Shows
The Literacy Teacher's LifeTips for the New Year that Support Readers: Conversations Build Confident ReadersToday's reading tip is to talk to your parents about the books that they are reading.Elizabeth explains why talking to kids about the books that they are reading is so supportive. These conversations can be short and informal, but they are effective because they help increase reading confidence and they help support comprehension.Check out today's episode for the final tip of the month to support kids with reading at home - in small, but impactful ways!
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2026-01-2914 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTips for the New Year that Support Readers: Don't Make Reading a FightThis month is focused on tips for helping kids read in 2026. And, today's episode is about not making reading a fight. What do you do when you do not like the books that your kids are reading?Elizabeth explains what you can do if you are not loving the books your child is reading. She ends with a story from a recent article about why it's so important for your kids to be reading.
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2026-01-1512 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTips for the New Year that Support Readers: Include OR Statements When Reading With ChildrenHappy 2026!To get the New Year started, Elizabeth is sharing tips and strategies that can be easily included when reading with kids - both in the classroom and at home.In today's episode, Elizabeth shares the first tip which is to use OR Statements when reading with kids to support their knowledge of new words and keep the story moving along.Check out today's episode to learn more about the different types of vocabulary words and to hear an example of an OR Statement in action!
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2026-01-0109 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTime for a Mini-Reflection & Making Reading Happening Over the Winter BreakThis episode is wrapping up 2025! It's the time to stop and take a few minutes to think about your teaching so that you have an idea of what is going well and what changes you might want to make after the winter break.In this episode, Elizabeth gives three areas to think about with guided questions. She also talks about what worked well with her teaching this fall and what changes she wants to make in the spring semester.There is a spotlight on an author and his books and a few fun and low-pressure ideas to...
2025-12-1820 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMaking Fluency Fun with Reader’s TheaterThis week's episode is about using reader's theater to address fluency with kids. Elizabeth just used reader's theater in her classes to show current and future teachers how scripts can support fluent reading -- and comprehension. Her students had a lot of fun and saw the benefits of using this teaching practice with kids - at all grade levels (not just elementary school).The episode begins with information about fluency and then Elizabeth talks about how you can use scripts with kids.Before ending, Elizabeth shares a parenting tip to help your reader with books that they...
2025-12-0419 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifePoetry is Fun! A Conversation with Poet, Darren SardelliToday's episode is such a treat! Elizabeth is joined by poet Darren Sardelli. He writes poetry and shows kids how much fun words and language can be - and how poetry is fun! His goal is to make his ideas fun and relatable for kids.And, his work is a lot of fun! Darren shares some poetry with us - and you will be very entertained! He gives great ideas in this episode - such as start an Idea Notebook and encourage kids to check-out one poetry book when they are at the library.Check out Darren's...
2025-11-2026 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeBeliefs About Books and ReadingIn this episode, Elizabeth shares eight common beliefs about reading and how they can discourage kids from reading. There have been many alarming articles about kids not reading much - so it's important to try and support our young readers as best we can.The 8 beliefs are:- Phonics Instructions Ends After Second Grade- Picture Books are Easy Books- Reading With Kids Ends Once They Learn to Read-If Kids Want to Hear a Story Rather Than Read It, They Are Being Lazy- Kids Need to Read Books at Their...
2025-11-0621 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeConnecting Teaching to Writing A Conversation with Former Teacher and Author, Terri LilgaThis is a treat! Today, I am joined by my former colleague, Terri Lilga. Terri is a retired teacher, who is now writing books for children. We worked together in Buffalo, NY for a few years.
In this episode, Terri shares her books with us. She explains how she came up with the ideas for her books - and how she gets ideas in general. She has really great stories about how she thinks up ideas! They are great to share with young readers.Please check out Terri's work: https://terrililgabooks.com/
2025-10-2323 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeRelevance is Essential: How Teachers Can Make Literacy Learning Relevant to Our Students’ And Their Futures With Lorraine RadiceLorraine Radice is back on the podcast! Lorraine has a new book that recently came out, Revolving Literacy: How to Connect Relevance and Future-Ready Skills to Secondary English Instruction.In our conversation, Lorraine talks about:
- what the term literacy includes- her revolving literacy framework and how it benefits teachers and supports students- books for kids in middle and high school- ideas for teaching reading in the secondary classroom (these can be applied in upper elementary grades as well)Check out Lorraine's book and work:https://www.lorrainemradice...
2025-10-0949 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeFocusing On Mood to Unlock Critical Thinking with Trevor BryanI'm back this week with Trevor Bryan, an educator and writer. Trevor's latest book is out and available to be purchased. It's called Narrative Know-How: A Fresh Approach to Support Comprehension and Craft in the K-6 Classroom.In the last episode, Trevor explained the framework to this book. And, today he is back to share ideas about how this work can be implemented into the classroom to support our readers and writers. This book is full of so many lesson ideas that are ready to be used with kids. You will not want to miss this episode...
2025-09-2530 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeAll About Understanding Narratives with Trevor BryanWe want our students to be confident readers and writers. One way to support their confidence is to teach them about structure. Today, I am joined by Trevor Bryan, who is an educator and writer! Trevor is the author of The Art of Comprehension and has written a new book that just came out this week, called Narrative Know-How: A Fresh Approach to Support Comprehension and Craft in the K-6 Classroom. His focus is on teaching kids to comprehend what they read. On today's episode, he will talk about the structure that has created to frame this book and...
2025-09-1125 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMaking Reading Fun (And a Priority) This School YearRecently, there have been studies out that discuss how reading, particularly reading for pleasure is at an all-time low. This is for kids and adults, but the findings have been seen as concerning. The UK is calling on 2026 to be the year of reading - so that kids are reading for pleasure.In this episode, Elizabeth shares ways that teachers can make this school year a year of reading as well - and the great news -- it doesn't require extra work! These can fit right into the school day.Some ways to accomplish this goal include:
2025-08-2820 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeAnother Summer is Coming To An End Gearing Up for the New School Year – Some Tips for TeachersIt's August, and that means that the new school year is just around the corner! My semester begins in just two weeks. This episode is aimed at teachers, but can be helpful for parents, too. As I am planning for the upcoming academic year, I have six tips that I am focusing on to have a calm start to the school year. I also have a planning tip from a planning expert!
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2025-08-1415 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeParents, Here's A Tip When Your Kids Do Not Want To Read!It's the end of July and the new school year is approaching (faster than I would like!). Today's episode is for parents. I often hear comments from parents that their kids are not interested in reading. After taking my daughters and a friend to a bookstore, I have a story and some suggestions about what you can do to help get your child interested in reading a book before the end of the summer. It will take some effort on your end, but it may just work!
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2025-07-3113 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMid-Summer Check-In for Parents: Have Your Kids Been Reading? If Not, You Have Time!It's mid-July already! This week's episode features a quick check-in with three tips to get your kids back into a reading habit this summer. Daily routines and habits shift during the summer months which can mean that reading may not be happening as regularly as it does during the school year. So, Elizabeth shares tips that you can put into practice pretty quickly to get back into reading.
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2025-07-1711 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMatching Books to Readers: A Conversation with Lea Anne BordersLea Anne Borders is the founder of Bookelicious, a digital tool that connects kids’ interests to books that they may enjoy reading. She joins me on today's episode to talk about the features of Bookelicous and we discuss how it can be used by teachers and parents to help children find books that they are interested in reading.
This is a great tool to explore - especially at the start of the summer - so that kids can find books they want to read.
Check out Bookelicious: https://www.bookelicious.com
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2025-06-1925 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeGetting Kids in Middle and High School Reading with New York Times Bestselling Author Jen CalonitaIn today's episode, New York Times Bestselling Author, Jen Calonita comes on to discuss her books as well as why she loves writing for the middle grade and young adult kids. She shares why it is so important to meet kids where they are and why connecting to kids' interests - at any age - is so important to get and keep kids reading.
Jen is the author of many books, including The Lost Legend series, 12 to 22, The VIP series, and Isle of Ever. She has written many other books as well. And, in the fall...
2025-06-0529 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeSupporting Multilingual Learners with Interacting, Reading, and Listening: Learning More from Susan KatzWe are back with the second half of my conversation with Susan! Susan is the author of The Swirl Method: Supporting Multilingual Learners as They Speak, Write, Interact, Read, and Listen. This week, Susan is taking us through her strategies to support multilingual learners with interacting, reading, and listening. She offers excellent resources in each area - so please check them out!
This is the second part of a two-part episode. Please make sure you check out the previous episode to learn more about Susan's work. Today's episode addresses interacting, reading, and writing.
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2025-05-2233 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeIdeas and Strategies for Teaching Multilingual Learners with Susan Katz, Author of the SWIRL MethodThe Swirl Method: Supporting Multilingual Learners as They Speak, Write, Interact, Read, and Listen, written by Susan Katz addresses how we can support children who are multilingual learners. In this amazing resource, Susan identifies specific strategies in each area: speaking, writing, interacting, reading, and listening - that can be used in the literacy classroom to help learners thrive.
This is a two-part episode. Today's episode addresses speaking and writing.
Please check out Susan's work:
The SWIRL Method: https://www.solutiontree.com/swirl-method.htmlSusan Katz's Website: https://susankatzbooks.com/
2025-05-0829 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeConnecting Sports and Reading: Making Sure Kids Have Books They Want to Read with Football and Baseball Player Brian JordanBrian Jordan is a former professional football and baseball player. He played football for the Atlanta Falcons and he played baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.Brian believes that all kids need to learn to read. He has written a number of children's books, such as I Told You I Can Play!, Overcoming the Fear of Baseball, and Time-Out for Bullies.Brian is passionate about getting kids reading. In our conversation, she shares the background about his books and shares how...
2025-04-2435 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeIt's National Library Week! Get Involved and Support Your Local Library with President-Elect Sam HelmickIt's National Library Week!It's a great week to get involved and support your local library. Libraries are a reflection of the community they serve. You can check out new books and see what other events are happening at your library this week.On today's episode, American Library Association's President-Elect Sam Helmick joins me. We discuss what is happening with libraries at the moment. We also discuss National Library Week and how and why you should check-out your library this week.Sam also discusses...
2025-04-1028 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMovement and Literacy: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Learning to ReadHow can movement be included in learning to read? In today's episode, Elizabeth speaks with Stefanie Hohl, the creator of ABC See, Hear, Do, which is a multi-sensory approach to learning to read. Stefanie believes in getting kids moving when reading and she shares many ideas about how this can be done.In this episode, we discuss:- What a multi-sensory approach to literacy is?- How active kids can be supported when they are learning to read,- Ideas to get kids moving during...
2025-03-2720 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeHandwriting is a Foundational Skill & The Role it Plays in Supporting ReadingIs handwriting important now that kids have access to technology and devices in school? Many parents are concerned about their children's penmanship. Should handwriting be taught in schools? The answer to these questions is yes. Handwriting should be taught in school (and so should cursive writing).Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift is the Professional Learning Director at Learning Without Tears - the program that includes Handwriting Without Tears. She is on today's episode to talk about the role of handwriting in a literacy curriculum.In this episode, Dr. Swift shares:
2025-03-1334 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThree Signs that Kids May Be Frustrated with Reading and What To Do About ItWhat behaviors signal that kids are frustrated when they are reading?This week's episode focuses on three behaviors that can signal that kids may be frustrated when reading. The behaviors include:- Hanging onto one detail from the book- Looking for a distraction- Not having books that kids want to readElizabeth explains these behaviors and offers some suggestions about how we as teachers (and parents) can support our elementary and early middle schoolers with reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
2025-02-2720 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeDo Reading Responses Really Get Kids to Read?The start of the new year brought a lot of questions about reading responses. It seems like teachers started assigning reading responses at the start of 2025. A question I kept getting is, "Do reading responses really help?"The short answer is yes, reading responses can help kids better understand what they read.Today's episode starts with the point of reading responses and what the research says about reading responses. I give tips for teachers to consider when assigning reading responses and suggestions for parents to support their kids at home.The episode ends...
2025-02-0616 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeHow Can We Help Our Students Find Their Voices in Their Writing? A Conversation with Kourtney Hake & Paige TimmermanHappy New Year! Welcome to 2025!In this first episode of 2025, Elizabeth is speaking with Kourtney Hake and Paige Timmerman about their recent book, Their Stories, Their Voices, which focuses on narrative writing and how to easily implement narrative writing units into your instruction.Paige and Kourtney discuss how they define narrative writing and talk about how they structured this book. They really worked to make it possible to implement narrative writing as seamless as possible and without extra work. They give lots of examples from their own teaching and have excellent mentor texts for narrative...
2025-01-0929 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeGearing Up for 2025!Happy Holidays! It's the holiday edition of The Literacy Teacher's Podcast.In the spirit of the season of reflection, this week's episode is dedicated to taking the time to think about your teaching in 2024 - what went well and also what changes you want to make in 2025.Elizabeth focused on the following areas of her teaching this year:- Planning- Students- Instruction/Teaching- Materials for Students- Tools When PlanningTake some time to consider your own teaching and what...
2024-12-2614 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeShould Kids Have Time During the School Day to Read On Their Own? Five Ways to Make Independent Reading More EffectiveShould kids have independent reading time in school?In order for kids to become stronger and more engaged readers, they need time to read. But, that time needs to be intentional. We don't want kids spending independent reading time staring out the windows or re-reading the same page over and over to pass the time and check the work off the list.In this episode, I share five tips to make independent reading time more intentional and effective. The great news - all of these can be implemented with a few tweaks rather than spending...
2024-12-1217 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeSolving the Literacy Puzzle: A Conversation with Norene BuntHow can we effectively teach literacy to students? In this episode, Norene Bunt speaks about her recent book, Solving the Literacy Puzzle, and how effective literacy instruction can be implemented. Some of the topics discussed include:- Effective literacy instruction- Components of literacy instruction at the elementary level- Comprehension and how to ensure that it is a focus of reading instructionYou can check out Norene's book at: https://www.solutiontree.com/solving-the-literacy-puzzle.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
2024-11-2833 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Plateau in the Upper Elementary Grades: What Happens When Comprehension is Not Included in InstructionThis week's episode focuses on reading comprehension and how to include it into reading instruction. The following is addressed:- Why we read- How to assess reading comprehension- How to include a structured approach to comprehension into reading instructionThe episode ends with ideas for how parents can address comprehension when reading with kids at home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-11-1425 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeIncorporating Shared Reading into Classroom InstructionWhat other ways can you read with students other than through interactive read-alouds?This week's episode is all about shared reading and how to include this into your teaching to support students' reading fluency and comprehension.Elizabeth begins by explaining shared reading and what it looks like in practice. She talks about the types of texts that are commonly used in shared reading and how they are different from the texts used in interactive read-alouds. Shared reading supports a variety of skills - which are addressed.
2024-10-3123 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Importance and Benefits of Coaching: A Conversation with Melissa MorrisonWhat is a literacy coach? How does a literacy coach support teachers, students, and schools? In today's episode, Elizabeth is speaking with Melissa Morrison, the founder of Teaching to Transform. Melissa is a coach, specifically a writing coach. She works with teachers to support their writing instruction.In this episode, Elizabeth and Melissa discuss the role of a coach and how coaching can benefit teachers and students. They also discuss writing instruction and her advice for supporting writing at school and at home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
2024-10-1744 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeA Literacy Adjacent Topic on Thriving - Especially When Life Gets BusyIt's October! Today's episode is not directly related to literacy. Elizabeth sits down to speak with Dara Kurtz, an author, speaker, and breast cancer survivor. Dara has experienced setbacks in her life, but has come out stronger and is living a more intentional life. She teaches a class that focuses on helping individuals thrive after and/or during a challenging time in life. We talk about strategies to help if you are feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or just need a reset. And...good news, most of these are free!For more information about Dara:
2024-10-0352 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifePhonological & Phonemic Awareness: What do these terms mean?Literacy education has many terms that sound similar and have similar meanings. Phonological and phonemic awareness are two of those terms!This week, Elizabeth explains these two terms and shares examples of how they can be taught. Foundational skills are a hot topic at the moment and curriculum is being implemented to address phonological and phonemic awareness - so having an understanding of what they mean and what instruction needs to be taught is helpful for supporting elementary students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-09-1921 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeBack to School! Updates & Getting Kids ReadingWelcome to the new school year! This episode starts with an update. Then, Elizabeth shares what she is focusing on for this back to school time. This fall, Elizabeth is teaching three reading classes - so she discusses how teachers can think through their reading instruction and emphasizes interactive read-alouds and what to pay attention to when planning and implementing read-alouds at the beginning of the year. The episode ends with three books that Elizabeth read with her kids over the summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-09-0522 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTeaching Reading Across the Day with Jennifer SerravalloJennifer Serravallo is back on today's episode! Elizabeth speaks with Jennifer about her latest book, Teaching Reading Across the Day: Methods and Structures for Engaging, Explicit Instruction. They begin by discussing the structure of the book and all of the wonderful resources that are included with the book - this includes many videos of the different types of instruction.They chat about explicit instruction, why it's necessary to include in instruction, and what this looks like in the elementary classroom. Then, Jennifer explains the different lesson structures that she included in the book -- and takes us...
2024-06-1347 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTalking about Libraries and the Annual ALA Conference with Emily DrabinskiThis is a fun episode! Emily Drabinski, the current president of the American Library Association (ALA) is back on the podcast! The ALA Annual Conference will be held in San Diego from June 27-July 2, 2004 and Emily is here to share what is in store for attendees. She starts by giving us an update on her recent library visits and discusses the amazing work that libraries are doing to support their communities. Then, she shares information about the conference – some of the topics that will be discussed, some of the authors who will be speaking, and of...
2024-05-1726 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifePlanning for the End of the School YearThe end of the school year is quickly approaching! In today's episode, Elizabeth discusses some tips for teachers and parents to gear up for the end of the school year.There are many events at this time of the year, so this episode will help you think through what you want to teach and review before the summer comes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-05-0219 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMaking Independent Reading EffectiveIndependent reading is a common practice in elementary classrooms. It's important for kids to have time to read because research has found that children who read more are often likely to become better readers. However, it is not as straightforward as time reading equals becoming a better reader.In order to make independent reading time more effective, Elizabeth shares three tips from research studies: consider the books that students are reading, do more than read during independent reading time, and help students set their own reading goals to work towards. ...
2024-04-1816 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeClose the Chromebooks: Five Ideas to Set Kids Up for Success When WritingHow do we support kids with writing while not jumping to use the Chromebooks or iPads? Elizabeth shares some ideas to support elementary kids with their writing that do not require devices. In order to set kids up for success with their writing, she shares some ideas that have helped her students when teaching writing. They include: introducing mentor texts, modeling your own writing and thinking when writing, using graphic organizers well, thinking about what writing tools you are introducing to students, and have some type of publishing party so that students can share their final writing...
2024-04-0422 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifePlanning Globally: Ideas to Strengthen Writing Instruction with Andrea HaasIn this episode, Elizabeth is joined by Andrea Haas, a literacy consultant who supports teachers with reading and writing instruction. They discuss writing and Andrea shares ideas for how to plan globally so reading, writing, and the content areas are aligned.They also discuss teaching the writing process and when prompts are appropriate. Finally, Andrea shares teaching moves to make small group instruction manageable as well as highlights an idea to try out when students need additional support -- this can be used at any grade level!Check out Andrea's website: https://www.elmtreeed.com/
2024-03-2138 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeOn The Job Market – Crafting Strong Resumes and Cover LettersIt's the time of year when job postings are popping up! This month's episodes focus on preparing for the job market - and this episode is focused on writing resumes and cover letters. Elizabeth discusses what should be included in a resume and cover letter and what should absolutely not be included (hint: make sure everything you include is true!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-03-0723 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeHelping Kids Love ReadingAfter speaking with Lorraine Radice, who shared her idea of Falling in Love with Reading for the month of February, Elizabeth shares ideas about ways to help elementary students love reading. She shares four ideas that you can include in your teaching or even at home to help kids enjoy reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-02-2216 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeStrategies to Build a Culture of Reading with Dr. Lorraine RadiceHow do we get kids to read? Dr. Lorraine Radice is a literacy leader at a school district on Long Island. She has been working to build a culture of reading at all levels in the school district. Her recent book, Leading a Culture of Reading: How to Ignite and Sustain a Love of Literacy in Your School Community, addresses specific ways that school districts and teachers can work to get kids reading.In our conversation, we discuss the framework that Lorraine established to do this work, the ideas that she has implemented with teachers to introduce...
2024-02-0838 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTeaching Reading Effectively with Dr. Karen GazithWelcome to Episode 34! Today I am speaking with Dr. Karen Gazith who is a professor at McGill University. She recently published the book, The Power of Effective Reading Instruction: How Neuroscience Informs Instruction Across All Grades and Disciplines, which addresses so many of the questions and issues in literacy education today.Dr. Gazith explains neuroscience and what it says about reading instruction. She also discusses the term dyslexia and how a teacher may notice if a student is dyslexic. This book is so practical and provides strategies that can be implemented in the classroom. Karen shares some...
2024-01-2543 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeLibraries and the Communities that They Serve: A Conversation with ALA President Emily DrabinskiThe American Library Association is hosting an event this month! It's the LibLearnX Conference and joining me to discuss the conference is the current ALA President, Emily Drabinski.Emily talks about the conference and what to expect. There are both in-person and digital options to attend, so if you are not able to travel to Baltimore, you can still attend the different sessions. There are many relevant topics being addressed in the sessions: AI, privacy issues with younger students, building partnerships between schools and libraries – are just a few.Emily speaks about the issues that li...
2024-01-1129 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeReflecting on Our Literacy TeachingIt's the end of the year, which is a great time to think about and reflect on our literacy instruction. Elizabeth identifies five areas of literacy instruction: Reading, Books, Writing, Speaking, and Listening, and goes through a guided reflection of each of these areas. The goal is to think about what aspects of your literacy instruction are going well, then identify a few areas that could use some modifications. The last step is to make a plan for those changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-12-2817 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTalking About Graphic Novels with Author and Illustrator Stephen ShaskanGet ready for a fun episode! If you have students or children who enjoy reading graphic novels - then this is an episode that you must listen to! In this week's episode, Stephen Shaskan joins Elizabeth to discuss graphic novels. Stephen is the author of the fun and motivating series, Pizza and Taco. He has also written and illustrated a number of other books, including the series Q & Ray, which his wife wrote and he illustrated.Stephen discusses why graphic novels are so motivating for kids to read. He also talks about his own love of reading...
2023-12-1430 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeSupporting Reading Identities and Developing Lifelong Readers: A Conversation with Jennifer McCarty PluckerIn this week's episode, Elizabeth talks with Jennifer McCarty Plucker about her new book Inspiring Lifelong Readers. Jennifer talks about the inquiry work that she did with students in middle and high school to support them as readers. She provides very helpful strategies from her book that can be implemented at all grade levels. Jennifer stresses the importance of helping all students find books that they enjoy reading - and she gives a roadmap to help teachers (and parents!) with that work. At the end of the episode, Jennifer gives excellent tips to parents who want to support their...
2023-11-3039 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeConnecting Independent Reading to Instruction, Books to Read for Thanksgiving, and a Planning HackAfter receiving some questions about independent reading, Elizabeth decided to share a structured approach to this time of the day. How can we make the most of independent reading time for kids and ensure that they are using this time to strengthen their reading skills? Elizabeth discusses the purpose of independent reading, some of the ways that independent reading falls short, and tips for how to make it purposeful for students.Next up - Elizabeth shares some Thanksgiving books that she has used with students and gives ideas about how they can be used to support kids.
2023-11-1623 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeHow and Why We Teach Reading Strategies to Elementary StudentsToday's episode is focused on reading skills and strategies. Elizabeth begins by discussing the definitions of reading skills and reading strategies and gives examples of both. She gives an example of how strategies can be taught when reading to kids and offers ideas for teaching practices that can help when modeling strategies to students. The episode ends on a positive note with a story of how Elizabeth used the book, Black and White by David Macaulay with her students. Black and White is a postmodern picture book, which requires a lot of thinking through the text. Her students discovered...
2023-11-0217 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeComprehension! What Is It and Why Is It So Important?The conversation about reading at the moment is mainly focused on decoding - or sounding out the words - to do the actual reading of a text. Decoding is essential and important. But, comprehension or understanding what you are reading is also important.In this episode, Elizabeth discusses the importance of teaching kids to understand or make meaning of the texts that they are reading. She models a Think Aloud strategy that she used with her daughter to teach character traits. Some ideas for the classroom and at home are presented as well. ...
2023-10-1918 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Importance of Read-Alouds with Molly NessRead-Alouds are an essential component of reading instruction - at all grade levels. In today's episode, Elizabeth sits down with Dr. Molly Ness, a former classroom teacher, reading researcher, and teacher educator, who has a new book out, Read Alouds for All Learners. Molly begins by discussing what a read-aloud is and gives some helpful strategies for different grade levels. She also discusses how read-alouds fit into the Science of Reading. We end with Molly sharing a strategy to try out with your students! It's a good one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
2023-10-0529 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMoving Beyond Popcorn Reading: Other Ways to Implement Whole Class ReadingIt's the beginning of the school year, and popcorn reading has come up quite a bit in the last week. Elizabeth begins by explaining what this teaching practice is and why it is still present in classrooms. She offers five other options for whole class reading instruction rather than popcorn reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-09-2118 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeBack To School Mixed Bag Episode!It's the beginning of the school year and the start of September! This week is a mixed bag episode - where Elizabeth covers a few different topics. Elizabeth begins by following-up on the "I Statement" activity that she mentioned in Episode 23. She tried it with her graduate students - and it was a success! Some of her students are planning on trying it out with their own elementary students during the first week of school. She shares some of the decisions that she made when trying out the activity and discusses possible extensions into the content areas...
2023-09-0723 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeHeading into the New School Year!The new school year is quickly approaching! So, this episode is dedicated to all things back to school. Elizabeth starts by discussing writing activities that can be used at the beginning of the year. Her new favorite is "I Statements" that she learned about this summer.Then, she shares ideas for introducing yourself to your students so that they learn a little about who you are. Reading at the beginning of the year is so important because it sets the tone that reading is a part of the school day. Elizabeth highlights a few favorites that she...
2023-08-2419 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Power of Stories, Gearing Up for the New School Year, and A Book Recommendation for Emergent ReadersIn this episode, Elizabeth shares why stories are so important for our students. She shares three strategies to keep kids engaged with the stories that they are reading - either in school or at home. Next, Elizabeth discusses some ideas for getting kids back into the routine of reading and writing before the new school year begins. The episode ends with a great book recommendation for emerging readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-08-1019 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Joy of Reading Book Series!Summer is flying by! This week is another episode focusing on summer reading with kids. Elizabeth talks about book series and how they can help keep kids reading during the summer months. She talks about the benefits of reading book series and shares very manageable strategies to support readers during the summer months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-07-2718 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeSupporting Readers During the Summer Months: Spotlight on the Power of Picture BooksIt's finally summer! Welcome to Episode 20! This episode is focused on parents and family members who are reading at home with kids over the summer. We will dive into picture books and how picture books can support readers of all ages. Summer reading should be fun and a time to connect with your child so pick books that you want to read with your child and that your child will enjoy reading. Elizabeth walks through how she approaches reading a picture book with her kids and the types of questions she asks to model how she is...
2023-07-1321 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Importance of Following the Conversation: Talking Books and Writing with Author Matt de la PeñaIn today's episode, Elizabeth speaks with children and young adult author, Matt de la Peña. They begin by speaking about a few of his books and where the ideas for those books came from. He also shares ideas for how teachers can use his books with students. Matt then speaks about his writing process and how he collaborates with illustrators, such as Christian Robinson. He has some ideas for getting kids writing, too! Hint: pay attention to those verbs! They end with a great story that Matt shared about a student he met at a school v...
2023-06-2942 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Power of Stories and How They Can Help Us Grow and Connect Us: A Conversation about Books, Stories, and Writing with John SchuIn this episode, Elizabeth is joined by teacher, librarian, and writer John Schu! He is the author of the recent book, This is a Story and also the book This is a School. John believes in the power of stories and how stories affirm our own experiences and honor our own journeys. He shares strategies to help get children reading and writing as well. And...he ends with some great news about a book by Kate DiCamillo that is coming out in December! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-06-1537 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTalking All About Libraries! Talking Books and the ALA Conference with Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-LozadaIf you enjoy going to the library, you won't want to miss this episode! Elizabeth speaks with Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, who is the President of the American Library Association. They discuss the mission of the ALA and the work that they are doing right now to support librarians, libraries, and communities. Lessa spends time discussing the ALA's upcoming conference, which will be held in Chicago at the end of June. There is even a virtual option - in case you are interested in attending! Lessa shares her experiences as a children's librarian and how parents and te...
2023-06-0137 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeHow to Love Teaching (Again!): A Conversation with Jamie SearsIn today's episode, Elizabeth is joined by Jamie Sears, the founder of the Not So Wimpy Teacher - a website that makes teaching for grades 2-5 more manageable. Jamie has recently published a book, How to Love Teaching Again: Work Smarter, Beat Burnout, and Watch Your Students Thrive, and she shares tips and strategies to make teaching more sustainable. Some of the topics discussed include planning lessons more efficiently, scheduling time to grade, and setting work hours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-05-1839 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMaking the Most of Your Time: A Conversation About Time Management with Laura VanderkamToday's episode has a very special guest! Laura Vanderkam, a time management and productivity author joins Elizabeth to discuss how time can be used well in the classroom and outside of the classroom.Laura shares a variety of strategies that can be implemented to make teaching more manageable as well as strategies to enjoy life outside of the classroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-05-0427 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeGetting Ready to Interview for a Teaching Job? Tips for the Interview ProcessInterview season is upon us! Districts and schools are interviewing for teaching positions. In this episode, seven interview tips are discussed. Elizabeth also provides some examples of common interview questions to help prepare for a teaching interview.Elizabeth ends on a positive note by sharing a new book for teachers - How to Love Teaching Again: Work Smarter, Beat Burnout, and Watch Your Students Thrive by Jamie Sears. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-04-2023 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeA Mixed Bag Episode Running Records, Long-Term Planning, and Getting Kids Writing A LOTI’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and for today’s episode, I’m sharing a mixed bag of topics, stories, and examples you can use in teaching literacy. Running Records Running records are informative assessments that tell the teachers what the kids are doing so they can make informed decisions about what to teach their students. They provide teachers with what they need to know to make wise teaching decisions. Here, the students read the text out loud, and the teacher marks what the student is doing as they’re reading. Do they need to wor...
2023-04-0625 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMore Tips for Parents: Working with Kids at Home!I’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and for today’s episode, I’m sharing with you more tips to help your child practice literacy at home—those that won’t take a lot of time! When it comes to the actual activity of reading, especially for kids who are just starting to learn, a few strategies you can do are the tap-it-out strategy to look at the word, segment the word, or use a bookmark or finger under each word. The goal is to improve their focus while reading, and for them to learn to be comfortable with being...
2023-03-2323 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTips for Parents - Supporting Your Young Readers at HomeMarch is often the time for Parent-Teacher conferences, so now is a great time for parents to ask what can be done at home to help their young readers, and for teachers to give some guidance about how parents can do this. As parents, you don’t need to spend a lot of time with your kids to help them read. You just have to be creative with what time you have. Here are some ways to support your young readers. Utilize playtime. Whether it’s playing with their stuffed toys, playing pretend, or making...
2023-03-0921 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeMore About Teaching Writing! Ideas to Get Students Writing & Assessing WritingAs the literacy graduate program coordinator at SUNY Old Westbury, one of my tasks every January is to run a literacy clinic for graduate students earning their literacy specialist certifications. For today’s episode, I’m sharing with you my observations from this clinic on what’s working for both teachers and students, giving strategies on how to encourage kids to write, and tips for assessing writing. Kids really like to write. One of the things I noticed is that kids really like to write. The catch is that they might not like the writing they’re...
2023-02-2324 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeDiscussing Writing & Craft with Children's Author & Illustrator, Amy YoungI’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and for today’s episode, we’ll hear how we can encourage kids to write and draw more, both inside and outside the classroom. We’ll also learn that encouraging kids to have ideas isn’t that tricky, ideas for writing are all around us. Our guest today is Amy Young. Amy has wanted to be an artist from as early as she can remember. She became a lawyer, but ended up missing art too much, so she left the practice to write and illustrate full-time. She’s the author of several child...
2023-02-0949 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTalking About Writing!I’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and for today’s episode, I’ll talk about writing and the purpose of writing. We’ll go deeper on this topic in the next few episodes as well. The purpose of writing in the elementary grades Kids love to share what they know and express themselves, and writing helps them do this. What they write varies depending on their age and grade level. Kindergarteners, for example, start with pictures of what’s important to them: their toys, their friends and family, and eventually they add print to the pictures, la...
2023-01-2617 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeTalking Reading Strategies with Jennifer SerravalloI’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis, and for today’s episode, I get to speak with Jennifer Serravallo. She is a literary classroom consultant, author, and former NYC public school teacher. In this episode, we discuss Jennifer’s newly released book, The Reading Strategies Book 2.0. She shares the changes that she made in this new edition as well as how teachers can use the strategies to support the readers in their classrooms. She also shares advice for parents who may want to try out the strategies with their children at home. Jennifer starts off by defining...
2023-01-1231 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeGearing up for the New Year: Setting Goals with StudentsI’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and for today’s episode, I spoke with a former student, Talisa Cantos, who is a Bilingual Literacy Specialist about setting reading and writing goals with students for the new year. The new year is an amazing time to touch base with students and children and set goals with them, even literacy goals. Students don’t start off knowing how to set goals, so we’ll need to help them do it, but they can set goals for themselves, and they know what it is they want to work towards. Here are...
2022-12-2921 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Importance of Instruction for Developing Decoding Skills: A Conversation with Julia LindseyI’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and for today’s episode, I have with me our guest Julia Lindsey. Julia B. Lindsey, Ph.D., is a foundational literacy expert, consultant, and proud former elementary school teacher. Her work aims to help educators implement research findings in reading instruction. She is the author of the newly released book, Reading Above the Fray: Research-based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills. Julia is also the creator of a framework for research-tested, content-rich decodable texts used by districts, curriculum developers, and tens of thousands of teachers across the globe. Her book c...
2022-12-1441 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeGetting Kids to Read During the Holiday SeasonI’m your host, Elizabeth Morphis and today, in preparation for the Holidays, I have for you 3 tips to get kids reading both in the classroom and at home, and I’ll also share some bonus suggestions along the way. In today’s digital age where children can get so easily distracted, it’s even more important to be able to instill in them the habit and discipline of reading. Reading in the Classroom My first suggestion for teachers is to make kids aware of books and authors they may be interested in. Beyond letting them know...
2022-12-0113 min
The Literacy Teacher's LifeWhat is a Literacy Specialist?I’m Elizabeth Morphis your host and today I’m addressing the difference between a literacy specialist and a reading specialist. I also want to provide context for how the job came to be in schools.I’m also interviewing Kasey, a literacy specialist and one of my former students about her job and what it entails.Two questions I get often are: ● What is the difference between a reading specialist and a literacy specialist?● What does a literacy specialist do? In theory there isn’t much difference between the two. The term has shi...
2022-11-1720 min
The Literacy Teacher's LifeGetting to Know Your Students and Host Elizabeth MorphisAs teachers, it is important to learn about the students in your classroom and for the students to learn a little about you. This helps build trusting relationships, which are essential for students to learn and for teachers to teach effectively. This episode does just that! I introduce myself so that you learn about me, my current position as a professor, and my teaching experiences. In the Spotlight Segment, I share a few activities that I use to learn about my students and who they are as individuals. Here’s what I recommend to develop trus...
2022-11-1723 min
The Literacy Teacher's LifeLiteracy – More than Reading and WritingWelcome to the first episode of the Literacy Teacher's Life Podcast! Today's episode introduces the topic of literacy and expands on the common definition of literacy as simple "reading and writing."Host Elizabeth Morphis Brings her experience as both a teacher and amo to two elementary school-age daughters. Today's Topic on the Literacy List What is Literacy and what does it mean? The most common answer most of us hear is "literacy is reading and writing," and that's correct. But it's not all. The definition also includes the meaning tht is made, the...
2022-11-1717 minThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThe Literacy Teacher's LifeThis podcast is for teachers and parents who are dedicated to helping young readers and writers thrive. Children are naturally curious and it’s our role as parents and teachers to provide them with support so they learn to love reading and writing. Host, teacher, and mom Elizabeth Morphis is here to help you support your kids at home or in the classroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-11-0903 min
Inspire LiteracyEpisode 8: Tips for Parents with Special Guest Host Elizabeth MorphisThis week's show is intended for Parents and Teachers alike. Chara and Erica are so excited about their guest host, Elizabeth Morphis, assistant Professor of Childhood Education and Literacy at SUNY at Old Westbury. She brings a wealth of knowledge about all the ways we, as parents, can support our children at home with their literacy skills. The three of them discuss activities that can be done at the dinner table, in the car or even at bed time. You will leave with so many ideas about how to support your child at home. Teachers, this podcast is pe...
2021-09-0547 min