In this heartfelt roundtable episode, Michelle is joined by her Science of Reading sidekicks, Heidi Martin, Jessica Farmer, and Yvette Manns to reflect on the very first Science of Reading Mini-Con! From spark-filled sessions to swag bags and sound baths, this conversation is full of gratitude, laughter, and heartfelt takeaways.

They revisit each session, share their most memorable moments, and get real about why this work is so personal. You’ll walk away inspired, encouraged, and ready to “keep it going” in your own classroom and community.

Thank you to the Science of Reading Mini-Con Sponsors:

• Hand2Mind
• Lexia
• Reading.com
• Slant System
• IMSE

Connect with the Science of Reading Mini-Con Presenters:

• Follow @scienceofreadingminicon on Instagram! 
• Heidi Martin @droppinknowledgewitheidi
• Jessica Farmer @farmerlovesphonics 
• Yvette Manns @the_lit_teacher
• Jake Daggett @jake_daggett
• Michelle Sullivan @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this powerful episode of Literacy in Color, I’m joined by lawyer-turned-author Tiffany Obeng, founder of Sugar Cookie Books. Together, we unpack the significance of representation in children’s literature, especially for Black boys, and how her “Andrew Learns” series is challenging the traditional narratives and creating space for all kids to feel seen, celebrated, and inspired.

Tiffany shares why statistics around literacy fuel her work and how we as educators and parents can build inclusive, representative libraries. This episode is a must-listen for anyone building a classroom or home library with intentionality and heart.

Resources Mentioned:

• Truth About Reading Documentary
• Check out Tiffany’s Books here!

Connect with Tiffany Obeng:

• Website: www.sugarcookiebooks.com
• Website: www.tiffanyobeng.com
• LinkedIn: Tiffany Obeng, Esq.
• Instagram: @sugarcookiebooks
• Facebook: Sugar Cookie Books
• Pinterest: Sugar Cookie Books
• TPT: Sugar Cookie Books

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this powerful episode, we welcome back Dr. Molly Ness, literacy researcher, educator, and co-author of “Making Words Stick”, the latest release from the Scholastic Science of Reading in Practice series. Together with Dr. Katie Pace Miles, Molly has created a teacher-friendly guide to help educators understand orthographic mapping and implement a 4-step routine that supports the mapping process.

We dive into what orthographic mapping actually is, why it matters, and how it’s different from memorization. Molly walks us through how the brain learns to read, busts myths about word repetitions, and explains why students must connect sound, spelling, and meaning to build a strong reading brain.

Whether you're new to the term “orthographic mapping” or looking to strengthen your instructional practice, this episode is packed with practical insight and inspiration. Get ready to geek out over the reading brain and walk away with ready-to-use classroom strategies that help words stick.

Key Takeaways:

• Orthographic mapping is an invisible cognitive process where words become instantly recognized, not memorized.
• Sound - Spelling - Meaning Connection
• Quality matters more than quantity when it comes to word repetitions.
• A 4-step instructional routine: See & Say, Segment & Spell, Study & Suss Out, Search & Stick
• Spelling is a key indicator of a student’s linguistic understanding and should be intentionally taught alongside reading.

Resources Mentioned:

• Making Words Stick 
• IES (Institute of Education Sciences) Practice Guides

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Dr. Molly Ness:

• Website: https://www.mollyness.com/
• Website: https://www.dirigoliteracy.com/
• LinkedIn: Molly Ness, PhD
• Instagram: @a_reading_mother
• BlueSky: ‪@mollyness.bsky.social‬
• End Book Desert Podcast

Connect with Dr. Katie Pace Miles:

• Website: https://www.katiepacemilesphd.com/
• Website: https://www.readinginstitutenyc.org/
• Reading Ready Programs
• Advanced Certificate in Reading Science
• Instagram: @thereadinginstitutenyc

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this episode of Literacy in Color, we’re heading across the pond to Ireland for a powerful conversation with Dr. Treasa Bowe, an international literacy leader and passionate advocate for morphology, etymology, and meaningful instruction. With over two decades of teaching experience in both Ireland and the U.S., Dr. Bowe brings a truly global lens to literacy education.

Together, we explore what structured literacy looks like across contexts, how to empower multilingual learners through word study, and what it takes to implement school-wide morphology instruction - even without formal coaching systems. Treasa also shares how she created a scope and sequence for teaching morphology in the upper grades, weaving in etymology, spelling, and background knowledge in a way that’s cohesive, culturally responsive, and curiosity-driven.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to go deeper with word study, this conversation is packed with insights to spark your thinking and strengthen your practice.

Key Takeaways:

• Building a school-wide structured literacy curriculum in a multilingual setting
• How word study connects to spelling, vocabulary, and writing
• Encourage inquiry without having all the answers

Resources & People Mentioned:

• Treasa's Course: Effective Spelling Instruction - Using Morphology to Support Dyslexic Students in an Inclusive Classroom
• Language Tree
• Lyn Stone
• Zaretta Hammond
• The Reading League
• UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute)
• Etymonline
• JeopardyLabs
• Membean

Connect with Treasa: 

• Instagram: @betweenthecoversofagoodbook

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this episode of Literacy in Color, we’re diving into 4 quick, high-impact phonics drills that spark engagement and build automaticity, without eating up your entire lesson time.

These warm-ups aren’t about “drill and kill.” Instead, they’re short, intentional routines that help students review and retrieve previously taught phonics content. Whether you’re a classroom teacher or interventionist, these drills can be used flexibly, across whole group, small group, or even 1:1 settings.

4 Types of Drills:

• Visual Drill
• Auditory Drill
• Vowel Drill
• Blending Drill

Whether you’re just starting with structured literacy or looking to refine your phonics block, these quick drills are a powerful way to build momentum and confidence for every student.

Helpful Tools:

• Sound Deck for Visual Drill
• Spelling Frequency Posters

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this episode of Literacy in Color, I’m joined by the incredible Lindsay Kemeny, a trusted voice in the Science of Reading community and author of Seven Mighty Moves and Rock Your Literacy Block. Lindsay shares her journey into structured literacy, sparked by her son’s dyslexia diagnosis, and how that led to a complete transformation in her teaching and professional work.

We dive into her brand-new book, Rock Your Literacy Block, and explore what it means to build a strong, responsive, and efficient literacy block that aligns with the Science of Reading. Lindsay offers practical strategies, encouragement, and a behind-the-scenes look at how she organizes her day, structures her small groups, and maximizes every minute of instructional time.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by scheduling, pacing, or finding the “perfect” literacy routine, this conversation is a breath of fresh air. Lindsay reminds us that it’s not about perfection - it’s about progress.

Key Takeaways: 

• The inspiration behind Rock Your Literacy Block 
• The must-have components of an effective literacy block
• The art of pacing and maximizing instructional minutes

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Rock Your Literacy Block by Lindsay Kemeny
• Book: Seven Mighty Moves by Lindsay Kemeny
• Book: Seven Mighty Moves Reading Resources by Lindsay Kemeny
• The Science of Reading in Practice Series (Scholastic)

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Lindsay Kemeny:

• Instagram: @lindsaykemeny
• Facebook: Teaching with Lindsay Kemeny
• LinkedIn: Lindsay Kemeny
• X: @lindsaykemeny

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this episode of Literacy in Color, Michelle sits down with Alejandra Ramirez, a seasoned bilingual educator, reading coordinator, and literacy leader, to explore one of the most important questions in today’s classrooms: Is the Science of Reading for Multilingual Learners?

With over a decade of experience in dual language programs and extensive training in LETRS and Esperanza, Alejandra brings a nuanced and equity-centered lens to structured literacy. In this episode, Alejandra unpacks common misconceptions, explores the importance of oral language, and discusses how foundational skills instruction can be adapted to support bilingual and multilingual learners.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why Structured Literacy is for multilingual learners
• The importance of cross-linguistic connections
• The role of explicit instruction, teacher mindset, and instructional equity

Resources & Notable Figures Mentioned:

• Esperanza Dyslexia Program
• LETRS Training
• Book: Aprender a Leer by Stanislas Dehaene, neuroscientist
• Claude Goldenberg 
• Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan
• Book: Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan
• Dr. Antonio Fierro
• Dr. José Medina

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Alejandra Ramirez:

• Instagram: @stuffaboutreading

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this episode of Literacy in Color, I’m joined by my dear friend, Christina Winter from Lead in Literacy. Together, we dive into one of the hottest topics in structured literacy: small group instruction.

While some Science of Reading conversations debate whether small groups have a place in the literacy block, Christina reminds us that when done correctly—grounded in assessment, efficiency, and aligned routines—small groups can be one of the most powerful tools to differentiate instruction and target students’ exact needs.

Christina walks us through her ABC Framework for small groups:

• A — Assess
• B — Be Efficient
• C — Cut the Fluff

We also discuss how to fit small groups into busy schedules, what effective routines look like, how to handle pacing, and why teachers don't need to feel guilty about not seeing every student every day.

Key Takeaways:

• How small group instruction supports differentiated, targeted reading instruction.
• The importance of assessment-driven groupings based on universal screeners (Acadience, DIBELS, i-Ready, etc.)
• Why consistent instructional routines reduce teacher overwhelm and student anxiety.
• High-impact routines for small group instruction: phonemic awareness, word mapping, high-frequency words, blending, decodable text, comprehension, dictation, and word awareness.
• Teachers should prioritize students below benchmark for daily small groups while others can be seen less frequently.

Resources Mentioned:

• Christina's Free Small Group Toolkit (downloadable resource with lessons & templates)
• Book: A Fresh Look at Phonics by Wiley Blevins
• Dr. Julia Lindsey’s Instagram Post
• Stephanie Stollar’s Reading Science Academy
• Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Christina Winter:

• Website: https://leadinliteracy.com/
• Instagram: @lead.in.literacy 
• Christina’s Membership Site: Leaders of Literacy

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this powerful episode of Literacy in Color, we are joined by Dr. Molly Ness to explore the deep impact of read-alouds, particularly think-alouds, as well as book access.. Dr. Ness, educator, author of Read Aloud for All Learners, and host of the End Book Deserts podcast, brings her research, experience, and passion to this conversation about how language comprehension is often overlooked, but absolutely essential in the Science of Reading-centered conversations.

Dr. Ness shares what the research says about read-alouds, how teacher planning (or lack thereof) affects instructional impact, and what educators can do to be more intentional in their read-aloud routines.

We also unpack the concept of book deserts, areas where children lack access to books in their homes, schools, and communities. Dr. Ness shares creative ideas and solutions for bringing books to the kids who need them most.

Key Takeaways:

• The concept of book deserts and why book access is an equity issue
• Creative ways to distribute books in under-resourced communities
• The physiological and emotional benefits of read-alouds for all ages
• What research tells us about the power of read-alouds for language comprehension
• How think-alouds support comprehension beyond simple questioning
• Planning read-alouds with intentionality: modeling, stopping points, & strategy alignment

Resources Mentioned:

• Read Aloud for All Learners by Dr. Molly Ness
• Research: What Are Teachers Reading and Why?: An Analysis of Elementary Read Aloud Titles and the Rationales Underlying Teachers' Selections - Conradi-Smith, Craig Young, and Jane Core Yatzeck
• White paper on Language Comprehension written by Dr. Molly Ness
• Making Words Stick (newly released book by Dr. Molly Ness & Dr. Katie Pace Miles)

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Connect with Dr. Molly Ness:

• Website: https://www.mollyness.com/
• Website: https://www.dirigoliteracy.com/
• LinkedIn: Molly Ness, PhD
• Instagram: @a_reading_mother
• BlueSky: ‪@mollyness.bsky.social‬
• End Book Desert Podcast
• End Book Desert Website

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

In this special episode of Literacy in Color, Michelle is joined by her brilliant friend, Sarah Paul, to officially unveil their new course: Mastering Morphology: Foundations for Every Educator.

Together, Michelle and Sarah share the backstory behind their collaboration (Logos Literacy Academy), reflect on their own morphology journeys, and talk candidly about the challenges teachers face when trying to make sense of morphemes, word parts, and all things structural literacy.

Whether you're brand new to morphology or ready to go deeper, this episode is equal parts strategy, story, and heart.

Key Takeaways:

• Why morphology is the missing puzzle piece for many literacy classrooms
• How morphemes support struggling readers, gifted students, and everyone in between
• Practical entry points for teaching morphology—without needing to be a linguist
• A behind-the-scenes look at their course series and why it’s designed as a multi-course journey

Resources Mentioned:

• Mastering Morphology: Foundations for Every Educator - Morphology Course #1 (comprehensive & in-depth knowledge to build a solid foundation)
• Course #2 - Coming Fall 2025 will be geared for K-2 Educators (more curriculum-based)
• Course #3 - Coming Winter 2025 will be geared for 3-5 Educators (more curriculum-based)
• Logos Literacy Academy on IG: @logosliteracyacademy
• Etymonline 

Connect with Sarah Paul:

• Website
• Instagram
• TPT Store

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership