In this episode of Play On Words from Big City Readers, Beth Gaskill is joined by Naomi O’Brien, reading teacher, advocate and speaker, to talk about shaking things up in education and empowering both teachers and students to thrive.

Here’s what you can expect from this episode:

• Reflections on presenting at big conferences (and the fun moments, like talking Jonas Brothers and Boyz II Men).
• Answering your most pressing questions and the most frequently asked in both of our DMs (@bigcityreaders and @readlikearockstarteaching)
• How to share reading research effectively to support teachers.
• Helping teachers walk into the school year more confidently, especially when preparing students for important testing grades.
• Naomi’s insights on her Second Grade Reading Rescue and strategies for getting students ready for Grade 3 tests.
• Why teachers shouldn’t feel guilty—they were often misled by outdated or ineffective methods.
• Addressing the importance of critical thinking: Why some educators hesitate to question their practices.
• How to foster both urgency for students' success and empathy for teachers' challenges.
• Practical tips for stopping students from guessing words while reading and when to start formal reading instruction.
• Navigating inventive spelling: When should you correct it, and why spelling doesn’t always correlate with reading success.
• How to support emerging bilingual students and the role of speech in literacy.
• Answering questions from listeners about changing curriculum, teacher autonomy, and how to make a difference while ruffling some feathers along the way.
• Fun moments, like why babbling matters in early language development and Beth's hilarious TikTok impression.

Plus, we share Naomi’s biggest tip for getting kids ready for kindergarten and how to create a positive mindset around learning for students and teachers alike. Tune in for a conversation full of passion, practical advice, and a drive to push boundaries for the sake of our students!

Bonus Content: Download our ⁠phonological awareness assessment ⁠to help build a strong foundation for reading!