Let's Talk, Teacher to Teacher With Dr. Gina Pepin

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In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin focuses on the critical importance of identifying dyslexia characteristics through careful observation of students’ language, reading skills, and behavioral signs—while also considering the multi-faceted role of visual sensory processing in reading. Dr. Pepin empowers educators to look beyond test scores and notice the everyday experiences that can signal reading challenges in their students.

Discover how to observe and document patterns in language and behavior, recognize the impact of visual processing differences, and collaborate with your school team for comprehensive support. This episode offers practical strategies for early identification and intervention, encouraging teachers to approach their students with empathy and understanding.

Tune in to gain valuable insights and tools for making a real difference in the lives of readers with dyslexia—because the right observation can be the first step toward life-changing support.

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In this episode of "Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher," Dr. Gina Pepin shines a spotlight on the unique vocabulary learning challenges faced by children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Discover why fast mapping—acquiring new words quickly—is especially difficult for these students and how gaps in lexical learning impact their classroom success. Dr. Pepin shares actionable strategies for general education teachers and interventionists, including explicit vocabulary instruction, multiple exposures, use of visuals, and supporting word-learning strategies. Tune in for practical tips to empower all students to become confident, capable word-learners!

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In this episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin debunks the myth that sight word learning is all about visual memorization. Drawing on current reading science, Dr. Pepin explains how true sight word mastery actually relies on strong phonemic awareness, phonics skills, and spelling practice. Learn what orthographic mapping really means, why “see and say” is not enough, and how teachers can help every student—especially those with reading challenges—build a solid foundation for sight word success. Tune in for actionable strategies to transform your sight word instruction and foster real reading confidence!

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In this episode of "Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher," Dr. Gina Pepin explores how to balance intensive, code-based reading instruction with the vibrant, meaningful experiences that authentic texts bring to striving readers. Discover why real books, stories, and poems matter—even for students in Tier 3 intervention—and get practical strategies for integrating authentic texts alongside systematic phonics teaching. Dr. Pepin shares how read-alouds, scaffolded shared reading, and targeted word practice can help students build foundational skills while also experiencing the true purpose and joy of reading.

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In this episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin breaks down the essential building blocks of reading success: word recognition and language comprehension. Discover the key components of each—like alphabetic coding, print concepts, phonemic awareness, and the alphabetic principle for word recognition; and linguistic knowledge, background knowledge, inferencing skills, syntax, and vocabulary for language comprehension.

Join Dr. Pepin as she explains why both pillars must be developed in harmony, and how understanding the difference can transform your classroom instruction. Whether you're working with beginning readers or supporting older students, this episode offers practical insights to help every learner become a confident, skilled reader.

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In this episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin unpacks the essential components of structured language and literacy instruction. Discover how effective teaching goes beyond simply sounding out words—encompassing phonology (the speech-sound system), orthography (the writing system), syntax (sentence structure), morphology (word parts and meanings), semantics (meaning at the word, sentence, and text levels), and discourse (oral and written communication).

Dr. Pepin explains why addressing all these aspects in your instruction empowers every student—not just to read and write, but to truly understand and communicate. If you’re ready to take a comprehensive, science-based approach to literacy, this episode is for you!

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Join Dr. Gina Pepin on this laugh-out-loud episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher” as she shares an unforgettable compliment from a first-grade student: “You look so beautiful—just like a clown!” Dive into the unpredictable world of honest student feedback, the art of accepting compliments (no matter how colorful!), and the value of authenticity and joy in teaching. Whether you’ve been called a clown or a superhero by your students, this episode will have you smiling and reflecting on those magical, unfiltered classroom moments. Tune in for stories, strategies, and lots of laughs as we celebrate the unique ways students help us see ourselves—and our profession—through fresh eyes!

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Ever wondered what those Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) scores truly reveal? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin breaks down how RAN points to a child’s processing speed and automaticity, risk for reading challenges—including dyslexia—and early signals for reading fluency issues. Learn what RAN predicts, how it fits with other reading assessments, and what it can’t tell you about your students. Walk away with new tools to tailor your support and spot risks early—before reading frustrations set in. Tune in and feel more empowered with your assessment data!

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What does the Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) assessment really tell us about a young reader’s journey? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explains why LNF is a crucial risk indicator in kindergarten and early first grade, and why its relevance fades as students develop. Explore how LNF data should guide screening, why percentiles trump benchmarks, and when it’s time to focus on more powerful predictors like phonemic awareness (PSF) and decoding (NWF). Get practical, research-based tips for integrating sound and letter instruction, setting every emerging reader up for success.

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Join Dr. Gina Pepin as she unpacks the hot topic of nonsense words in early literacy! Originally created as an assessment tool to gauge students' decoding skills, nonsense words have made their way into daily instruction—but is this really best for our young readers? In this episode, Dr. Pepin explores the history, purpose, and unintended consequences of practicing nonsense words, including how it can affect the developing brain and even slow down progress for fluent readers. Tune in to learn why meaningful, authentic reading experiences are essential and discover actionable strategies for supporting your students’ real reading growth. If you’re ready to reflect on your instructional toolkit and do what’s best for kids, this episode is for you!

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