Many bolt on spelling programs are doing little to improve children’s spelling abilities, especially for our most vulnerable learners.  In fact many of the most common spelling activities have been shown to be a ineffective. This is most apparent in the gap between student’s weekly spelling test scores and their spelling accuracy in their writing.

Join me in Episode #45 as I unpack some key evidence based strategies that will help make spelling knowledge stick.

To find out more visit www.theliteracycollective.com

As a literacy coach I see so many phonics scope and sequences that have multiple weeks focused on this ‘so called’ concept of 'BLENDS', but is it truly necessary? 

Well podcast #44 will give you important insights into why 'blends' should be seen as a process not a concept.

Join me as we discover 4 common errors in phonics programs around this concept of 'blends' and give you practical strategies to fast track phonics success.

To find out more visit www.theliteracycollective.com

Guided reading time should adopt a powerful instructional approach to teaching reading that promotes a high level of reading growth.

Unfortunately, 'round robin' reading methodologies have crept into common practise. There is considerable evidence that this methodology is ineffective so let's understand why….

Join me in Episode #43 as I share the 6 steps to maximise learning during guided reading time.

To get a copy of your freebies and show notes visit www.theliteracycollective.com/podcast

To find out more visit www.theliteracycollective.com

Episode #42 takes a close look at guided reading groups and the negative talk in the 'Science of Reading' community. Tune in as I give you some key considerations before jumping on any bandwagon, and more importantly, gain the skills to decipher the information presented out there so you can reflect on your own practice and make decisions that will maximise learning for YOUR classroom and YOUR students. I'll show you how you can have group work and align it to 'Science of Reading' instructional methods if structured and planned well.

To find out more visit www.theliteracycollective.com

Are you a leader in a school wanting to start the process of aligning practices to the Science of Reading, but just don’t know where to start?

Change can be hard at the best of times but moving to Science of Reading instructional methods is definitely worth the effort. When schools make the decision to adjust their methodologies to align with SoR, they are choosing to provide the most effective, current, evidence based literacy instruction that caters for all students especially your most vulnerable.

Join me in Episode #41 as I share 4 key strategies to get the ball rolling in your school, even if you have resistant teachers.

Find out more at www.theliteracycollective.com

Whether you're on the 'Science of Reading' journey on your own, with a small group of collegues or as a whole school, Episode #40 is full of practical strategies for everyone who is wanting to effect change in their schools.

As the saying goes, 'when we know better, we do better' so join me on the journey to fast track literacy success in your school even if you're faced with resistance from colleagues or members of leadership.

The tide is turning, governments and school systems are slowly beginning to realise that 'Science of Reading'  holds the key to fixing the failing literacy problem so you just might be the one leading the change in your school.

Next week, in Part 2 of this topic. I’ll look at the scenario of school environments where administration is wanting to implement  a SoR program but is faced with resistance from their teachers. 

To download the freebies and hear more of our podcasts visit www.theliteracycollective.com/podcast 

Join me in Episode #39 as I address the strong views of teachers around the use of running records.

I want to help teachers enhance the literacy development of all students by preventing them from wasting time and resources on ineffective, expensive and outdated approaches to reading assessment.

I'll share some strategies of how to replace ineffective assessments with rigorous, evidence-based tools for reading assessment and take an important step towards evidence-based reading instruction and remediation.

For more, visit www.theliteracycollective.com

Podcast #38 was inspired by some great conversations that I had last week with teachers who are coming up to a reporting period and are implementing their 'end of semester' assessments. 

The questions and stories that the teachers had around their benchmark testing were so relevant to everyone who is transitioning to methodologies that are based on the ‘science of reading’ and they were just too good not to share.

Join me as I unpack the purpose of reading assessments and give you the knowledge to make effective decisions, challenge the old, save yourself a whole lot of valuable time all while providing the best monitoring and assessment systems to cater for early intervention.

To find out more, visit www.theliteracycollective.com

PART B: As a literacy coach, I visit many schools supporting teachers in their journey implementing literacy programs using the ‘Science of Teaching Reading’ methodologies.

Last week I was chatting with Prep staff at one particular school. They were mentioning how quickly most of the children were progressing, already blending and segmenting words successfully and transferring this to reading and writing. However, there were still a small group of students in each class that they felt were progressing a lot slower.  They asked some great questions like….

‘What skills should students have by now?’

‘What should we do for these students?’

‘When and how should we be assessing them?’

‘When should we provide withdrawal intervention?’

Join me in Episode #36  and #37 as I unpack the crucial strategies of Phonemic Awareness.  I'll show you how to identify deficits and give you some practical strategies to implement with your vulnerable students.

Don't forget to grab your FREE Phonemic Awareness Reading Readiness Assessment and also scroll down to our Lesson Library.

See our Video Library and download your freebie at:

https://theliteracycollective.com/36-how-to-identify-reading-deficits-early-and-the-practical-strategies-to-fill-the-gaps/

As a literacy coach, I visit many schools supporting teachers in their journey implementing literacy programs using the ‘Science of Teaching Reading’ methodologies.

Last week I was chatting with Prep staff at one particular school. They were mentioning how quickly most of the children were progressing, already blending and segmenting words successfully and transferring this to reading and writing. However, there were still a small group of students in each class that they felt were progressing a lot slower.  They asked some great questions like….

‘What skills should students have by now?’

‘What should we do for these students?’

‘When and how should we be assessing them?’

‘When should we provide withdrawal intervention?’

Join me in Episode #36 as I unpack the first 4 crucial strategies of Phonemic Awareness.  I'll show you how to identify deficits and give you some practical strategies to implement with your vulnerable students.

Next week we will unpack the last 4 strategies (Part 2) and give our teachers more strategies that will fast track their vulnerable student's success.