Best Reading Instructional Moves

Best Reading Instructional Moves

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi November 10, 2023 Duration: 56:57

Shannon chats with Lindsay Kemeny about her new book titled 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-3 Reading Success.     Both Shannon and Lindsay have classroom experience teaching Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students, so their discussion was filled with details and stories about the best instructional strategies and techniques teachers should use to help their students become fluent readers.


RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE

  1. 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-to-3 Reading Success by Lindsay Kemeny *Amazon affiliate link
  2. Videos and Resources that accompany Lindsay's book
  3. Lindsay's website
  4. Lindsay on Twitter @LindsayKemeny
  5. Lindsay's Youtube channel
  6. Lindsay's blog
  7. FREE Science of Reading self-paced Professional Development unit from Lindsay
  8. FCRR Student Center Activities (Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Fluency, etc)
  9. Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching (What Works for Special-Needs Learners) by Anita L. Archer *Amazon affiliate link
  10. our Decodable Texts episode
  11. our Scope and Sequence episode with Wiley Blevins
  12. our Phonemic Awareness episode Season 4
  13. our Phonemic Awareness episode Season 1
  14.  Book a free call with us to tour our Patreon and see if it's right for you!
  15. Get Literacy Support through our Patreon

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
All About R-Controlled Vowels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:34
Shannon and Mary discuss how they discovered the importance of teaching phonics instruction and syllable division to help their student begin to crack the code of reading. Throughout the episode they will talk about stra…
All About Long Vowels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:05
Mary and Shannon describe how they teach long vowels to their struggling readers. They share their favorite resources and routines for conducting phonics lessons. Are you challenged by your struggling readers? Do you nee…
All About Short Vowels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:22
Shannon and Mary discuss background and strategies for teaching short vowels. You will learn facts and tidbits about literacy and why short vowels make their short, unique sounds. Hint! It has to do with the consonant ne…
Learning Disabilities 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:26
The process for identifying a specific learning disability such as dyslexia is complicated in the public school setting. In this episode Mary explains the RTI (Response to Intervention) process. She also breaks down how…
Decoding the MAP test [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:10
You've completed the benchmark assessments. You have done what has been asked of you by the administration. But really...what does that MAP score mean? Can you explain it to your students? Is it valid? Can you help your…
Getting to Know Your Readers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:56
How do you get to know your readers? Shannon and Mary share some of their experience using basic assessment tools to check foundational skills of their students: oral reading fluencysight wordsphonemic awarenessdecoding…
Becoming a Reading Teacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:00
When was it that you first felt like you were a reading teacher who made the reading "magic" happen? When did you start to see growth from your students? What was the difference in your instruction or approach? In this e…
Introduction, Why we became teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:43
In this first episode, Shannon and Mary (two elementary reading teachers) introduce themselves and tell the stories about why they chose education and describe their varied teaching experiences.Support the showGet Litera…