Our Favorite Literacy Resources

Our Favorite Literacy Resources

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi October 14, 2022 Duration: 47:16

Shannon and Mary chat about their favorite free and low cost literacy resources to use in reading lessons and tutoring sessions.   They share links to:  complete phonics curriculum resources that include scope and sequences, decodable texts, vocabulary lists and activities, phonics and phonemic awareness activities, and strategies for teaching comprehension.   Check out the links in the show notes to find resources to use with your own reading students.


Episode Resources:

  1. our episode about favorite FCRR resources
  2. Florida Center for Reading Research Student Center Activities
  3. Open Source Phonics
  4. Tools4Teaching (formerly West Virginia Phonics)
  5. UFLI new reading resources (Univ. of Florida)
  6. CKLA Curriculum Resources
  7. Emily Gibbon's Literacy Nest -Also check out her podcast, TpT resources, and her Tuesday newsletter for tips!
  8. The Measured Mom
  9. This Reading Mama
  10. Walpole & McKenna Open Up Resources
  11. Academic Vocabulary Word Lists by Grade Level (Flocabulary)
  12. Get More Vocabulary.com: Shades of Meaning
  13. Reading Rockets: Semantic Gradients  
  14. Edison Literacy
  15. Readwritethink lessons
  16. Flyleaf Publishing Decodables
  17. Open Source Phonics Decodable Texts
  18. Free passages according to Lexile (Read Works)
  19. Jan Richardson's resources
  20. Emily Gibbon's Word List Builder
  21. ISME (Institute for Multi-Sensory Education) Digital Resources
  22. Getting Reading to Read Phonemic Awareness activities *Amazon affiliate link*
  23. How to Teach Spelling *Amazon affiliate link*
  24. Handwriting Joke book *Amazon affiliate link*

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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
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…
the Comprehension Process [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:22
Shannon and Mary wrestle with understanding the nature of the comprehension process. They discuss ideas from the Blueprint for Reading Comprehension and Executive Skills and Comprehension to understand the different cogn…
Best Reading Instructional Moves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 Kinderga…
We Love Mistakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:31
Shannon and Mary talk about why they love student mistakes. They share how to make mistakes meaningful in the ways they show insight into students' learning. They chat about establishing a trusting relationship with stud…
Intervention in the Upper Grades [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:07
Shannon and Mary meet with Kionna Squires (@DaLiteracyLady) to talk about the challenges facing older struggling readers. During the discussion, they explain how meeting students where they are IS rigorous and the right…
Etymology and Orthographic Study [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:45
Shannon and Mary host a returning guest to the Reading Teachers Lounge @MindfulTeacherRachel, who you heard in Season 5 on the Schwa episode. In this episode, Shannon, Mary, and Rachel talk about English word histories a…
Back to School Reflections and Plans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:06
Shannon and Mary meet again to begin the 6th season of the podcast. They recap their summer activities in both professional and personal lives, update the audience on the plans they're making for their reading students t…
Summer Reading Tips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:26
Shannon and Mary bring you a surprise bonus episode for Season 5. They chat with Dr. Amanda Alexander from Scholastic about statistics about summer reading. In the episode, they all share tips about how to make the most…
Season 5 Finale:   Ends & Beginnings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:16
Shannon and Mary meet up to review how season 5 of the podcast has gone. They share some of the things they learned during the season and list some of their favorite episodes and guests. They also chat about the school y…