You can click on any link for direct access to the blog or story or podcast.
A Novel Idea: The History of the Science of the Science of Reading: This podcast examines the history of reading from early inception to its evolving principles. Learn about the history of how we've learn how to read. This podcast is great for the beginner new to Science of Reading, as well as those well on their journey. Lots of new learning from it!
The Knowledge Matters Podcast: Natalie Wexler, author of The Knowledge Gap examines literacy and reading from culturally responsive lens. Why do children from low income score low on reading tests? How can we improve literacy rates across America. This also applies to Canadian schools! We need to better prepare our students by providing them with background knowledge and vocabulary from a wide range of topics.
Reading Road Trip by Kate Winn, Una Malcolm and IDA Ontario: This is a relatively new podcast that launched in July 2023. Each week teacher Kate Winn interviews someone well known in the education world such as Lyn Stone, or Dr. Holly Lane to talk about Structured Literacy and what it looks like or should look like in our classrooms. She starts each episode by highlighting a picture book with indigenous themes then proceeds with the interview. Each episide is under an hour (so far) and has been a highlight of my summer listening.
Educate: Hard Words Why Aren't Kids Being Taught to Read by Emily Hanford: Emily Hanford is an investigative reporter who questions balanced literacy in the school system and how this approach to reading is failing students. She looks at the science of reading, how students best learn how to read, and examines a school district in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania who have very low literacy scores and much poverty in the community. Hanford has received much credit for bringing this world wide issue out in the open. It is a very controversial topic because change is hard. Recognizing that change needs to happen is perhaps harder. This podcast is for everyone who has children, has had children, or who works with children. All parents and educators should listen to this podcast and then follow up with other reporting from Emily Hanford including her latest podcast which is discussed below.
Sold a Story by Emily Hanford: Emily Hanford recently released another 6-episode series called Sold a Story. In this series she interviews several parents whose child was a struggling reader. In most cases parents have had to either figure out how to teach their child, or invest in tutoring or different schooling in order for this to happen. This series takes place 4 years after her initial podcast with only slow growth and improvement of learning about how to teach children to read. Hanford also examines some big names in Literacy including Marie Clay (founder of Reading Recovery), Lucy Caulkins (created and profited off of balanced literacy resources), and Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell (Fountas & Pinnell who created Levelled Literacy Intervention resources). Hanford presents another eye opening and informative podcast. We need to change how we teach our students to read, especially those with dyslexia or learning disabilities who are not making progress with the 'old ways'. Please take time to listen to this podcast, and share with a friend.
Amplify The Science of Reading Podcast: What It Takes to Be a Literacy Education Changemaker: This episode features Kareem Weaver who is a member of the Oakland NAACP Education Committee, leader of Full and Complete Reading, and is a former teacher. Weaver is a change maker in the education field. He advocates for reading rights for all and encourages teachers to learn about and follow the principles of the Science of Reading. Weaver is trying to change education at the system level, rather than rely solely on teachers to learn and do this on their own. Weaver is a powerful speaker who also presented in March 2022 at the IDA Ontario Right to Read Symposium. This podcast, and the IDA linked webinar, is appropriate for all teachers from K-12 who want to make changes. This is a grassroots movement, and Weaver is inspiration for all who are involved and want to see ALL students in school learn how to read.
Reading Horizons: Rethinking How We Teach Sight and High Frequency Words: This podcast has 3 hosts: Stacy Hurst, a professor in Utah, Donnell Pons, who is a dyslexia specialist, and Lindsay Kemeny, a structured literacy classroom teacher. On this episode of their podcast they talk about high frequency words, how they have been taught in the past, and what this practice can and should look like moving forward. Historically, teachers have had students memorize spelling words each week. They go on the word wall and then the class moves on to new words the following week. While some children can adopt this practice and continue learning there are many others who either memorize one week and forget the next, or who do not apply the words in their writing, or who are unable to memorize words based on how they look. By using orthographic mapping, students examine how words are spelled, pronounced and connect to the meaning of these words. This is a practice that is helpful to some but beneficial to all of our students. This podcast is beneficial for K-6 teachers who are learning about structured literacy or are on their journey to updating their program to align with science.
Melissa and Lori Love Literacy: Teachers' Guide to Trauma
Melissa and Lori Love Literacy: Trauma and Reading: These are two individual episodes on The Melissa and Lori Love Literacy Podcast, both dealing with trauma. There is a lot of research and information coming out about trauma in the classroom in a post-COVID era. Trauma existed before the pandemic for sure, but we are labelling it as such, and looking at ways to support students in our classrooms in an ever evolving world. These podcasts deal with very heavy content matter, but it is an important topic to discuss and one that all teachers will encounter with their students. I recommend these podcasts for parents, teachers, social workers, child and youth workers, educational assistants, and anyone working with children in the school system. We need to know how to help support our students, as well as teach them how to read. The first episode, Teachers' Guide to Trauma, discusses having a child with trauma and how to support them with strategies. The second episode is with Dr. Steven Dykstra who specializes in trauma. He talks about how important it is for students to learn how to read. Reading should be priority especially for children of trauma. It is how a child can move past trauma and begin to change their life.
Dear Balanced Literacy Teacher with Missy Purcell: Melissa and Lori interview Missy Purcell who is a teacher who used to instruct based on balanced literacy. She originally wrote a blog post with the same title. Her youngest child did not learn how to read until the 5th grade. She believes that balanced literacy is the reason for this failure. On the podcast Purcell talks about what led her to writing this article. Her son received intervention for several years but it was also heavily based in balanced literacy. We as teachers and parents need to advocate for change. We need to stand up when we notice that something is not working and look towards how the problem can be solved. 95% of children can learn how to read using structured literacy. This podcast is aimed at teachers and parents. If you have had a student or your own child struggle with literacy you will connect with this interview.
Michele van der Veen: My Journey
Michele van der Veen: In My Classroom I was interviewed by Dr. Kathryn Garforth in May 2022 on the Right 2 Read Initiative Postcast. I talked about my journey into discovering the Science of Reading and structured literacy, as well as courses I had taken up to that point, and materials that I regularly use in the classroom. It was an honour to be interviewed and use my voice to help others. This podcast is useful to new teachers, or teachers learning about Structured Literacy in the K-2 range.