Ideas for Differentiation with Wiley Blevins

Ideas for Differentiation with Wiley Blevins

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi January 19, 2024 Duration: 1:01:17

Shannon chats with her favorite literacy guru, Wiley Blevins, about the decisions and methods that go into differentiation.    Shannon picks his brain about some of her reading students.  Also, Wiley shares insights from his coming book about adjustments that teachers can make before or during their lessons to better suit the learning levels of their students.   We always get some much wisdom from Wiley, whether it be from a direct chat, a webinar he hosts, or from a book he's authored.    Listen to this entire episode to get inspired about ways you can best meet your students' needs.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE

  1. Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact:  How to Scaffold Whole-Group Instruction So All Students Can Access Grade-Level Content by Wiley Blevins *Amazon affiliate link (For PreOrder)
  2. Wiley's website
  3. Reading Rockets:    Differentiated Instruction for Reading
  4. Reading Rockets:  What is differentiated instruction?
  5. Differentiated Reading Instruction:  Multiple Pathways to Literacy Success (Solution Tree)
  6. Read Write Think:   Differentiating Instruction Strategy Guide Series
  7. (Kappan Online)  Teaching Reading: Development and Differentiation
  8. FCRR: Features of Effective Instruction Overview 
  9. Sadlier School: 13 Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction in the  Classroom
  10. (Read Naturally) Differentiating Instruction: Teaching Differently to Improve  Instruction
  11. Benchmark Decodable Books
  12. UFLI Foundations Deconudable Text Guide 
  13. Linnea Ehri Continuous Blending Study 
  14. Stanford Study (Bruce McCandliss) 
  15. Empowering Writers

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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
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…
Delightful Word Learning with Colette Hiller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Shannon and Mary chat with critically acclaimed author and experienced actress & advocate Colette Hiller about ways to make word learning innovative and fun. Colette is releasing a new book titled Colossal Words for Kids…
Supportive Strategies for Working Memory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:44
Shannon and Mary chat about how to best support learners with working memory challenges. This is a companion episode to a deep dive learning topic we went through with our Patreon community about Working Memory. Listener…
Meaningful Professional Learning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:46
Shannon and Mary talk with Kelly Butler and Carla Stanford about professional learning that is meaningful. Kelly Butler worked with the Barksdale Reading Institute to bring about systems change in reading instruction in…
the Intersection of Speech, Reading, and Language [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:30
Shannon and Mary chat with speech therapist Dr. Karen Dudek Brannan about the overlaps between speech, reading, and language. Dr. Karen helps us understand the challenges facing students with language impairments. From t…
the Importance of Handwriting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:40
Shannon and Mary discuss the importance of prioritizing handwriting instruction simultaneously with reading and writing instruction in the early grades. Learn why handwriting is essential for overall literacy development…
Date Your Data [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:31
Shannon shares with Mary the steps she follows for analyzing student data. This Date Your Data process requires multiple steps of looking at test scores, improvement goals, student strengths and weaknesses, and then conn…
Building Knowledge with Linda Rhyne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:44
Shannon and Mary are joined in by Linda Rhyne in the Reading Teachers Lounge. They share a deep dive of information from the book, The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler. This episode is full of information and strategies t…
Gifts for Our Readers with Dr. Karen Gazith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:32
Shannon and Mary chat with Dr. Karen Gazith about her new book The Power of Effective Reading Instruction. The conversation flowed through many topics but ultimately what you can gain from our discussion is the gifts we…
Read Aloud to Boost Comprehension [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:43
Mary and Shannon chat with Dr. Molly Ness about her new book Read Alouds for All Learners. Molly shares how teachers should intentionally plan their read alouds, with thought put into the vocabulary instruction, the purp…