Read Aloud to Boost Comprehension

Read Aloud to Boost Comprehension

Author: Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi December 8, 2023 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 purpose for reading, the think aloud process, and engagement and extension activities for students after reading. Listen to this episode for TONS of ideas from our guest about how to get the most learning out of your read aloud experiences.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ONES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE

  1. Reading Rockets:  Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension
  2. Reading Rockets:   Vocabulary Development During Read Alouds
  3. ASCD:   The Hidden Power of Read Alouds
  4. Scholastic:   5 Easy Skills to Teach Kids During Read-Alouds
  5. Read Write Think:    Teacher Read-Aloud that Models Reading for Deep Understanding
  6. Cox Campus:  Meaningful Read Alouds for Vocabulary and Oral Language Comprehension
  7. Read Alouds for All Learners:  A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK-8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners) by Molly Ness * Amazon affiliate link
  8. Think Big with Think Alouds: A Three-Step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers by Molly Ness *Amazon affiliate link
  9. Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall *Amazon affiliate link
  10. The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game by Nancy Churnin *Amazon affiliate link
  11. The Decline by Nine (Scholastic Reads Podcast)
  12. End Book Deserts (Podcast by Molly Ness)
  13. Website for Molly Ness
  14. Contact Molly on Twitter
  15. Contact Molly on IG

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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
Phonemic Awareness:  In the Dark or With Letters? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:01
Shannon and Mary chat about the recent debate in the science of reading community about whether phonemic awareness drills without letters are a worthwhile exercise for readers. They describe activities they've done with…
Morphology [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:18
Shannon and Mary chat with Emily Conlan from @wordmorphed_ on Instagram about Morphology. Emily shows how and where Morphology fits into structured literacy instruction and the science of reading. Their discussion provid…
New Understandings about Encoding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:12
Shannon describes some new ways she's helping her older elementary students learn how to encode and spell. Mary shares the S.O.S strategy for Spelling and explains the research about encoding and the brain processing tha…
The Updated Ladder of Reading and Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:18
Shannon and Mary discuss the revised Ladder of Reading and Writing that was recently updated by Nancy Young. [Note: Our podcast has explicit permission from Nancy Young to use her Ladder infographic image and information…
The Importance of Storytelling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:31
Shannon and Mary chat with Anna Boldog from Bookr Class about the Importance of Storytelling. They share their own memories and experiences with stories as readers and teachers. And they talk about what research shares a…
Supporting Reading Teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:52
Shannon and Mary chat with LaMonica Williams, Director of Programs for Teaching Matters, about how to support reading teachers and their students through intensive but supportive coaching and literacy training. Episode L…
Scarborough's Reading Rope with Tess Kraft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:12
Shannon chats about the different strands of Scarborough's Reading Rope with Tess Kraft. They talk about all the many different skills that weave together into skilled reading and share ideas about transferring the scien…
Science of Reading with Heidi Martin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:48
Shannon and Mary chat with Heidi Martin about her journey into learning about the Science of Reading. Heidi has been documenting her literacy transformation on Tiktok (@learningwithheidi) and Instagram (@droppinknowledge…
Chatting about Scope and Sequence with Wiley Blevins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:51
Shannon and Mary chat with literacy expert Wiley Blevins about the scope and sequence of phonics instruction. Episode Links for Resources mentioned:ILA Brief Meeting the Challenges of Early Phonics Instruction by Blevins…
Season 4 Opener: Back To School & Together Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:45
In their Season 4 opener, Shannon & Mary update listeners on their summer activities and their plans for the upcoming school year and podcast season. They share what they've been reading and learning about lately, which…