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

Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a fourth season!

Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and practitioners, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!

For this surprise bonus episode, buckle up and join Kate Winn and Una Malcolm for a candid conversation about all things reading! Kate and Una share their "road bumps" and "refuels" along the road to reading for all. 

Stay tuned for Season 4 of Reading Road Trip this summer where we'll bring another carload of fabulous guests along for the ride.

Keen to explore some of the resources Kate and Una mentioned in the episode?

Season 3 wraps up with a jam-packed episode featuring Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. Kate and Amanda have a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and human behaviour - how do children learn new things? From the instructional hierarchy to incremental rehearsal, don't miss this fabulous episode!

Show Notes:

Curious about Amanda's insights into Kindergarten math instruction? Take a peek at the links she shared:

Paired partner practice

Independent practice

Teacher-directed whole-class error correction

This week Kate is joined by Dr. Amanda Nickerson for a candid conversation about supporting gifted and highly advanced readers. Don't miss this episode that highlights the value of advanced decoding and spelling instruction for skilled readers!

Dr. Andrea Fraser joins Kate to chat about her systems change journey: first in a board central team role, shifting her district's literacy instruction to structured literacy, and then preparing preservice teachers to teach with a structured literacy approach. Tune in to hear her insights on bridging the gap between research and practice at the district level and in higher education!

The Basics of Decoding and Spelling Instruction is a low-cost, asynchronous online course offered by IDA Ontario. Students in Canadian education, EA, or SLP programs, as well as educators working in First Nation schools, can receive free access here.

IDA Ontario partners with Dyslexia Canada to develop ONlit.org, a free website designed to support educators with the revised Ontario Language curriculum. Don't miss the most recent resource - a free embedded picture mnemonic set!