I'm diving into strategies to transform your literacy centers from chaotic and stressful to calm and productive. We'll discuss the importance of a clear and consistent system, how to slowly introduce and reinforce station activities, and the key steps to ensuring your students can work independently. If you've ever dreaded centers time, worried about noise and distractions, or felt unprepared when an admin walked in, this episode is for you. Get ready to learn actionable tips that will make y...

Whether you're just starting reading groups or are ready for a reset because they're chaotic, overwhelming, or just plain flop, this episode is for you.I'm breaking down my top two tips for supercharging your reading groups...Even if everything you've tried in the past has failed.Say "goodbye" to one-size-fits-all lessons and "hello" to MASSIVE reading growth!In this episode, we'll talk about: How to meet ALL of your students' needs and strengths - even in a very diverse class. (SPOILER ...

If you're like so many teachers I know, you've practiced sight word flashcards with your students a MILLION times, but when the test rolls around at the end of the week, your students STILL struggle. Why?! There's one critical missing piece.In this episode, we'll talk about...The hidden problem with traditional sight word flashcardsWhy seeing a word 5,000 times doesn't help students memorize itThree quick and simple tweaks that will help students learn sight words 10X faster (SPOILER ALERT: T...

Just when kids have finally mastered letter sounds, along come tricky digraphs like CH-, TH- and SH- to trip them up again. Thankfully, these addictively fun (and surprisingly simple!) chants make it fun to learn every last one of them.Get ready to be inspired... No singing required!In this episode, we'll talk about...What digraphs are and why they're so important for students' readingThe biggest phonics mistake I ever made and how to avoid itWhat to teach BEFORE you dive into chantsPlu...

If you’ve been around for a while, you know that we’ve talked a lot about reading instruction on this podcast – it’s called the Science of Reading Formula, after all. But before students can focus on learning to read, they have OTHER needs that need to be met first.Lana Penley was an elementary school principal in Oregon. When her school burned to the ground in 2009, the tragedy shifted her focus from state test scores to social emotional learning as she discovered that community HAS to come ...

When learning feels more like play than work, even reluctant readers will ask to practice it. But making learning fun can feel DAUNTING – it’s hard to know where to start. That's why this episode is such a game changer! These 5 simple tweaks will give you plenty of playful ways to work on vowel sounds, beginning sounds, letter blends and digraphs so learning to read can feel more exciting than ever.In this episode, we'll talk about...Simple but powerful tips for making phonics finally st...

When it comes to teaching literacy, reading and writing go together like peas and carrots. But even if you feel confident with your READING instruction, it can be hard to know what high quality WRITING instruction looks like. That’s why I’m so excited about today’s guest, April Smith. She is a classroom teacher turned author, trainer, and founder of Simplify Writing who is excited to share some of her favorite writing tips and tricks with us. So grab a notebook and pen and get ready to b...

K-12 teachers are the #1 most burnt-out profession in the United States? And if you’re burnt-out, there is *no way* for you to teach at your best.So I invited naturopath and mental health expert, Dr. Brain Plante, onto the podcast to share proven strategies for feeling 100%….Even if nothing you’ve tried in the past has worked.Dr. Plante covered ALL the things in this episode – he shared essential tips for managing anxiety, talked about treatment for peri-menopause and menopause, passed a...

Before I understood how powerful read alouds were for students' learning, I thought of them as an extra - one of those things that I'd add on to my lesson plans if there was time. But after discovering how powerful read alouds actually are, they became a must. And the great news is that you don't need fancy training or complicated supplies!In this episode, we'll talk about...A simple tweak that helps kids stay engaged and focused all read aloud longHow to set yourself up for success before yo...

A couple weeks ago, a teacher reached out to me on Instagram asking for help. Her principal isn't on board with the science of reading so he's discouraging their staff from using the research-based tools and strategies she knows are best for kids.Not surprisingly, she feels disheartened and frustrated! Now that she knows better, she's 100% committed to teaching better.​​​​Just in case you're in the exact same boat now or know someone else who is, I recorded a quick episode...

Research shows that about 20% of your students will be affected by some level of dyslexia, so it is absolutely essential that you're empowered with the brain-friendly tools and strategies that help them succeed in your classroom.In this episode, we'll talk about...What dyslexia *actually* is (SPOILER: It's not what you might think!)The reading skill dyslexic students struggle with the mostCritical accommodations and modifications that help students with dyslexia thriveMyths that keep you and ...

If I could hop into a time machine and fly back to 2003 to start my teaching career all over, there are 13 things that would help me skip the stress, frustration, and overwhelm I felt trying (and failing!) to successfully teach reading.And while I can't rewind time, I can help YOU skip the two decades it's taken me to figure it all out. So today, I'm excited to share the 13 things I wish I knew before I started teaching reading.In this episode, we'll talk about...Why Instagram and Pinterest g...

Meet Heidi, a kindergarten teacher from Missouri. She used to spend Sundays planning and prepping for the week ahead and many sleepless nights worrying that students were slipping through the cracks. But then she made a decision that changed her work-life balance forever. Show links:Take 15% off your Science of Reading Formula enrollment with code POD15But hurry! Doors close this Sunday, August 11th.Rate, Review, and FollowIf you loved this episode, please take a minute to rate and revie...

Karen had been teaching for 30+ years but she knew some of her students were slipping through the cracks. They struggled with reading but she didn't know how to help them. And then almost overnight everything changed! Her students' growth soared and her admin team started to notice. Here is her inspiring story of transformation, confidence, and results.Show links:Take 15% off your Science of Reading Formula enrollment with code POD15But hurry! Doors close this Sunday, August 11th.Rate, Review...

I'm excited to introduce you to Lindsay, a first grade teacher in New York who wasn't getting the results she knew she could be. But then she made a choice that turned it all around. Get ready to be inspired by her goosebump worthy transformation!Show links:Take 15% off your Science of Reading Formula enrollment with code POD15But hurry! Doors close this Sunday, August 11th.Rate, Review, and FollowIf you loved this episode, please take a minute to rate and review my show! That helps the podca...

I've been lucky enough to work with thousands of teachers around the world inside The Science of Reading Formula and whenever we hop on a coaching call to problem solve and troubleshoot issues they're having with their reading lessons, the cause almost always comes back to one of five things.So in this episode, I'm excited to break down the five biggest reasons reading lessons fails so you can prevent them from happening in YOUR classroom.In this episode, we'll talk about...Why teaching readi...

If you're excited to finally teach smarter instead of harder, this episode is a must-listen. I'll walk you through the surprisingly simple solution that makes it easy to give EVERY student bigger, faster reading growth.In this episode, we'll talk about...Why so many students struggle with reading and the quickest way to fix itHow long it takes to see a difference in students' learning when you switch to the science of reading (HINT: The answer will surprise you!)The essential reading skills e...

When you're starting to put the science of reading into action, it can be hard to know where to start. There are just so many different teaching tools and strategies to pick from! So I'm excited to walk you through the first five steps I always recommend to teachers so you can test them out and see the difference brain-friendly teaching makes too.In This Episode, We'll Talk About...The very first change to make (and why it can't wait!)A skill students need to practice every. single. day.Why l...

If your classroom has a HUGE range of reading levels and you want to meet every child's needs and strengths without spending 25,000 hours planning and prepping, then you're in the right spot because I'm breaking down the simple, 4-step ACED system that makes differentiation a breeze.In this episode, we'll talk about...What is the ACED System?The most important first step you need to take right awayThe time saving next step that will save you HOURS of lesson planning timeHow to pinpoint a "jus...

Let's play a little round of fact or fiction... science of reading style! When you're hanging out in the teachers' lounge or scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, you probably see a lot of different opinions and suggestions about the science of reading.And just like most things in life, some of those things you see and hear are true... but some are NOT.So today, we're going to take five of the most common science of reading beliefs and break down whether they are actually fact or fiction.I...

Understanding the words you're reading is just as important as sounding those words out so today we're diving into the quickest, easiest ways to build students' comprehension skills. SPOILER ALERT: You're probably doing a lot of these things already. Score!In this episode, we'll talk about...The reading roadblock some third and fourth graders seem to hit out of the blue and how to fix itThe 5 language comprehension skills every child needs to practiceHow to build students' "literacy knowledge...

When I started teaching second grade back in 2003, I had my students spend time every day drilling sight word flashcards. But despite all of that time and energy, when the Friday spelling test rolled around, many of my students STILL struggled to spell those sight words correctly. Why? I'll break it all down for you in this episode and I'll pass along a print-and-go tool that will help your students memorize words 10X faster!In this episode, we'll talk about...What research actually shows us ...

One of the things I get asked most often on Instagram is about the best order to teach phonics skills. And while there's not yet a definitive research study pinpointing whether it's better to introduce digraphs before blends or whether diphthongs should come before or after r-influenced vowels, etc. there IS a proven order Science of Reading Formula members and I use to teach it all to students as quickly and easily as possible.In this episode, we'll talk about...1:40 The best order to teach ...

If you have ever had a student who knew all of her letter sounds but, when it came time to blend those sounds together to read a word, she said something completely different, than this episode is for you because we are diving into phonological and phonemic awareness - essential skills that make up students' reading foundation.In this episode, we'll talk about...1:31 How to remember what "phonological awareness" means3:09 The five skills that make up students' phonological awareness4:05 My fa...