Getting to Know Your Readers

Getting to Know Your Readers

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi November 15, 2018 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 fluency
  • sight words
  • phonemic awareness
  • decoding skills
  • spelling

Resource Links:

  1. Oral Reading Fluency (Dibels) 
  2. Easy CBM
  3. Dolch Sight Words 
  4. Basic Phonics Test 
  5. Quick Phonological Awareness Test 
  6. Words Their Way Spelling Inventory 

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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 Vowel Teams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:28
Vowel teams are combinations of vowels (two or more) that make one sound. When students begin learning about vowel teams they have to demonstrate an understanding of sound symbol relationship where multiple vowel teams r…
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…
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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]

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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…
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…