twenty years. Kelly and Carla share about a free resource they're working on now called Reading Universe, which is a one-stop shop for teachers and interested stakeholders to learn about best practices in teaching reading. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE ReadingUniverse.orgReading Universe TaxonomyREAP (Reading is Essential for All People)Timely Talks10 MaximsScaling Up for SuccessWhy It MattersRight to Read Project (Lunch & Lit)Simple View of Reading Episode Season 5 Episode 9Cuban Literacy InitiativeGet a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary chat with speech therapist Dr. Karen Dudek Brannan about the overlaps between speech, reading, and language. Dr. Karen helps us understand the challenges facing students with language impairments. From this episode, teachers can understand the perspective of a speech therapist to better understand speech and language challenges. After listening, you should walk away with ideas about conversations to have with the speech therapist in your building and an awareness of language challenges your students may face within your curriculum. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Dr. Karen's websiteDe Facto Leaders PodcastUltimate Guide to Sentence Structurefree Executive Functioning Implementation Guide for School Teams from Dr. KarenFree Training from Dr. Karen about the 5-component Framework for Language Intervention Free training from Dr. Karen about support that is evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming (by building executive functioning skills) Contact Dr. Karen on LinkedInDr. Karen on IGDr. Karen on FacebookSuper Sentences graphic organizer (Bookworms) Super Sentences rubric grade 5 (Bookworms)Get a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary discuss the importance of prioritizing handwriting instruction simultaneously with reading and writing instruction in the early grades. Learn why handwriting is essential for overall literacy development and how to include it in your daily instruction. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE The Importance of Teaching Handwriting by Louise Spear SwerlingWriting by hand may increase brain connectivity more than typing, readings of student brains suggest by Aria BendixThe unexpected connection between handwriting and learning to read by Sheldon H HorowitzHOW HANDWRITING AND LITERACY SKILLS GO HAND-IN-HANDThe Importance of Teaching Handwriting7 Reasons Why Handwriting Is Important for KidsThe Importance of teaching handwriting for cognitive development - PLD (Australia)How to Teach Handwriting—and Why It MattersWhy Don’t the Common-Core Standards Include Cursive Writing?6 Multisensory ways to teach handwritingWhat Every Teacher Should Know about Handwriting (LWT)Learning Without Tears GuidesReading UniverseThe Importance of Handwriting Experience on the Development of the Literate Brain by Karin H. JamesGet a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon shares with Mary the steps she follows for analyzing student data. This Date Your Data process requires multiple steps of looking at test scores, improvement goals, student strengths and weaknesses, and then connecting the data to standards to facilitate data-driven instruction. This method of data review makes the test score information meaningful to teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders. Listen to find out how to Date Your Data to get to know your students and their learning better. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE our Season 1 episode: Understanding the MAP testDate Your Data free handout for MAP scoresDate Your Data free handout for analyzing other data sourcesNWEA MAP Test information (login needed)NWEA MAP Test website (no login needed)MAP Quadrant Chart Analysis & ReflectionGet a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary are joined in by Linda Rhyne in the Reading Teachers Lounge. They share a deep dive of information from the book, The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler. This episode is full of information and strategies to increase your student's knowledge helping them dive deep into comprehension and knowledge building. Linda Rhyne is a returning guest to the show and shares her expertise in guiding professional discussions to help educators meet their student's literacy goals. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE The Knowledge Gap by Natalie WexlerThe Reading Comprehension Blueprint by Nancy Lewis Hennessy The Reading Comprehension Blueprint Activity book by Nancy Lewis HennessyCultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy by Gholdy Muhammad Linda Rhyne ConsultingPlacing Texts at the Center of the Science Aligned ELA Classroom PDF M. Liben, S. PimentelPodcast recommended listening: Melissa and Lori Love Literacy, Ep. 37: Placing Text at the Center of the ELA Classroom with Meredith Liben & Sue Pimentel Knowledge Matters Campaign Tim Shananon blog: Knowledge or Comprehension Strategies?Centering Knowledge Building: An Interactive Reading Guide. Users can access the materials Shannon and Mary used in exploring The Knowledge Gap. Linda created this interactive course and now for $25 you can access this treasury of science of reading texts and recommended articles.Follow Linda on Instagram @lindarhyneconsultingour season 5 episode with Linda Balancing It AllGet a free Green Chef box using our link.Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon chats with her favorite literacy guru, Wiley Blevins, about the decisions and methods that go into differentiation. Shannon picks his brain about some of her reading students. Also, Wiley shares insights from his coming book about adjustments that teachers can make before or during their lessons to better suit the learning levels of their students. We always get some much wisdom from Wiley, whether it be from a direct chat, a webinar he hosts, or from a book he's authored. Listen to this entire episode to get inspired about ways you can best meet your students' needs. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact: How to Scaffold Whole-Group Instruction So All Students Can Access Grade-Level Content by Wiley Blevins Wiley's websiteReading Rockets: Differentiated Instruction for ReadingReading Rockets: What is differentiated instruction?Differentiated Reading Instruction: Multiple Pathways to Literacy Success (Solution Tree)Read Write Think: Differentiating Instruction Strategy Guide Series(Kappan Online) Teaching Reading: Development and DifferentiationFCRR: Features of Effective Instruction Overview Sadlier School: 13 Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction in the Classroom(Read Naturally) Differentiating Instruction: Teaching Differently to Improve InstructionBenchmark Decodable BooksUFLI Foundations Deconudable Text Guide Linnea Ehri Continuous Blending Study Stanford Study (Bruce McCandliss) Empowering WritersOur Season 4 Episode with Wiley Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary chat with Dr. Karen Gazith about her new book The Power of Effective Reading Instruction. The conversation flowed through many topics but ultimately what you can gain from our discussion is the gifts we give our readers when we teach with intention. Listen to this episode to gain fresh ideas for enhancing your own reading instruction. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Ask the Right Questions about RTIWait to Fail Model The Power of Effective Reading Instruction: How Neuroscience Informs Instruction Across All Grades and Disciplines by Karen GazithTeaching with Purpose: How to Thoughtfully Implement Evidence-Based Practices in Your Classroom by Karen GazithWebsite for Karen GazithConnect with Karen on FacebookConnect with Karen on LinkedInConnect with Karen on TwitterSupport the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Mary and Shannon chat with Dr. Molly Ness about her new book Read Alouds for All Learners. Molly shares how teachers should intentionally plan their read alouds, with thought put into the vocabulary instruction, the purpose for reading, the think aloud process, and engagement and extension activities for students after reading. Listen to this episode for TONS of ideas from our guest about how to get the most learning out of your read aloud experiences. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Reading Rockets: Reading Aloud to Build ComprehensionReading Rockets: Vocabulary Development During Read AloudsASCD: The Hidden Power of Read AloudsScholastic: 5 Easy Skills to Teach Kids During Read-AloudsRead Write Think: Teacher Read-Aloud that Models Reading for Deep UnderstandingCox Campus: Meaningful Read Alouds for Vocabulary and Oral Language ComprehensionRead Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK-8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners) by Molly Ness Think Big with Think Alouds: A Three-Step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers by Molly NessLove in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game by Nancy ChurninThe Decline by Nine (Scholastic Reads Podcast)End Book Deserts (Podcast by Molly Ness)Website for Molly NessContact Molly on TwitterContact Molly on IGSupport the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary wrestle with understanding the nature of the comprehension process. They discuss ideas from the Blueprint for Reading Comprehension and Executive Skills and Comprehension to understand the different cognitive processes and executive functioning required for students to extract and construct meaning from texts. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE the Reading Comprehension Blueprint by Nancy HennessyExecutive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators by Kelly B. CartwrightA Blueprint for Reading Comprehension webinar recordingA Comprehension Checkup webinar recordingexcerpt from Chapter 1: the Reading Comprehension BlueprintThe Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction by Nell DukeWebinar and other info from Nell Duke Reading Comprehension OrchestraHow do we teach the Language Comprehension strand of Scarborough's Reading Rope?Don't Stop Teaching Comprehension-Just Embed it In Context (Natalie Wexler)Does text structure instruction improve reading comprehension?Reading for Meaning: Teaching RubricThe Role of Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehension: A Critical Review Reading Rockets: Comprehension 101Micro Comprehension AmplifyCohesive devicesCommon Lit CurriculumIdaho Comprehension RoutinesShanahan blog: Knowledge or Comprehension Strategies?Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon chats with Lindsay Kemeny about her new book titled 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-3 Reading Success. Both Shannon and Lindsay have classroom experience teaching Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students, so their discussion was filled with details and stories about the best instructional strategies and techniques teachers should use to help their students become fluent readers. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-to-3 Reading Success by Lindsay KemenyVideos and Resources that accompany Lindsay's bookLindsay's websiteLindsay on Twitter @LindsayKemenyLindsay's Youtube channelLindsay's blogFREE Science of Reading self-paced Professional Development unit from LindsayFCRR Student Center Activities (Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Fluency, etc)Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching (What Works for Special-Needs Learners) by Anita L. Archerour Decodable Texts episodeour Scope and Sequence episode with Wiley Blevinsour Phonemic Awareness episode Season 4our Phonemic Awareness episode Season 1Book a free call with us to tour our Patreon and see if it's right for you!Get Literacy Support through our PatreonSupport the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary talk about why they love student mistakes. They share how to make mistakes meaningful in the ways they show insight into students' learning. They chat about establishing a trusting relationship with students so they feel comfortable showing us mistakes. Lastly, they discuss ways to provide student feedback without inducing shame. Learning happens between the lessons, and in this episode, you'll find concrete ideas for what to do and say each day with your students to promote a growth mindset and engagement in learning. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Actual Reading ErrorsReading Simplified: 4 Types of Reading ErrorsCommon Reading Mistakes and How to Fix ThemError Analysis for ReadingAchieve to the Core: Mistakes Tell us What Students are Ready to LearnHow to Help when Students Don't Notice ErrorsTeaching Students to Embrace MistakesExamination of the Student Mistakes in Oral ReadingYo Yo Ma: Music Happens Between the Notes (On Being podcast)The Big Secret Episode from Season 1Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching (What Works for Special-Needs Learners) by Anita L. ArcherBook a free call with us to tour our Patreon and see if it's right for you!Get Literacy Support through our Patreon COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Our Patreon Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary meet with Kionna Squires (@DaLiteracyLady) to talk about the challenges facing older struggling readers. During the discussion, they explain how meeting students where they are IS rigorous and the right thing to do for our readers. They also share ideas for boosting student engagement and their favorite activities for upper grade reading intervention. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Texas Center for Learning Disabilities: Effective Reading Interventions for Upper Elementary StudentsProviding Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4-9 (What Words Clearinghouse)EdWeek: How Schools Can Support Older Students Who Lag in ReadingReading Rockets: Best Practices in Planning Interventions for Students with Reading ProblemsTeaching Phonics & Word Study in the Intermediate Grades by Wiley BlevinsFlorida Center for Reading Research 4th and 5th Grade ActivitiesAssessing Reading Multiple Measures (Core Literacy)Structured Literacy Interventions edited by Louise Spear-SwerlingRaffi songs Moon Dogs books The Big Secret Episode from Season 1Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching (What Works for Special-Needs Learners) by Anita L. ArcherBook a free call with us to tour our Patreon and see if it's right for you!Get Literacy Support through our Patreon COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Our Patreon Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary host a returning guest to the Reading Teachers Lounge @MindfulTeacherRachel, who you heard in Season 5 on the Schwa episode. In this episode, Shannon, Mary, and Rachel talk about English word histories and how they may inform how a word is spelled. Check out this discussion to get ideas for how to share word origin stories with your reading students and help students see how important morphology is in addition to sound symbol connections. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Online Etymology DictionaryWhen is an O a Scribal O?Literacy Nest resource for Scribal OScribal O videoLatin ConnectiveWord Smarts: Van Cleave Vocabulary Connecting VowelsHistorical Layers of English: Reading RocketsIG Post from Laura.Loves.Teaching: English Language Layer Cake Scribal O slides by Laura Watkins Real Spelling ToolboxSounds & SyllablesWord Origins by John AytoOnce Upon a Word by Jess ZafarrisBeneath the Surface of Words by Sue Scibetta HeglandAnd Sometimes Y by RachelShort Vowel Protectors by RachelScience of Reading book list (compiled by Rachel and others)Contact Rachel on Twittercontact Rachel on IGour SCHWA episode with Rachel from last seasonBook a free call with us to tour our Patreon and see if it's right for you!Get Literacy Support through our Patreon COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary meet again to begin the 6th season of the podcast. They recap their summer activities in both professional and personal lives, update the audience on the plans they're making for their reading students this school year, and preview what's coming next in Season 6 of the podcast. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Georgia Department of Education: Dyslexia InformationGreat E-books about Structured Shared Reading & Writing and other guides Regarding DyslexiaAssessing Reading Multiple Measures from Core Literacy LibraryBook a free call with us to tour our Patreon and see if it's right for you!Get Literacy Support through our Patreon COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Our Patreon Shannon's TpT Store Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary bring you a surprise bonus episode for Season 5. They chat with Dr. Amanda Alexander from Scholastic about statistics about summer reading. In the episode, they all share tips about how to make the most of the summer reading experience. Note: The research statistics cited were compiled by Scholastic in conjunction with Fluent Research. The findings are based on a nationally representative sample of 1,724 parents and children, including 531 parents of children ages 0–5; 1,193 parents of children ages 6–17; plus one child aged 6–17 from the same household. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Scholastic Summer Reading Home BaseScholastic Ultimate Summer Reading GuideScholastic Kids and Family Reading ReportHow Educators Can Strengthen Summer Reading Connections with Families by Dr. Amanda AlexanderScholastic Warehouse Book Saleour Season 3 Episode 1: Books as Windows, Doors, and Mirrorsour Season 5 Episode 5: Classroom LibrariesLearning Ally: AudiobooksThe Good Egg by Jory JohnGet Literacy Support through our PatreonEducate & Rejuvenate June 27-28, 2023Shannon's bundle of lesson plans for teaching syllables COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Our Patreon Shannon's TpT Store Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary meet up to review how season 5 of the podcast has gone. They share some of the things they learned during the season and list some of their favorite episodes and guests. They also chat about the school year as it winds down, their upcoming summer plans, and what is in store for the podcast in Season 6. At the end of the episode, they're joined by Kelsey Sorenson from Wife Teacher Mommy to talk about the Educate and Rejuvenate event they're all participating in during June 2023. RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE Season 5 Episode 4: the Schwa with Mindful Teacher Rachel Season 5 Episode 6: Balancing It All with Linda RhyneSeason 5 Episode 7: The Reading Brain with Dr. Marnie GinsbergSeason 5 Episode 8: Orthographic Mapping with Anna GeigerSeason 5 Episode 9: the Simple View of Reading and Beyond with Dr. Janet MortSeason 5 Episode 10: Decodable Texts with Emily GibbonsSeason 5 Episode 15: Practical Tips for Reading Teachers with Jamie SearsSeason 5 Episode 17: Putting the Science of Reading Into ActionGreat E-books about Structured Shared Reading & Writing and other guides Regarding DyslexiaGet Literacy Support through our PatreonEducate & Rejuvenate June 27-28, 2023Shannon's bundle of lesson plans for teaching syllables COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Our Patreon Shannon's TpT Store Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary chat with Malia Hollowell (@Playdough2Plato) about her new book, Science of Reading In Action. They summarize the big ideas within the Science of Reading for listeners and share practical actions teachers and parents can take to ensure they're doing best practices for students that are backed by literacy research. After listening, you'll understand more about WHAT the SoR is, WHY it is important, and HOW to put it in action, no matter your literacy role. Episode Links for Resources mentioned: Science of Reading: Defining Guide from The Reading LeagueWhite Paper-The Science of Reading (Zaner-Bloser)Timothy Shanahan: What is the Science of Reading? (Reading Rockets)our Season 4 Episode about the Science of ReadingThe Science of Reading in Action by Malia HollowellMalia's website: Playdough To PlatoConnect with Malia on IGFacebook group: Science of Reading in Action COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Shannon's TpT Store Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

Shannon and Mary chat with Khadijah Abdullah, a public school teacher in their area, about how she balances the wide variety of reading abilities in her classroom. Khadijah shares about her trauma-informed teaching practices and how she uses visual literacy to provide learning scaffolds for her students. Episode Links for Resources mentioned: Teaching With Multiple Modalities10 Visual Literacy StrategiesMedia LiteracyVisual LearningTips for Viewing Images in Picture BooksTrauma Informed TeachingTeaching Visual Literacy: Using Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Anime, Cartoons, and More to Develop Comprehension and Thinking SkillsTeaching Visual Literacy in the Primary Classroom: Comic Books, Film, Television and Picture Narratives (David Fulton Books)Visual Approaches to Teaching Writing: Multimodal Literacy 5 - 11 (Published in association with the UKLA)Journey (Aaron Becker's Wordless Triology, 1)Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry ColeConnect with Khadijah on Instagram COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION! Our Website Facebook Instagram Shannon's TpT Store Support the Show. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon