TRT Podcast #156: What does research say about teaching preschoolers? with Dr. Susan Neuman If you have questions about what the science of reading has to say about preschool, this is the episode for you! Dr. Susan Neuman, early childhood expert and author, discusses what research has to say about play-based learning, developmentally appropriate practice, and building oral language and vocabulary in ... Read More
The power of spelling inventories – with Dr. Pam Kastner
TRT Podcast #155: The power of spelling inventories with Dr. Pam Kastner Dr. Pam Kastner walks us through the wonderful complexity of the English language and explains why spelling inventories are a powerful tool for informing instruction. Full episode transcript Recommended resources PaTTAN's Literacy Symposium ... Read More
Navigating the complexities of English spelling – with Lyn Stone
TRT Podcast #154: Navigating the complexities of English spelling - with Lyn Stone Lyn Stone helps us navigate the complexities of English spelling in a way that makes sense for students and teachers. We discuss morphology, etymology, tricky spellings, and even get Lyn's opinion on teaching "blends" and syllable types. Enjoy! Listen to the episode here Full episode transcript Books and resources from ... Read More
Spelling assessment, syllable types, & spelling intervention – with Dr. Shelley Blackwell
TRT Podcast #153: Spelling assessment, syllable types, & intervention - with Dr. Shelley Blackwell Dr. Shelley Blackwell and I discuss all things spelling - from spelling assessment to spelling intervention. We also talk about whether it's useful to teach spelling rules and syllable types. Listen to the episode here Full episode transcript Resources mentioned in this episode ... Read More
The phases of spelling development – with Dr. Richard Gentry
TRT Podcast #152: The phases of spelling development - with Dr. Richard Gentry Dr. Richard Gentry, spelling expert, describes the phases of spelling development, lists do's and don'ts for spelling instruction, and explains what to do for children who struggle with spelling. Listen to the episode here Full episode transcript Books and resources from Dr. Richard Gentry ... Read More
All about teaching English spelling – with Dr. Louisa Moats
TRT Podcast #151: All about Teaching English Spelling - with Dr. Louisa Moats What an honor to speak with Dr. Louisa Moats about the English language! She explains why it's so important to teach spelling, why English isn't as irregular as some think, the usefulness and limitation of syllable types, and how to help students who struggle with spelling. This episode is a treasure! Listen to the episode ... Read More
All about Morphology – with Dr. Deb Glaser
TRT Podcast #150: All about Morphology with Dr. Deb Glaser Dr. Deb Glaser is an author, educational consultant, and professional development provider with a special interest in morphology. In this episode she defines morphology and explains how to teach it, beginning in kindergarten and moving through the grades. Listen to the episode here Full episode transcript Books and Resources from Dr. Deb ... Read More
How to use assessment data to inform instruction
TRT Podcast #149: How to use assessment data to inform instruction - with Rachel Beiswanger In today's episode, special education coach Rachel Beiswanger explains how she uses assessment data when deciding what to teach her students. We list screening measures and list specific things you can do if students are scoring below benchmark. I list all the details in the show notes, so be sure to check them ... Read More
It’s a giveaway!
To kick off this month, I'm hosting a giveaway for the fantastic book, 7 Mighty Moves, by Lindsay Kemeny. This is a wonderful book by a classroom teacher who made the switch from balanced to structured literacy after everything she knew didn't help her severely dyslexic son learn to read. The good news is that now he's thriving - thanks to what she learned and implemented. In the book, Lindsay shares 7 ... Read More
Should students use invented spelling?
Invented spelling has always been a hot topic in the reading world. What exactly is it - and should you allow your students to use it? First things first. What is invented spelling? Invented spelling is when students spell words based on the phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge that they have, even if the word is not spelled conventionally. The above octopus, spelled "ODPS," was drawn by my now ... Read More