It’s the season finale of Season 4 of Reading Road Trip! Kate wraps up the season with an all-star lineup of nine expert guests, each sharing one powerful tip to set you up for your best school year yet. From data meetings to integrated instruction, parent communication to avoiding burnout, this finale is packed with practical advice you can use right away. Join us as we celebrate the close of another fabulous podcast season with insights from some of the most thoughtful voices in the field.

Many thanks to this episode's fabulous guests: Dr. Renata Archie, Dr. Sonia Cabell, Dr. Pam Kastner, Dr. Holly Lane, Dr. Matt Burns, Dr. Jamie Metsala, Alicia Smith, Jacqueline Chartier, and Dr. Todd Cunningham!

Season 1, Episode 6 — Dr. Renata Archie on universal screening

Season 1, Episode 2 — Dr. Sonia Cabell on early literacy

Season 1, Episode 3 — Dr. Holly Lane on foundational reading skills

Kate chats with educator and author Blake Harvard about his book Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning. They explore what we know about attention, working memory, and long-term memory, why multitasking doesn’t work, and practical strategies like retrieval and spaced practice that help students remember more.

This episode mentions:

Métis Christmas Mittens by Leah Marie Dorion, with Michif translation by Norman Fleury

Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning by Blake Harvard

The Effortful Educator blog by Blake Harvard

Powerful Teaching by Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain

Kate welcomes three educators from the Near North District School Board to share how they transformed reading outcomes for intermediate students through a targeted, data-driven structured literacy intervention. Lisa Rogers, Courtney Berger, and Kristen Roy walk us through the data that prompted the initiative, the logistics of scheduling and grouping, and the instructional choices that made a difference for older students. From explicit instruction with the REWARDS program to building safe, motivating classroom spaces, their stories highlight not only measurable academic growth but also powerful shifts in student confidence and identity as readers.

This episode mentions:

This week, Kate welcomes Dr. Tiffany Hogan to explore Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). They dig into what DLD is, how it relates to dyslexia, signs educators can watch for at different grade levels, and how to support students in the classroom. Dr. Hogan shares insights on screening, assessment, and instructional strategies, as well as misconceptions that can impact identification and services. The conversation is packed with practical advice for educators and a call to action to raise awareness about DLD.

This episode mentions:

Reading Road Trip hits the road! In this special episode, co-producer Dr. Una Malcolm swaps her behind-the-scenes hat for a mic as she and host Kate Winn unpack their highlights and hot takes from the 2025 Society for the Scientific Study of Reading Conference in Calgary. From poster sessions to practitioner panels (and even a scenic detour to Banff), Kate and Una reflect on their conference adventure. Plus, listen in for a bonus segment featuring top structured literacy tips from Reading Road Trip listeners!

Links to past Reading Road Trip episodes mentioned:

This week, Kate Winn chats with educator and SyllaSense decodable book author Lee-Ann Lear. They discuss the role decodables can play in a structured literacy classroom, common misconceptions, and practical tips for using decodable text. Lee-Ann also shares how SyllaSense got started, how the books are written and reviewed, and why their scope and sequence goes beyond just phonics. Whether you’re new to decodable text or already using it regularly, this episode offers helpful insights for educators supporting early readers.

Mentioned in this episode: 

What is implementation science, and why should educators care about it? In this episode, Kate welcomes Dr. Katlynn Dahl-Leonard to break down how this field can help close the gap between literacy research and classroom practice. They discuss Katlynn's recent study on teacher implementation of a structured literacy intervention, components of fidelity, and what makes implementation easier - or harder - for educators. Tune in for practical insights on supporting evidence-based instruction in real-world settings.

This episode mentions:

Kate is joined by Dr. Sarah Lupo, and together, they explore how to support adolescent readers across subjects with practical, research-informed strategies. Dr. Lupo discusses the five major challenges that make texts tough for students, shares tools for scaffolding instruction, and explains how to centre identity, language, and purpose in secondary literacy. Whether you're an English, science, or history educator, this episode offers concrete ideas you can apply right away.

Links:

Tackling Tough Texts by Sarah Lupo, Dan Reynolds, and Christine Hardigree

On the Trapline by David A. Robertson and Julie Flett

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy – Special Issue on Foundational Skills (Guest Edited by Dr. Lupo)

This week, Kate Winn welcomes Irish educator and researcher Dr. Jen O’Sullivan to explore how young children develop the ability to make inferences and how educators can explicitly support this essential skill. From playful, practical strategies to research-backed insights, this episode is packed with ideas to bring inferencing to life in the early years.

Mentioned in the Episode:

The Game by Henry Charles Ten Bears and Shoshannah Greene

RAND Reading Study Group (2002)

Oakhill and Cain (2012) study on inference and comprehension

Tighe and Schatschneider (2014) study on predictors of reading comprehension

Hall et al. (2019) study on inference instruction with English language learners

Jen O’Sullivan’s Substack

Buckle up - it's the Season 4 premiere of Reading Road Trip! Host Kate Winn kicks off the new season with Dr. Leslie Laud of thinkSRSD for a lively and practical conversation about transforming writing instruction. From kindergarten to high school, discover how this evidence-based approach is scaling across classrooms, building confidence, reducing teacher workload, and aligning beautifully with Canadian curricula.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Cedar School Decodables by Strong Nations Publishing

thinkSRSD

CommonLit

ONlit.org thinkSRSD resources: Getting Started with thinkSRSD and Grade 3 thinkSRSD-inspired POWeR Cycles

thinkSRSD Facebook Group