In Episode #54 we take a close look at Fluency, the often neglected component of a reading program.  It is overlooked because it isn’t a stand alone variable. Fluency is a culmination of successful orthographic mapping skills, prosody (intonation and expression) and comprehension. It also looks different in each grade level due to the developmental…

Not all phonics is effective so how do we ensure our program is evidence based and maximising learning? Join me in Episode #53 as I not only share the 5 key components of effective phonics, but I bring in an expert neuroscientist to teach us how the brain uses phonics to learn to read. Neuroscientist,…

Research shows that Phonemic Awareness is a strong predictor of long term reading and spelling success. “It can predict literacy performance more accurately than intelligence, vocabulary knowledge and socio economic status” (Gillon, 2004) Episode #52 takes a close look at Phonemic Awareness, as this skill is a very crucial component that many teachers and commercial programs…

Over the next six weeks I would like to take you through the 6 components that every Science Based reading program should have. Known as the Literacy Big 6, these recommendations are the result of three international reviews commissioned by the Governments in the US, UK and Australia, in an attempt to provide teachers with…

Extra Bonus for new and exsisting email subscribers this week! By Email On iTunes Podcast episode #50 will provide you with practical evidence based teaching tips that can potentially enable a child to store and retrieve hundreds more words than they would be able to if they’d been taught using the widely common ‘whole word’…

In episode #49 I share the knowledge and the tools to begin the identification and prevention of decoding fluency difficulties….. There are many quality assessment tools out there that are aligned to the Science of reading but even with those, which ones do you choose and how do you know which assessment is the right…

Here at TLC we are passionate about The Science of Reading and the methodologies to match because they work for ALL learners, especially for our most vulnerable learners. I’m in classrooms every week working alongside some amazing teachers who are putting these methods into practice and I’m seeing first hand the results of using evidence…

Research examining different instructional materials and methods in reading has often identified the “teacher variable” as a critical factor in effective instruction.  Even though teachers may choose to use resources aligned to the Science of Reading, it is you, the teacher, that can have the greatest impact.  So today’s topic, ‘responding to oral reading errors’…

Episode #46 takes a close look at the early ‘reading behaviours’ that are conducive to ongoing reading progress. In knowing what to look for, you’ll also be able to identify deficits and facilitate timely interventions, which will prevent unnecessary reading struggles. Don’t forget to also download the freebie to start building your students’ reading profiles…

Many bolt on spelling programs are doing little to improve children’s spelling abilities, especially for our most vulnerable learners.  In fact many of the most common spelling activities have been shown to be a ineffective. This is most apparent in the gap between student’s weekly spelling test scores and their spelling accuracy in their writing.…

As a literacy coach I see so many phonics scope and sequences that have multiple weeks focused on this ‘so called’ concept of ‘BLENDS’, but is it truly necessary?  Well podcast #44 will give you important insights into why ‘blends’ should be seen as a process not a concept in the early phase of learning.…

Guided reading time should adopt a powerful instructional approach to teaching reading that promotes a high level of reading growth. Unfortunately, ’round robin’ reading methodologies have crept into common practise. There is considerable evidence that this methodology is ineffective so let’s understand why…. Join me in Episode #43 as I share the 6 steps to…

Episode #42 takes a close look at guided reading groups and the negative talk in the ‘Science of Reading’ community. Tune in as I give you some key considerations before jumping on any bandwagon, and more importantly, gain the skills to decipher the information presented out there so you can reflect on your own practice and…

Are you a leader in a school wanting to start the process of aligning practices to the Science of Reading, but just don’t know where to start? Change can be hard at the best of times but moving to Science of Reading instructional methods is definitely worth the effort. When schools make the decision to…

Whether you’re on the ‘Science of Reading’ journey on your own, with a small group of colleagues or as a whole school, Episode #40 is full of practical strategies for everyone who is wanting to affect change in their schools. As the saying goes, ‘when we know better, we do better’ so join me on…

Join me in Episode #39 as I address the strong views of teachers around the use of running records. I want to help teachers enhance the literacy development of all students by preventing them from wasting time and resources on ineffective, expensive and outdated approaches to reading assessment. I’ll share some strategies of how to…

Podcast #38 was inspired by some great conversations that I had last week with teachers who are coming up to a reporting period and are implementing their ‘end of semester’ assessments.  The questions and stories that the teachers had around their benchmark testing were so relevant to everyone who is transitioning to methodologies that are…

As a literacy coach, I visit many schools supporting teachers in their journey implementing literacy programs using the ‘Science of Teaching Reading’ methodologies. Last week I was chatting with Prep staff at one particular school. They were mentioning how quickly most of the children were progressing, already blending and segmenting words successfully and transferring this…

Instead of a podcast this week I would like to share this moving documentary and the words from TLC’s co-creator, Karyn Fua ………… This week I watched the documentary ‘Our Dyslexic Children’. The film documents the story of a group of parents in a suburban school district near Columbus, Ohio who discovered their children had…

There’s a hotly debated topic amongst teachers and schools that’s getting a lot of attention lately…… ‘What readers are the best to use to support students learning to read…..predictable, decodable or story books’. When you sit down to plan what you’re teaching for your small group reading instruction or in your literacy program, how do…