By Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan
4.8
6060 ratings
The podcast currently has 189 episodes available.
How much do we need to know about morphology and etymology to effectively help students? Is etymology an essential component to spelling and reading instruction?
Will phonics instruction bore students?
Is exposure to interesting books enough to foster a love of reading for people who don’t have solid word decoding skills?
This episode is a follow-up commentary on the National Literacy Month series the BE podcast network (https://bepodcast.network/) did as a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org/).
EP 176: Building the language skills for reading, writing, and spelling (with Dr. Jan Wasowicz)
(https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-176-building-the-language-skills-for-reading-writing-and-spelling-with-dr-jan-wasowicz/)
EP 177: Debunking reading myths and defining literacy buzzwords (with Anna Geiger)
(https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-177-debunking-reading-myths-and-defining-literacy-buzzwords-with-anna-geiger/)
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.
Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.
Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you’d like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/
You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Many skeptics of the science of reading are concerned that structured approaches will bore kids and make it less likely they’ll enjoy reading.
These concerns are unfounded for a number of reasons.
First, structured approaches help reach students who don’t learn through implicit learning (which is a lot of kids).
It’s hard to develop a love of something when you’ve failed repeatedly and no one has given you the tools to do it. Enjoyment comes with competence and confidence.
Second, many people assume that the science of reading is all about drilling phonics worksheets. But it’s not!
Good teachers know how to make structured approaches engaging and interesting. Even if they’re challenging. Good phonics instruction is not about drill and kill.
And finally, the science of reading is WAY more than just phonics. It includes many other linguistic skills that help students decode, comprehend sentences, understand what they’re reading, spell words, or communicate through writing.
Read-alouds and think-alouds are a powerful, accessible way to build these important language skills.
That’s why I invited Dr. Molly Ness to episode 182 of De Facto Leaders as part of the National Literacy Month RIF series to talk about literacy advocacy work and the power of using read-alouds and think-alouds to build vocabulary.
Dr. Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. She earned a doctorate in reading education at the University of Virginia, and spent 16 years as an associate professor at Fordham University in New York City. The author of five books, Molly served on the Board of Directors for the International Literacy Association and is a New York state chapter founder of the Reading League. Dr. Ness has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction.
She provided literacy leadership for nationally recognized literacy non-profits, as well as major educational publishers. In 2024, Molly was invited to serve on the New York State Dyslexia Task Force. A frequent speaker and presenter, her happy place is translating the science of reading to schools and teachers. As a tireless literacy advocate, Molly created the End Book Deserts podcast, which brings awareness to the 32 million American children who lack access to books. She is currently writing a forthcoming Scholastic book, helping teachers understand orthographic mapping. In 2024, she founded Dirigo Literacy, a literacy consulting firm supporting schools, districts, and states align with and implement the science of reading.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅The impact of vocabulary on comprehension
✅The science of reading as an evolving body of work instead of a trend or curriculum
✅Book deserts: Concerning statistics and how to help
✅Getting started with policy briefs and advocacy work
✅Think-alouds and read-alouds: Why they’re not just for younger kids
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here.
In this episode I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here.
You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Students who meet the criteria for developmental language disorder (DLD) are often categorized as “speech only” in the school systems.
In many cases, these students qualify for special education services under the eligibility category of “speech and language impaired”, which puts speech-language pathologists who serve as case managers in a difficult position ethically.
Sometimes students may qualify for services under other eligibility categories, but there’s still a lack of awareness about the diagnosis; especially relating to how we serve students in schools.
The impact on literacy and overall academic performance can be substantial; not to mention life outcomes outside of school.
Unlike other diagnoses that have other pathways to diagnosis in the early years, signs of DLD are often not identified until students start school.
Therefore, DLD is an essential part of conversations surrounding literacy (even though it can impact way more than just reading).
That’s why I invited Dr. Karla McGregor to episode 181 of De Facto Leaders to talk about DLD as part of the National Literacy Month RIF series.
Dr. Karla K. McGregor, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a Senior Scientist at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, NE, USA, where she also serves as the Senior Director of the Center for Childhood Deafness, Language and Learning. She is a Professor Emerita at the University of Iowa and a founding member and Chair of DLDandMe.org. Dr. McGregor’s scholarly work on developmental language disorder is funded by the National Institutes of Health and she has also benefited from the support of the National Science Foundation and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is the former Editor for the Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research. Her awards include Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Kawana Award for Lifetime Achievement in Publishing. She has been fortunate to mentor 12 doctoral students, six post-doctoral scholars, and numerous early-career scientists.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this episode, we discuss:
✅Developmental language disorder: Characteristics and overlaps with conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and auditory processing disorder.
✅School teams are “permitted” to use the term “DLD” in the schools. What does that mean in practice?
✅How language disorders impact important life skills such as the driver’s test or understanding your Miranda rights.
✅Universal screeners: Reading screeners are an opportunity to identify DLD, but will they catch every child who needs services?
You can learn more about Dr. McGregor’s work in DLD advocacy along with her colleagues here: https://dldandme.org/
Learn more about her scholarly work on her Wix site here: https://karlamcgregor.wixsite.com/my-work
Connect with her via email at [email protected]
Dr. McGregor mentioned this article she wrote with Dr. Tiffany Hogan for Reading Rockets: https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/neurodiversity-and-children-learning-differences/developmental-language
I mentioned the following conversation about high school language therapy and helping students with language disorders pass the driving exam: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-147-high-school-language-therapy-do-we-still-have-time-to-make-an-impact-with-tiffany-shahoumian-ruiz/
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here.
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here.
You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns H...
There is a disproportionate number of individuals with communication disorders and reading disabilities involved with the justice system for both children and adults.
Past research suggests that more than 40% of incarcerated people have some type of nonpsychiatric disability (Berzofsky et al., 2015; Bixby et al., 2022; Thompson, 2022)
Additionally, once youth are involved in the justice system, it becomes more difficult for them to access the education and therapeutic services they need.
Both literacy and language skills will impact someone’s ability to comprehend employee or disciplinary handbooks, to read language in legal documents, fill out job applications, and or explain past events during job interviews, when interacting with school staff or with law enforcement.
Many times things are written off as “behavior problems” when the real underlying issue could be tied to language, reading, or writing.
That’s why I invited Dr. Shameka Stewart to episode 180 of the De Facto Leaders podcast).
Dr. Shameka Stewart is an Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Juvenile Forensic Speech-Language Pathologist(r). Dr. Stewart is also a special education advocate trained by the Wright's Law training center. Dr. Stewart’s clinical and scholarly work specializes in Juvenile Forensics, Law Enforcement Interaction with youth with CD, child language disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Her primary research focuses on the Confluence and Impact of cognitive and communication disorders on the school-to-confinement pipeline, status offenses, involvement with the criminal justice system, law enforcement interaction, and criminal recidivism in youth placed at-risk for delinquency and crime (especially Black and Brown youth from under-resourced areas).
Dr. Stewart is also a clinically certified and licensed speech-language pathologist and is licensed to practice in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and multiple other states. Through her work, Dr. Stewart has created cutting edge social justice and juvenile justice specialty courses for graduate CSD students, nationally known training programs for law enforcement and legal counsel, and national and international CE workshops and training for licensed SLP clinicians, students, and families of children with special needs.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅The relationship between reading challenges and the school-to-confinement pipeline.
✅Why “behavior problems” could be related to language processing, reading, or writing challenges.
✅When youth become involved with the justice system, how do they get access to special education services (including language therapy)?
✅“They should know better”: Why we can’t assume kids comprehend language in the school discipline handbook.
✅A case for continuing direct language therapy in high school (and why therapists need support from school leaders in making this happen).
You can connect with Dr. Stewart on her website here: www.juvforensicslp.com
Connect with her on Instagram @drjuvenile_forensicslp
Join her Facebook group SLPs 4 Juvenile Justice here.
References for this episode’s show notes:
Berzofsky, M., Bronson, J., & Maruschak, L. L. (2015). Disabilities among prison and jail inmates, 2011–12. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Bixby, L., Bevan, S., & Boen, C. (2022). The link between disability, incarceration, and social exclusion. Heath Affairs, 41,10. doi: https://.doi.org/10.1377.hlthaff.2022.00495
Thompson, E. (2022). Reading through the lines; The correlation between literacy and incarceration. Retrieved from: https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2022/03/21/reading-through-the-lines-the-correlation-between-literacy-and-incarceration/
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here.
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here.&n...
How can school leaders make informed decisions about reading curriculum when they know the home environments among their student body vary widely?
I don’t envy people tasked with these kinds of decisions.
My opinion is that schools should ensure students get their instructional needs met during the school day, because it’s difficult to control what happens to students once they leave the school campus.
Direct instruction of reading has to fall on the plate of educators. If we assume certain practices will be done at home consistently, we create huge equity issues.
With all that being said, school staff can work to create a shared partnership with families and communities. Even though they might aim to include the essentials during the school day, they can provide opportunities and tools for students and families to support literacy outside formal classroom instruction.
I invited Susan Brady, a reading specialist from Illinois, to De Facto Leaders episode 179 to discuss how she’s helped her community get access to books and extracurricular activities that support literacy.
Susan Brady has been in the teaching profession for over 40 years. She worked in a private school where she taught first grade and kindergarten. Sixteen years ago she began work in the public schools as a kindergarten teacher. In 2008, she received her Master’s Degree in Reading from Governors State University and became a Reading Specialist. She moved to middle school 5 years ago and works with small groups, large groups, and push-ins. She also has started and run engaging book clubs for her students to help get them excited about reading.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this conversation, Susan shares:
✅Are reading teachers getting the pre-service training they need to critically evaluate research and implement instructional practices?
✅Relying a curriculum versus leveraging a curriculum to guide your practice
✅How to start a book club and get students excited about reading
✅Where to find inexpensive or free books for schools and families
✅Navigating logistical and equity issues when hosting community events and running extracurriculars.
The following resources were mentioned in this episode:
Our partner for the National Literacy Month Campaign, Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org)
Better World Books (https://www.betterworldbooks.com/)
First Book (https://firstbook.org)
BookShare (https://www.bookshare.org)
United for Literacy (https://www.bookshare.org)
Little Free Library (https://littlefreelibrary.org)
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.
Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.
Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you’d like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here.
You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
In 2015, the Office of Special Education Programs published a letter stating that school teams were “not prohibited” from using the term “dyslexia”.
Unfortunately, this letter left many questions unanswered and is often misinterpreted.
Parents seeking out services for their children are still unsure how to advocate for appropriate services in their schools and communities.
School teams are still unsure about what they’re “permitted” vs. “required” to do.
Professionals are unsure who is qualified or responsible for identifying students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
That’s why I invited Tom Parton to episode 178 of De Facto Leaders to discuss legal mandates, ethical obligations, and factors school teams should consider when making decisions about curriculum and assistive technology.
Tom Parton is a private Speech Language Pathologist in Normal, Illinois. He retired after 35 years of public-school practice. Tom is President of Everyone Reading Illinois and is a member of ERI’s Legislative Committee. Tom has presented on autism and language/literacy topics at local, state, and national conferences. Tom participated in the ISBE Reading Instruction Advisory Group and Teachers of Reading Certification task forces. He is currently a member of the ISBE Dyslexia Handbook revision team. He is past-president of the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is ISHA Honors Committee co-chair and a member of ISHA’s Leadership Development Committee. Tom is the 2024 chair of the American Speech Language Hearing Association Committee of Ambassadors.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅What do federal guidelines require when it comes to identifying and serving students with reading/writing disabilities?
✅Picking the right battles to fight: Do we focus on the labels or the services and curriculum?
✅Who is qualified or responsible for diagnosing dyslexia?
✅The ethical problem with giving up on word-decoding in secondary school.
✅What skills do students need to effectively use assistive technology for reading, writing, and spelling?
Additional resources mentioned in this episode:
The Dyslexia Handbook from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Dyslexia-Handbook.pdf)
ISBE Comprehensive Literacy Plan (https://www.isbe.net/literacyplan)
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) (https://dyslexiaida.org)
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Dyslexia Handbook (https://dyslexiaida.org/ida-dyslexia-handbook/)
The Reading League of Illinois (https://il.thereadingleague.org)
The Illinois SLD Support Project (https://sldsupports.org)
Dyslegia: State Dyslexia Laws (https://www.dyslegia.com/state-dyslexia-laws/)
Williams, V. (2023) Letter from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of “Developmental Language Disorder” for special education eligibility. Office of Special Education Programs. Retrieved from: https://www.asha.org/siteassets/advocacy/comments/OSEP-Response-Letter-to-ASHA-on-DLD-5.30.23.pdf
Yudin, M. K. (2015). Letter from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of “Dyslexia” for special education eligibility. Office of Special Education Programs. Retrieved from: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/policy_speced_guid_idea_memosdcltrs_guidance-on-dyslexia-10-2015.pdf
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.r...
There are many “science of reading” terms being used right now (including the “science of reading” itself).
Yet debates about how to help kids become literate continues; and part of that is because of common logical fallacies applied to education.
That’s why I invited Anna Geiger to episode 177 of De Facto Leaders to define important literacy terms and discuss myths associated with teaching reading.
Anna Geiger is a former teacher, mom of six, the founder and owner of The Measured Mom, host of the TripleR Teaching podcast, and author of books such as “Reach all Readers”. She was a balanced literacy advocate for twenty years. As both a classroom teacher and teacher educator, she promoted three-cueing using leveled texts. She taught phonics, but didn’t use a scope and sequence. She provided very little direct instruction because she was sure it would bore students.
Fast-forward to 2019, when she began to realize that many of her teaching practices weren’t backed by research. Anna became Orton-Gillingham certified and earned a Science of Reading graduate certificate. She currently runs The Measured Mom website, which includes easy-prep resources that your students will love so much they’ll forget they’re learning.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅The difference between balanced literacy and structured literacy
✅Decodable texts vs. predictable texts.
✅What is three-cueing and why does it encourage poor reading habits?
✅Using syntactic and context clues: Necessary, but not sufficient for decoding.
✅Early literacy instruction: Play-based learning vs. playful learning
✅Finding the joy in reading and teaching: Can you find joy in something if you haven’t been given the skills to do it?
You can learn more about Anna Geiger’s resources on her website here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/
Order Anna’s book, “Reach all Readers” here.
Listen to my interview with Anna on her podcast, TripleR Teaching here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-help-students-improve-language-comprehension-a-conversation-with-dr-karen-dudek-brannan/
Listen to Anna’s conversation about scaffolding early writing skills with Dr. Sonia Cabell here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-scaffold-preschoolers-early-writing-skills-with-dr-sonia-cabell/
Listen to Anna's conversation with Dr. Susan Neuman about evidence-based instruction for preschoolers here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/what-does-research-say-about-teaching-preschoolers/
Listen to Anna’s commentary on decodable texts here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/dos-donts-decodable-texts/
Listen to my conversation with Mary Saghafi and Shannon Betts about reading advocacy here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-165-turning-litigious-situations-into-reading-reform-initiatives-with-mary-saghafi-and-shannon-betts/
Other books mentioned in this episode:
“Learning to Read: The Great Debate” by Jeanne Chall
“Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children 1st Ed.” by Susan Neuman, Carol Copple, & Sue Bredekamp
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here.
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more ...
The “science of reading” is trending; but in order for professionals to engage in effective instruction, they need to understand that literacy also includes spelling and writing.
Writing, spelling, and reading are interconnected, and the growing body of research continues to show us that these skills need to be taught explicitly.
That’s why I invited Dr. Jan Wasowicz to episode 176 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss the Language Literacy Network
(Link here: https://learningbydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/TLLN_11x8.5.pdf); a framework she’s created to help professionals better understand the connections between reading, writing, spelling, and language.
Dr. Jan Wasowicz has more than 40 years of experience as a speech-language, literacy, and learning specialist working with students in a variety of educational settings, including public schools, Head Start programs, and private practice. Dr. Wasowicz is frequently invited to speak about best practices in literacy assessment and instruction and has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, holding faculty positions at Northwestern University, Elmhurst College, Rush–Presbyterian–St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Governors State University. Her credits include articles published in scholarly journals and U.S. patents for her inventions of literacy software programs including Earobics® and Spelling Performance Evaluation for Language and Literacy (SPELL-3).
Dr. Wasowicz is an author of SPELL-Links to Reading & Writing and lead moderator of the SPELLTalk multi-disciplinary professional listserv. She also currently serves as an advisory board member of The Reading League of Illinois and an external consultant for Purdue University’s inter-disciplinary initiative to strengthen teacher preparation using science-based methods. Dr. Wasowicz is an ASHA-certified, IL-licensed, and FL-licensed speech-language pathologist and an ASHA Board Certified Specialist in Child Language and she holds a professional educator license with multiple endorsements from the State Teacher Certification Board of Illinois. She is the founder, president and CEO of SPELL-Links | Learning By Design, Inc., and she maintains a small private practice in IL via tele-practice and in FL serving students with oral and written language disorders.
This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅Do we need a “writing rope” to supplement the “reading rope”? Or should reading, writing and language be woven in to one literacy framework?
✅Pragmatics, executive functioning, and metalinguistic awareness: How do these components fit in to effective literacy instruction?
✅Does working on reading improve spelling? Does working on spelling improve reading?
✅Should professionals work on linguistic skills in stages? When/how should professionals start working on morphology in elementary school?
✅Defining “print to speech” and “speech to print” approaches (with specific examples).
You can find the infographic for the Language Literacy Network framework Dr. Wasowicz discussed here: https://learningbydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/TLLN_11x8.5.pdf
To engage in professional discussions with leading literary experts, join the SPELL-talk ListServ here: https://lists.learningbydesign.com/mailman/listinfo/spelltalk
Connect with Dr. Jan Wasowicz on the Learning By Design, Inc website here: https://learningbydesign.com, on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-wasowicz-phd-02917a/ or @spell-links here: http://@spell-links
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at [email protected] if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
In this episode, I’m revisiting an older episode in honor of a special event that I'm doing in the month of September, 2024.
I'm so excited to participate in the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, which we're presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).
De Facto Leaders is part of the BE Podcast Network (Link here: https://bepodcast.network/), so I’ll be participating in this effort.
About Reading Is Fundamental (RIF):
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/
What’s happening on De Facto Leaders as part of the Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) campaign:
In September, I’ll be featuring a series of guests to talk about how we can improve the nationwide literacy crisis. As part of this effort, I’ll be publishing two episodes a week during the month of September.
In October, I’ll resume the standard once a week schedule and will publish some shorter episodes that outline my key take-aways based on the September interviews. These shorter episodes will give you a chance to catch up on listening to the extra episodes; and will also give you the chance to hear my take on each interview.
To celebrate this special partnership, I’m giving my listeners 25% off their tuition when they join either Language Therapy Advance Foundations (Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy) and the School of Clinical Leadership (Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership) between September 15 and October 15.
To get access to this special rate, all you need to do is enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page.
In this re-release episode, I share:
✅What the current literacy trends show as far as the impact of texting.
✅The 3 tenets of effective literacy intervention.
✅Common mistakes people make when teaching kids to use reading strategies.
✅Three essential skills kids need in order to become fluent readers and spellers.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
In this episode, I mention the Word Study Toolkit, which comes with Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.
Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary.
1. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.
2. Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.
3. Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you’d like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign.
Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/
You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
I’m a huge supporter of professionals taking ownership of their careers; regardless of the systemic issues at play.
But having said that, I ALSO like to help educators get to a place where they can work towards addressing systems issues head on.
That’s why I was so excited to talk with Kurtis Hewson about the Collaborative Response Framework in episode 174 of De Facto Leaders.
Kurtis Hewson is an award-winning former administrator and teacher, as well as teaching faculty at the post-secondary level. He is the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning, a co-author of the text, “Collaborative Response: Three Foundational Components That Transform How We Respond to the Needs of Learners” (Corwin, 2022), and currently works with districts and schools nationally and internationally establishing Collaborative Response frameworks and interacting with thousands of educators annually.
Good teachers, therapists, and administrators often develop toolkits they can use to offer a continuum of support to students. But as Kurtis points out, they’re often operating in “silos of excellence”.
What would happen if team members worked together to pool their resources?
We discuss this topic in this episode, including:
✅People in education talk a lot about the problems with “the system”. But what is the “system” and how do we improve it?
✅Is talking about individual student needs always the best use of time at team meetings?
✅Meetings sometimes feel like an obligation or a waste of time. How do we change that?
✅What types of meetings should district level teams have and what’s the purpose of each?
✅Why school teams need 4 tiers of support rather than the traditional 3 tiers of RtI.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams.
You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
You can learn more about how to connect with Kurtis and his work at: https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/
Read about the Overview of Collaborative Response here: https://bit.ly/CR-overview
Read the Introductory Chapter of the text Collaborative Response - https://bit.ly/CR-intro
Learn about the Layers of Collaborative Teams Here: https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/publications/blog-posts/scaffolding-our-collaborative-response-purposeful-layering-t
Learn the Five Considerations to Transform Your Team Meetings here: https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/five-planning-considerations-to-transform-your-team-meetings
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
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