8.3 Affirming Practices with Dr. Jasmine Rogers

8.3 Affirming Practices with Dr. Jasmine Rogers

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi October 31, 2025 Duration: 44:51

In this episode, you're getting a preview of the types of conversations happening with educators in our bonus subscription episodes.   

This month, Shannon and Mary chat with Dr. Jasmine Rogers, a reading specialist and college educator, about her dual roles in literacy.   Dr. Rogers discusses her research on African American English (AAE) and structured literacy, emphasizing the importance of affirming behaviors in promoting student motivation and effective communication. Drawing on personal experiences and professional expertise, she emphasizes the importance of affirming diverse dialects, including Black English, and fostering an inclusive and supportive classroom environment. The episode also covers translanguaging and strategies for teachers to support multilingual students, highlighting the significance of creating a positive, inclusive, and affirming classroom environment.  Tune in to learn more about effective teaching practices, the science of reading, and how teachers can better support students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.


0:00 Welcome to the Reading Teacher Lounge

01:09 Introducing Dr. Jasmine Rogers

02:37 Understanding Black Language in Education

04:34 Research on Affirming Student Language

07:32 The Importance of Cultural Awareness in Teaching

13:55 Personal Experiences and Reflections

15:48 Journey into Structured Literacy

17:37 Merging Identity with Teaching Practices

22:14 Reflecting on Teaching Practices

23:03 The Power of Translanguaging

24:57 Effective Communication Techniques

26:55 Building Positive Classroom Environments

30:04 Supporting Teachers and Students

31:29 The Importance of Authenticity in Teaching

32:59 Insights from Research

36:12 Morphology and Language Learning

39:50 Final Thoughts and Farewells


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

  1. Dr. Jasmine's website
  2. Connect with Dr. Jasmine Rogers through her website
  3. Connect with Dr. Jasmine Rogers through LinkedIn
  4. 44 Phonemes Video from RRFTS (Rollins Center for Language and Literacy)
  5. DC Public Schools Reading Clinic
  6. Frayer Model
  7. Strive for Five Conversations by Tricia Zucker and Sonia Cabell *Amazon affiliate link
  8. Education Week:  What is Translanguaging and How Is it Used in the Classroom?

Support the show



In the Reading Teachers Lounge, hosts Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi pull up a chair for a conversation that feels both deeply professional and warmly familiar. These two elementary reading teachers and Atlanta neighbors discovered a shared, fervent passion for literacy over a local dinner, realizing they were kindred spirits in their mission. That initial chat never really ended, and now it forms the heart of this podcast. Each episode invites you into their ongoing dialogue, where practical classroom strategies, reflections on what works, and thoughtful discussions about reaching every single learner are all on the table. It’s a space designed for fellow educators, dedicated parents, and anyone invested in how children learn to read, offering tangible ideas rather than abstract theory. The tone is collaborative and grounded in real classroom experiences, reflecting a joint belief that literacy is foundational. By tuning in, you gain access to their collective experience and earnest curiosity, all focused on the complex, rewarding world of teaching reading. This isn't about performance; it's about sharing a genuine professional conversation from their lounge to yours, making the Reading Teachers Lounge a unique podcast for those who live and breathe language education.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 129

Reading Teachers Lounge
Podcast Episodes
7.6 The Reading Team [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:16
Shannon 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 Curriculu…
7.5 Spelling that Sticks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:14
Shannon 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 reas…
7.4 Word Knowledge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:34
Shannon 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…
7.3 Book Equity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:23
Shannon and Mary welcome Marty Martinez from Reach Out and Read and Judy Newman from Scholastic to the podcast to talk about Book Equity. They share ideas for getting quality books in students' hands and nurturing studen…
7.2 Mending Teachers with Karen Gross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:30
Shannon and Mary have an informative and inspiring chat with Karen Gross. They learn details about how the Covid-19 pandemic affected teachers and students. Karen shares why the role of teachers is more difficult today,…
7.1 New Opportunities [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:16
Mary and Shannon catch up with each other after the summer & podcast break. They chat about their own children, their personal lives, and their plans for this upcoming school year. They discuss the implementation of Geor…
Reading Lessons with Jennifer Serravallo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:21
Shannon and Mary chat with Jennifer Serravallo, whose literacy work they have long admired. Jennifer shares how her view about reading instruction have evolved over time. Jennifer's written a new book showing teachers di…
Reaching All Readers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:53
We have a summer bonus episode for you!Shannon and Mary have Anna Geiger, the Measured Mom, join them in the lounge again to discuss the best evidence based practices that teachers can use to reach all readers. Anna's ne…
Season 6 Finale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:02
Shannon and Mary gather together to review the school year and close out the podcast season. They give updates on their personal and teaching lives and share their summer plans. Later they're joined by Kelsey (wifeteache…
Meeting Students Needs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:19
Shannon and Mary chat with Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck about differentiation and the latest updates to the Ladder of Reading and Writing. Listeners will get a better understanding of WHY it's so important to make adjus…