#062: Fountas and Pinnell caution against focusing "only on accuracy and decoding." If we do that, they say, students may not understand that what they read must make sense. But the science of reading community doesn't advocate phonics alone. Far from it! Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd gr...
Jan 17, 2022•11 min
061: Fountas and Pinnell aren't moving when it comes to decodable books. They believe these books are contrived and that decodable books teach children that their reading doesn't have to make sense. But decodable books are exactly what our beginning readers SHOULD be reading. Here's why. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable m...
Jan 10, 2022•15 min
For Fountas and Pinnell, guided reading is the key piece of the reading block. But there are some problems with the guided reading approach in K-2. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X)...
Jan 03, 2022•8 min
059: No one likes to admit they're teaching kids to guess at words, but that's exactly what's happening when we teach beginning readers to use three-cueing. This short episode explains the connection. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram F...
Dec 20, 2021•6 min
058: Despite the lack of evidence for three-cueing, Fountas and Pinnell aren't budging. In this episode I respond to their recent blog post in which they claim that we must help students use multiple sources of information to solve words. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Co...
Dec 13, 2021•15 min
057: Fountas and Pinnell tell us they're staying out of the current debate about teaching reading because it isn't productive. But there ARE safe, sane places to discuss the current research. Tune in to learn more! Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Bl...
Dec 06, 2021•8 min
#056: Fountas and Pinnell are big names in the field of literacy education. But for years they've been accused of advocating methods that do not align with reading research. Fountas and Pinnell have finally responded to this criticism in a 10-part blog series called "Just to Clarify." This episode is the introduction to a 10-part series in which I respond to their blogs, one by one. It's my first "reaction" series, and I'm excited! I hope you are too. Click here for the show notes for this episo...
Nov 29, 2021•6 min
#055: We've learned that teaching students to memorize sight words as wholes isn't the way to go. But what should we do instead? This episode will walk you through a simple process for teaching sight words. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Insta...
Nov 22, 2021•8 min
#054: There's a lot of misinformation out there about teaching sight words. In this episode, we boil it down to the MOST important thing to get right. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X)...
Nov 15, 2021•10 min
#053: Should we use the Dolch grade-level lists to help us decide which sight words to teach? Should we teach our students to memorize sight words as wholes? And should beginning reading instruction START with sight words? Get answers to these questions and more as we look at common misconceptions surrounding the teaching of sight words. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click he...
Nov 08, 2021•12 min
#052: What should you do with all your leveled books? Is there any place for them in a science of reading classroom? What should you do when students just can't master their short vowel sounds? When do you move on? And what about assessing struggling readers? Should you use Fountas & Pinnell's benchmark assessment to find their reading level? Get answers to these questions and more in this science of reading Q & A episode! Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reac...
Nov 01, 2021•12 min
#51: This past week Becky Spence and I shared a video workshop about the science of reading. Because of some technical difficulties, we weren't able to do our question and answer session live. Here are answers to questions submitted after the webinar. More to come next week! Click here for the show notes. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd...
Oct 11, 2021•11 min
#050: Now that we've laid a strong foundation, it's time to apply the science of reading to your daily instruction. This episode will show you how to use what you've learned to schedule a powerful reading block that will meet the needs of all your students. Share this 6-week podcast series with friends who want to learn more about the science of reading. Also check out our online course, Teaching Every Reader! It opens for enrollment on October 4, 2021. Get the details here. Click here for the s...
Oct 04, 2021•14 min
#049: We know that the science of reading isn't a curriculum, a fad, or a pendulum swing. It's a body of research. So what does this research tell us about the Big 5? What does the science of reading have to say about phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary? In this episode we'll examine the research and make practical applications to our teaching. Share this 6-week podcast series with friends who want to learn more about the science of reading. Also chec...
Sep 27, 2021•24 min
#048: Structured literacy is all the rage these days, but what exactly is it? Today we'll discuss the HOW and the WHAT of structured literacy. Share this 6-week podcast series with friends who want to learn more about the science of reading. Also check out our online course, Teaching Every Reader! It opens for enrollment on October 4, 2021. Get the details here. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the sci...
Sep 20, 2021•8 min
#047: If you study the science of reading, it won't be long until you hear mentions of the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough's Reading Rope. What are they? And what do they have to do with how we teach reading? Today's episode will answer those questions. Share this 6-week podcast series with friends who want to learn more about the science of reading. Also check out our online course, Teaching Every Reader! It opens for enrollment on October 4, 2021. Get the details here. Click here for th...
Sep 13, 2021•10 min
#046: Orthographic mapping is one of the key concepts in the science of reading, but it can feel a little confusing at first. It's all about how we read and remember words, and this episode breaks it down into easy-to-understand language. Share this 6-week podcast series with friends who want to learn more about the science of reading! Also check out our online course, Teaching Every Reader! It opens for enrollment on October 4, 2021. Get the details here. Click here for the show notes for this ...
Sep 06, 2021•9 min
#045: We're starting a science of reading bootcamp! Share this 6-week podcast series with friends who want to learn more. In today's episode we define "science of reading" and explore why there's so much disagreement around this topic. Also check out our online course, Teaching Every Reader! It opens for enrollment on October 4, 2021. Get the details here. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science o...
Aug 30, 2021•17 min
#044: This concludes our official science of reading series, but there's a lot more to learn! Check out my top recommendations for books that will help you understand the science AND apply it to your classroom. Also check out our online course, Teaching Every Reader! It's open for enrollment through May 10, 2021. Get the details here. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here ...
May 03, 2021•13 min
#043: I fought the idea of structured literacy for a long time, and it's because I believed these three myths about the science of reading. How about you? Listen to find out how we can debunk these three common misunderstandings. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect wit...
Apr 26, 2021•16 min
#042: It’s time to take a good look at what we’re doing when we teach children to read. I considered myself a “balanced literacy” teacher for many years. It’s the approach I learned in graduate school, the approach I used as a classroom teacher, and the approach I (used to) teach on my website and in my online course. However, after a great deal of research into the science of reading, I now see things differently. I now advocate a structured literacy approach to reading instruction. Click here ...
Apr 19, 2021•16 min
#041: For years I thought that decodable texts were a necessary evil ... I thought they were boring, stilted, and nonsensical. Now I know that quality decodable books are vital for helping young learners build a strong foundation. The good news is that there are many wonderful decodable books, and more are being published all the time. Listen to find out my top tips for choosing and using decodable books. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for...
Apr 12, 2021•22 min
#040: Leveled books are predictable books with strong picture support. Decodable books feature words whose sound-spelling patterns have been explicitly taught. Which are best for beginning readers? Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Face...
Mar 22, 2021•14 min
#039: I never thought I'd be sharing an episode about what's wrong with three-cueing. After all, I've spent decades prompting kids to think about what makes sense, sounds right, and looks right when solving words! Listen to find why I (finally) changed my approach. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK thro...
Mar 15, 2021•15 min
There are a lot of questions about what the science of reading truly is. Is it from a journalist? Is the science brand-new? How do we know that we can trust it? In today's episode I'll share the particulars! Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Inst...
Mar 08, 2021•17 min
#037: How exactly does the brain learn to read ... and why should teachers even care? In today's episode I simplify the science and share exactly why this understanding is important for K-2 teachers. Click here for the show notes for this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Fa...
Mar 01, 2021•11 min
#036: When I first read Emily Hanford's article, "At a Loss for Words," I felt annoyed, angry and - in the end - dismissive. I've read the article many times since, and now my reaction is quite the opposite. Listen to find out what's changed! Click here for the show notes to this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators....
Feb 22, 2021•13 min
#035: As we begin our discussion about the science of reading, we need to look back at the history of teaching reading in the United States. What exactly are the reading wars, and when did they begin? Where are we today? Join us for a brief and lively history of the debate. Click here for the show notes to this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for P...
Feb 15, 2021•16 min
#034: I've been poring over the science of reading research, and I'm making shifts in how I approach teaching reading. You're invited to join me on this exciting journey! Click here for the show notes to this episode. Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X)...
Feb 08, 2021•8 min
033: If you're enjoying this podcast, listen to this quick episode to learn where else you can find me! Get my book, Reach All Readers! Looking for printable resources that align with the science of reading? Click here to learn more about our popular and affordable membership for PreK through 3rd grade educators. Connect with Anna here! Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter (X)...
Feb 01, 2021•2 min
