Shows
Route2Reading5 Small Group Reading Must-Haves Every Teacher NeedsEpisode Summary 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 2025-05-2721 min
Route2Reading5 Small Group Reading Must-Haves Every Teacher NeedsSmall 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 2025-05-2621 min
Route2ReadingYvette Manns: An Author's JourneyEpisode 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 jo...2025-05-1237 min
Route2ReadingFive Ways to Move Away from Sound by Sound Reading and Build FluencyEpisode Summary: 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. In This Episode, You...2025-04-2820 min
Route2ReadingMTSS for Reading Improvement🎙 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...2025-04-1445 min
Route2ReadingFrom Scribbles to Sentences – Helping Young Writers GrowEpisode Summary: 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 Mi...2025-03-1727 min
Route2ReadingFoundations of Writing: Why Letter Formation MattersEpisode Summary: 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 HERE2025-03-0326 min
Route2ReadingLeading the Way: Supporting Teachers with the Science of ReadingAll 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 uniq...2025-02-1831 min
Route2ReadingMastering Small Group InstructionSmall 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 ef...2025-02-0334 min
Route2ReadingThe Importance of Decodable Text with Elise LovejoyLE 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 HERE2025-01-2030 min
Route2ReadingThe Importance of Decodable Text with Elise LovejoyAll 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. How did you get your start in education? Teaching was always my calling - I loved playing “classroom” when I was younger. I went to Boston College and got my undergrad in elementary education with a focus on special education. I have a special needs brother, so I was a...2025-01-1225 min
Route2ReadingPodcast #51: New Year, New Goals: Using Data to Reset and Plan for 2025LE 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...2025-01-0633 min
Route2ReadingLE Podcast #50: Moving Students From Letter Sounds to CVC Words: The Secret SauceI 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 fou...2024-12-0829 min
Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators10. Building Trust with Teachers with Amie Burkholder (Literacy Coaching Conversations Series - Part 5)In this Coaching Conversation, I chat with literacy coach Amie Burkholder about the importance of building trust with teachers. Amie opens up about her journey from classroom teacher to literacy coach, sharing strategies that have helped her foster supportive and impactful relationships with educators. Whether you're a new or experienced literacy coach, Amie’s advice on building trust is invaluable for creating a strong foundation for coaching success.Key Takeaways:The Importance of Trust in Coaching: Learn why trust is essential to the coaching relationship and how it creates a safe space for teachers to open up...2024-11-2931 min
Route2ReadingInterview with Anna GeigerAll 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 HERE2024-11-1835 min
Route2ReadingYearlong Phonics Pacing GuidePodcast #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. Plan Ahead: Take Control of Your Phonics Instruction 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...2024-11-0721 min
Route2ReadingInterview with Neena SahaAll 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 al...2024-10-1433 min
Ordinary Discussions with Jeremy McCommonsEp 108 | Leading with a Discipleship Mindset as a Woman in the Marketplace with Amie BurkholderEntrepreneur Amie Burkholder joins us today to discuss her experience with discipleship in the marketplace. Amie has experience in multiple businesses, church settings, and discipleship groups. As a woman in leadership roles, Amie has acquired a vast amount of experience in discipling and running a business through the lens of the bible. Listen in as Amie shares some struggles being a woman in leadership, as well as some tips that could help you disciple those in your sphere!2024-10-0146 min
Route2ReadingStructuring Literacy BlocksScheduling 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 impleme...2024-09-3027 min
Route2ReadingInterview with Meghan HeinAll 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 HERE2024-09-1626 min
Route2ReadingLetter FormationThe 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 signific...2024-09-0422 min
Route2ReadingAlphabet QuestThe 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. 2024-08-2227 min
Route2ReadingInterview with Melanie BrethourAll 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 a...2024-08-1235 min
Route2ReadingDeveloping Readers Academy with Megan & LauraAll 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...2024-07-1525 min
Route2ReadingInterview with Jake DaggettAll 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 HERE2024-07-0136 min
Route2ReadingInterview with Wiley BlevinsAll 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 jou...2024-06-1725 min
Route2ReadingDefining MTSS an Interview with Stephanie StollarFull 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 l...2024-03-2739 min
Route2ReadingUsing Quick Checks to Monitor ProgressLet’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 ou...2024-03-1813 min
Route2ReadingChoosing and Using a Scope and SequenceThe 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 outc...2024-02-1915 min
Route2ReadingHow to Support Students with Dyslexia interview with Heather O'DonnellIn 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 2024-02-0631 min
Route2ReadingUsing Decodables EffectivelyEven 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 ent...2024-01-3024 min
Route2ReadingTips and Tricks for Building Fluency 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 wit...2024-01-0819 min
Route2ReadingEarly Decoding: The Lesson BreakdownWouldn’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 begi...2023-12-3021 min
Route2ReadingLetter Sound Dos and Don'tsThese 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 Que...2023-12-1818 min
Route2ReadingChoosing and Using a Scope and SequencePhonics 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! F...2023-12-1115 min
Route2ReadingTips and Tricks for Mastering Blends 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 t...2023-11-2711 min
Route2ReadingFive Ways to Boost Your Phonics Instruction "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 The Role of Phonics Instruction 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 e...2023-11-1415 min
Route2ReadingTips and Tricks for Literacy CoachesMeet 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 en...2023-11-0634 min
Route2ReadingCracking the Code to Decoding: Dr. Julia LindseyRecap: 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. 2023-10-2831 min
Route2ReadingA Peek Inside One Second Grade Teacher’s Literacy BlockMeet 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 Here2023-10-2727 min
Route2ReadingBuilding Background Knowledge with Michelle SullivanShow 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.2023-10-1826 min
Route2ReadingSeven Mighty Moves with Lindsay KemenyMeet 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 2023-10-1626 min
Route2ReadingSuccess With Letter Sounds 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.2023-09-1022 min
Route2ReadingUsing Assessment to Drive Your InstructionOne 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: Each assessment serves a different purpose. The assessments we are using need to be closely linked to our instruction and should be the driving force behind our instruction. The data from these assessments must answer the questions we have about our students and those questions must drive our instruction. It’s absolutely vit...2023-08-2121 min
Route2ReadingThe Power of DictationDictation 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 Here2023-07-0512 min
Route2ReadingTips for Building Fluency with Sarah PaulFull 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...2023-06-1826 min
Route2ReadingCumulative Review with Savannah CampbellSavannah 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 Savann...2023-06-0519 min
Route2ReadingHow Phonics Instruction Supports ComprehensionMany 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...2023-05-2310 min
Route2ReadingOrthographic Mapping: Preparing the Brain to Read with Jessica Farmer Full Show Notes Here All About Jessica: 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 wit...2023-05-0933 min
Route2ReadingChoosing the Right Phonics ActivitiesFull show notes can be found here. When we sit down to plan our small group time, we must keep the end goal of phonics in mind: we want to produce strong decoders and strong writers. When students are strong in decoding, they can become fluent. And when they become fluent, they can comprehend - that is our ultimate goal! I’ve put together a checklist of six things to keep in mind when choosing the right activities for your small group time. Resources: Word Detectives - Short Vowels CVC Words Word Cha...2023-04-2516 min
Route2ReadingPhonics: Do's and Don'ts Full Show Notes Here With all of the rules out there on how to teach phonics, it can all feel overwhelming. I’ve put together a reference of Do’s and Don’t’s when it comes to teaching phonics so you can feel confident in your instruction. Additional Resources & References: Blog Posts: 5 Engaging Phonics Activities Phonics Routines That Work A Deeper Look at Phonics2023-04-1011 minRoute2ReadingPhonics Lesson in Action: Part Two Full Show Notes Here We know that small group time is so important. We have a group of students who have a need, and we want to be the ones to meet it! Take a look at Part 2 of our phonics lesson to learn how. Helpful Phonics Resources: Phonics Reading Roadmap: phonics instruction with the science of reading in mind. Learn how to teach systematic and explicit phonics instruction. Kindergarten Roadmap: focus on letter sounds and phonemic awareness, be equipped with tools you’ll use in your small g...2023-03-2712 min
Route2ReadingPhonics Lesson in Action: Part One 2023-03-1317 min
Route2ReadingWhat the Science Says About Phonics Instruction (Full Show Notes Here) Wondering how to ensure your phonics time is effective? Here’s a quick look at what solid phonics instruction looks like, plus a little lesson in how our brain reads words. FIRST, WHAT IS PHONICS?: Phonics is the connection between sounds of spoken words and the individual letters or groups of letters that make up that word. Solid phonics instruction is so important because it is a key contributor to future reading success. This process is nuanced and complex as it happens in our brains...2023-02-2713 min
Route2ReadingIntroducing Letter Sounds and Making Letter Sounds StickThe Importance of Letter Sounds (full show notes here) Alphabetic Principle - having knowledge of letters and the sounds that make up those letters. Letter name knowledge is the best predictor of reading achievement from kindergarten to 2nd grade. We must be sure that letter sounds stick. Explicit Systematic Consistent Alphabet instruction must be three things: Explicit HOW we are teaching letter sounds. If you’re teaching the letter m to your students, you may not initially show them the actual letter. Instead, you may show them a picture of a mouse, moon, or muffins. Teacher: “Mindy th...2023-02-1321 min
Route2ReadingTeaching Letters and Sounds: Your Questions Answered(Full Show Notes Here )We all know how important it is that our students learn their letter sounds. But how? Where do we start? Sounds first, or letters? What ones? Is there a scope and sequence? How do we choose the best one? When it comes to the all-important alphabet, the questions are truly endless. I’m here to help you answer some of these questions as to where to start! Check out my courses! Phonics Reading Roadmap: phonics instruction with the science of reading in mind. Learn how to teach systematic and explicit phonics instructi...2023-01-3011 min
Route2ReadingBONUS EPISODE: Independent Reading: A Conversation with Christina WinterMain Questions about Independent Reading: (full show notes here) Is there a place for independent reading in the classroom? If so, what does it look like? Independent Reading Is: Intentional, purposeful reading Tailored to each specific student and their needs Looks different on each reader based upon their level Within a student’s range of skills Sitting with a decodable! Dinner with a little dessert (see below) Independent Reading Is NOT: The age-old direction of “Drop Everything and Read” Reading alongside students and modeling reading for them at your desk Showing your students...2023-01-3027 min
Route2ReadingThe Alphabetic PrincipleThe Alphabetic Principle: An Introduction (full show notes here) The Alphabetic Principle What is it?: Having knowledge of letters and the sounds that make up those letters. Rollanda E. O’Connor states that the Alphabetic Principle is “how phonemic awareness and knowledge of letter/sound correspondences come together in the practical application of reading and spelling.” Why is it important?: With knowledge of the Alphabetic Principle, students are able to decode words they see into words they can read. They are able to realize that any word that we say can be broke...2023-01-1610 min
Route2ReadingWhat Does the Research Say About Phonemic Awareness with Christina WinterPodcast Episode 6: Interview with Christina Winter (full show notes here) What is Phonemic Awareness and What Does the Research Say? Meet Christina Winter - a former first-grade teacher and science of reading rockstar who now creates resources for elementary school teachers and empowers them to lead their students to amazing heights. Below, she dispels some commonly believed myths about phonemic awareness and sheds light on its importance. Check her out!: Mrs. Winter’s Bliss website Mrs. Winter’s Bliss Instagram @mrswintersbliss Mrs. Winter’s Blog Post (on phonemic awareness? Or just blog in gene...2023-01-0218 min
Route2ReadingPhonemic Awareness Five Fun Ways to Incorporate It!Phonemic Awareness Five Fun Ways to Incorporate It! What is it?: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words. Why is it important?: Well, actually, it’s one of the most important skills we can teach our early readers. Studies show that phonemic awareness is an indicator of future reading success. The Scoop: In fact, David Kilpatrick, author of numerous reading books and professor of psychology, states that, “The most common source of reading difficulties is poor phonemic awareness.” To boot, he also mentions that t...2023-01-0112 min
Route2ReadingPhonemic AwarenessPhonemic Awareness: An Introduction Phonemic Awareness What is it?: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words. What is it not?: Phonemic awareness is not phonics. Phonics refers to how letters and sounds correspond and how we decode those words. Why is it important?: Phonemic awareness is important for students to understand phonics. Phonemic awareness helps kids make the leap from sounds → letters → decoding. A student’s ability to manipulate individual sounds in words is a strong predictor of later reading success. Phonemic awareness also aids in vocabulary and fluency. The National R...2022-12-3113 min
Route2Reading5 Fun Ways to Practice Phonemic AwarenessPhonemic Awareness What is it?: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words. Why is it important?: Well, actually, it’s one of the most important skills we can teach our early readers. Studies show that phonemic awareness is an indicator of future reading success. The Scoop: In fact, David Kilpatrick, author of numerous reading books and professor of psychology, states that, “The most common source of reading difficulties is poor phonemic awareness.” To boot, he also mentions that there’s no age limit on phonemic awareness - which stresses its importance. Phonemic awaren...2022-12-3110 min
Route2ReadingHands on Phonological Awareness with Kristina HarrillPodcast Episode 3: Interview with Kristina Harrill 5 Hands-on Activities That Teach Phonological Awareness (Full Show Notes on Website) Meet Kristina Harrill - founder and author of Sweet for Kindergarten, a Teachers Pay Teachers store and blog where you can find her hard at work giving tips on how to simplify phonics instruction without sacrificing engagement and effectiveness. Check her out: Sweet for Kindergarten Website Sweet for Kindergarten Instagram @sweetforkindergarten Additional Resources & References: Resources: Emergent Phonological Awareness Bundle Rhyming Bundle Freebie from Kristina References: 5 Engaging Phonics Activities 5 Tips for Teaching Phonological Awareness Phonological Awareness...2022-12-3020 min
Route2ReadingPhonological AwarenessPhonological Awareness: An Introduction Phonological awareness is the beating heart of reading. It’s where a reader’s journey first begins, and it’s of the utmost importance. As educators, we are called to introduce phonological awareness as our readers set out on their reading adventures. Full Show Notes HERE Additional Resources & References: Resources: Emergent Phonological Awareness Bundle Rhyming Bundle References: 5 Tips for Teaching Phonological Awareness Phonological Awareness FAQ **Did you miss signing up for my podcast email sequence? When you opt-in, you get an email each day a podcast i...2022-12-2916 min
Route2ReadingYour Reader's Journey Podcast Episode 1: Your Reader’s Journey The path all readers take to become successful readers The research all points in the same direction: all people learn to read in the same way. But how? What are the steps to becoming a successful reader? Which direction should they take? What are the foundational skills? Let’s look at the steps that every reader takes on his or her journey to become successful. **Before we begin, sign up for my podcast email sequence! When you opt-in, you get an email each day a podcast...2022-12-2817 min
Route2ReadingPodcast TrailerWelcome!! I am so glad that you are here! The first podcast will go live on December 28th, 2022! Click the link below to join the waitlist. 2022-12-2102 min
Instructional Coaching with Ms. B59. When You Feel Like Giving Up and Going Back to the Classroom with Amie BurkholderInstructional coaching can be lonely and difficult. There are days when it seems easier to give up and go back to the classroom. Amie Burkholder from Literacy Edventures joins me to discuss what to do when you’re ready to give up. Learn her strategies for becoming a better coach and achieving progress on your campus. -Chrissy Beltran Buzzing with Ms. B Instagram Buzzing with Ms. B TpT The Coaching Podcast Show Notes Coffee & Coaching Membership Thank you for listening to Buzzing with Ms. B: the Coaching Podcast. If you...2021-05-1536 min