Leslie & Mara welcome Dr. Carolyn Strom - first grade teacher, turned reading specialist/literacy consultant, turned NYU Professor. Carolyn joins the podcast to discuss the pervasive gaps between research and practice and the importance of connecting the two for our earliest learners - whose brains are developing the most! You won't want to miss this lively conversation!

Click here to download a copy Dr. Strom's Family Playlist and Extension Activities.

Leslie & Mara are thrilled to chat with their dear friend and spell master extraordinaire, Donna Van Allen! If you've ever wondered what it's like to host a county-wide spelling bee, look no further. In this short episode, Donna shares tips for future spelling bee contestants and her experiences from over a decade as the  spell master for the Los Angeles County Spelling Bee. Is it possible to stump a spell master? Find out!

Welcome to Leading Literacy, a new podcast from Los Angeles County Office of Education's Reading Language Arts Unit. In this first episode, we get to know Leslie and Mara and find out why they decided to give podcasting a shot.