Reading Teachers Lounge

Send us a textShannon and Mary welcome Dr. Timothy Shanahan to the Reading Teachers Lounge to quiet the noise within the literacy community and help us all realize the MOST important things we should be doing for our learners according to the reading research.    Listeners will find out what practices and activities they should prioritize to improve their students' reading achievement.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives:  How Students' Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It by Timothy Shanahan (available for PreOrder) *Amazon affililate linkDr. Shanahan's website (Shananan on Literacy)Dr. Shananan's blogConnect with Dr. Shananan via FacebookDr. Shananan's blog post about Comprehension (mentions text cohesion)Are We Teaching Reading Comprehension Part II:   6 Things Every Teacher Should Know (blog post by Dr. Shananan)30 Second Mysteries *Amazon affiliate linkMcGraw-Hill Science of Literacy Library: A free resource hub containing blogs, videos, research reports, and more— designed to connect teachers with practical classroom resources and Professional Learning tips. Bonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary chat with Brandi Dugal from The Fidget Game, featured on Shark Tank, about unique ways to engage and motivate students to learn.   They share methods for gamification, brain breaks, and other strategies teachers can use to increase student engagement.  Listen for ideas to make reading more fun and how to help motivate even the most reluctant readers to get excited about their learning.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:The Fidget Game websiteFidget Game TikTok accountShannon's favorite (FREE) growth mindset activities via TpT-lower gradesShannon's favorite (FREE) growth mindset activities via TpT-upper gradesThe Fidget Game for purchase *Amazon affiliate linkKing Komodo game for purchase *Amazon affiliate linkSquishyLand game for purchase *Amazon affiliate linkThe Vocabulary game for purchase *Amazon affiliate linkASCD:  New Thinking about Student EngagementBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textDr. Pete Bowers shared how Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) transforms spelling and vocabulary into tools for deep thinking - perfect for engaging advanced and struggling readers in the elementary reading classroom. We encourage the listeners to also check out this episode on YouTube to learn from the visuals Dr. Bowers shared during the discussion (link is at the top of the show notes).RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Our Youtube link to the episodePete Bower's Word Works Kingston website:  See MANY helpful links at the bottom of the page.   We use this homepage as a hub for SWI information.Dr. Bowers' Monday 5 pm EST office hours linkReal Spelling ToolboxActive View of Reading Duke, Cartwright, 2021Homophone Principle - described in this lessonDavid Share:  Self teaching "Ultra-detailed brain map shows neurons that encode words’ meaning" Nature 631, 264 (2024)Spelling Out Orthography demonstration video from Dr. BowersDocument describing a SWI hunt for all the jobs of the final, non-syllabic <e>Video from Dr. Bowers with Marie Foley about The Nested Combinatorial Nature of English Spelling2025 Reading League  presentation from Dr. Bowers about Morphological Instruction and Language ComprehensionUpcoming SWI Training in June 2025 with Pete Bowers and Rebecca LovelessUpcoming 4 day in-person training with Dr. Bowers in July 2025 on Wolfe IslandStructured Word Inquiry: An Implementation Guide for Teachers by Jennifer A Constantine and Kara B Lee *Amazon affiliate linkTeaching How the Written Word Works by Peter Bowers (via www.wvced.com Store)Bonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textHow can teachers effectively support advanced readers in elementary school? In this insightful episode, we’re joined by literacy expert Nancy Young to explore practical, evidence-based strategies for meeting the needs of gifted and high-achieving readers in the classroom.Nancy shares her expertise on differentiation strategies, including offering choice in reading materials, using tiered assignments, and implementing project-based learning to keep advanced readers engaged. We also discuss how to encourage critical thinking, promote independent reading, and create meaningful peer discussion and mentorship opportunities.Whether you’re a classroom teacher, reading specialist, or literacy coach, this episode offers valuable tools and inspiration to elevate your elementary reading instruction and ensure all students—especially your strongest readers—are challenged and supported.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Updated Ladder of Reading & Writing with permissions for usageChapter 2 of her book-free downloadGuided Inquiry DesignSEM-R.   School-wide enrichment model for readingWilliam and Mary Center for Gifted Ed ResourcesClimbing the Ladder of Reading & Writing by Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck *Amazon affiliate linkcontact Nancy via her websiteAcceleration InstituteSubject-specific acceleration across grade grouping *Google drive file downloadBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary welcome Brandon Cardet-Hernadez from Mrs. Wordsmith to the RTL to chat about smart technology resources.  They talk about intentional uses of technology resources for instructional purposes and what skills will be required as our students advance in the next part of the 21st century.  Listeners will gain ideas for ways to incorporate technology to elevate students' learning.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Mrs. Wordsmith websiteEdutopia article: SAMR modelHow to use SAMR in Designing InstructionInstagram for Mrs. WordsmithFacebook for Mrs. WordsmithYoutube for Mrs. WordsmithTikTok for Mrs. WordsmithWord Tag Vocabulary Learning app from Mrs. WordsmithScience of Reading white paper from Mrs. WordsmithFree Literacy resources from Mrs WordsmithBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary talk with Melissa Taylor from ImaginationSoup.net about the importance of nonfiction texts in a student's reading diet.    They chat about the flexible comprehension strategies students need to organize the information gathered from nonfiction and text features and structures that are specific to nonfiction texts.    Listeners should walk away inspired to put more NF texts in their readers hands.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Imagination Soup Melissa's Article: Reading Nonfiction Prepares Kids for SuccessComprehension Strategiestypes of NF textsCBS Sunday Morning-Finland schools Media Literacy storyRefutational TextsMelissa on IGMelissa on FBBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary welcome LaMonica Williams from Teaching Matters back to the Reading Teachers Lounge. This time they chat about professional development experiences and the most effective ways to bring about positive change in school systems. They discuss the differences between management and leadership and how to foster student-centered school improvement.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Changes that Stick (Kappan)Teaching Matters websiteNYC ReadsStudent Focused Coaching  by Jan Hasbrouck and Daryl Michel *Amazon affiliate link*our previous episode with LaMonica WilliamsThe Good Struggle of Flexible SpecificityReading UniverseLaMonica's Bio & Contact InformationBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary chat with Katherine Hamilton about maximizing the learning impact of co-teaching.     The conversation is centered around an article from Choice Literacy written by Franki Sibberson titled Aligning Curriculum with Struggling Readers in Mind.  The article proposes that co-teachers need to reflect and determine how their various teaching activities and strategies align into a cohesive instructional plan for the students, so that the readers can build transferable skills they can apply across the school-day.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Choice Literacy article by Franki SibbersonEnsemble LearningThinking MapsSix Approaches to CoTeaching6 Models of CoTeachingCollaborative Team Teaching: Challenges and RewardsBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary welcome @MindfulTeacherRachel back to the podcast to discuss strategies for helping their students strengthen spelling skills.     They talk about the stability of English spelling and the meaning-based reasons for a word's spelling, beyond sound-symbol connections.    Listeners will know what to look for in students' spelling errors and accuracies and walk away with fresh ideas for spelling instruction.  RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:Our Etymology episode with Rachelour Schwa episode with RachelMorrison-McCall Spelling Scalespelling error analysis sheets from RachelUncovering the Logic of English by Denise Eide *Amazon affiliate link*Spelling for Life by Lyn Stone *Amazon affiliate link*How to Teach Spelling by Laura Toby Rudginsky and Elizabeth C. Haskell *Amazon affiliate link*Dyslexia and Spelling by Kelli Sandman-Hurley *Amazon affiliate link*And Sometimes Y by RachelShort Vowel Proctors by RachelSchwa in 1st Grade by RachelRachel on IGRachel on TiktokExplode the Code    Words Their Way Spelling InventorySpelling Choice TestsSound Mounds (the Eppich Classroom)Scribal OBonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon

Send us a textShannon and Mary welcome Heidi Martin (@Droppin' Knowledge with Heidi) back to the podcast, and Heidi's husband, Adam, a LETRS trainer, also joins the conversation.  They talk about all the aspects that go into the topic of Word Knowledge.  What are all the things students should know and understand about a word to demonstrate complete knowledge of that term? You'll walk away from listening to this episode with a more complete understanding of all the layers of skills within Word knowledge that we need to help our readers build.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE: Heidi's website  Heidi's social media TikTok  Heidi's social media Instagram  Heidi on FB Heidi's decodables  Heidi's freebie about the Reading Brain  SOR 101 (Science of Reading 101) Membership  Strive for Five Conversations by Sonia Cabell and Tricia Zucker *Amazon affiliate link  Etymonline  our previous Science of Reading episode with Heidi  our episode about Delightful Word Learning with Collette Hiller  InferCabulary  3 Clicks Spelling  Spelling Riddles  Morpheme Magic  Structured Word Inquiry (Dr. Pete Bowers) Bonus Episodes access through your podcast appBonus episodes access through PatreonFree Rubrics Guide created by usFinding Good Books Guide created by usInformation about our Patreon membershipBrilliant Beaver Guidebook - Audio VersionEngage kids aged 6-9 with fun, screen-free activities from the world of scoutingSupport the showGet Literacy Support through our Patreon