Shannon and Mary look back over Season 7 and reflect on what really matters for our reading students.   "The right things for our learners" emerged as the unofficial theme of our seventh season. This phrase encapsulates what each of us strives for – cutting through the noise to identify the most impactful practices for the unique students in front of us.

The conversations with our guests this season revealed a common thread: the need to simplify and focus on what's most important. In this episode, Shannon and Mary share some of their key takeaways from the discussions with the podcast guests over the course of the season.  They also provide details about the professional learning they've done over the past year,  changes they've made in their own teaching practices, and new resources they're using with their students.  

We want to hear from YOU in Season 8! If you're interested in joining us as a guest to discuss real classroom experiences, email us at [email protected] or reach out through our social media handle @ReadingTeachersLounge

LINKS FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

1. Magic School AI
2. Chat GPT (Mary uses for decodables)
3. Dyslexia GA DOE resources
4. Season 7 overall link
5. SWI resouces
6. Uncovering the Logic of English by Denise Eide *Amazon affiliate link
7. All About Spelling
8. Spelling for Life by Lyn Stone *Amazon affiliate link

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• Free Rubrics Guide created by us
• Finding Good Books Guide created by us

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Shannon and Mary chat with Dr. Katie Pace-Miles about MTSS and RTI, sharing practical tips for delivering effective reading interventions, choosing quality resources, and running efficient team meetings to support struggling readers.   Whether you're a classroom teacher trying to support struggling readers, a specialist designing intervention programs, or a parent advocating for your child, this conversation provides clear, actionable guidance for making literacy interventions both manageable and truly impactful.

LINKS FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

1. Easy CBM
2. Making Words Stick by Katie Pace Miles and Molly Ness *Amazon affiliate link*
3. our episode with Molly Ness from Season 6
4. overview of MTSS/RTI from understood.org
5. meeting norms
6. FCRR Fast Phrases
7. Wrights Law
8. Caregiver Guide from Katie Pace Miles
9. Letter Knowledge Guide from Katie Pace Miles
10. The Reading Institute website
11. The Reading Institute on IG
12. The Reading Institute (LinkedIn)
13. The Reading Institute (Facebook)
14. Katie Pace Miles' website
15. Connect with Katie through LinkedIn
16. Find Katie on IG
17. McGraw Hill Science of Literacy Library:
    A free resource hub containing blogs, videos, research reports, and more— designed to connect teachers with practical classroom resources and Professional Learning tips.

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• Finding Good Books Guide created by us

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What's really happening when students struggle to stay on task, complete assignments, or transition between activities? In this illuminating conversation with literacy experts Dr. Matt Strader and Dr. Douglas Fisher, Shannon and Mary delve into the complex world of executive functioning and its impact on classroom performance.  Executive functioning isn't just about behavior—it's about cognitive processes happening in the brain's prefrontal cortex. Both guests help us understand the crucial distinction between the neurological processes of executive functioning and the observable skills of self-regulation. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. McGraw-Hill Science of Literacy Library:
   A free resource hub containing blogs, videos, research reports, and more— designed to connect teachers with practical classroom resources and Professional Learning tips.
2. Dr. Douglas Fisher's website
3. Dr. Matt Strader on LinkedIn
4. Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension:  A Guide for Educators by Kelly Cartwright and Nell Duke *Amazon affiliate link
5. Center on the Developing Child from Harvard University
6. Deborah Phillips-EF as the "air traffic control system"
7. Lynn Meltzer- mountain versus trees (cognitive flexibility)
8. Amy Berry- Teacher expectations on engagement
9. Timothy Shanahan's blog from 2022 on Executive Functioning and Reading
10. Center on the Developing Child (Harvard University):  EF- video
11. Unmasking Autism by Devon Price *Amazon affiliate link*
12. FCRR: Alphabet Arc
13. Promoting Executive Functioning in the Classroom by  Lynn Meltzer   *Amazon affiliate link*
14. Cognitive Challenges  article by Stephen Chew and William Cerbin
15. Bandura-outcome expectations
16. Understood.org:  What is neurodiversity?

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Shannon and Mary talk with Dr. Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez about supporting Multi-Language Learners, exploring language development, daily classroom language demands, and practical strategies to help MLLs thrive. The information presented is relevant for teachers, administrators, and support staff seeking practical tools to enhance instruction for multilingual learners.

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. Our Season 5 Episode 2: Supporting English Language Learners
2. McGraw-Hill Science of Literacy Library:
   A free resource hub containing blogs, videos, research reports, and more— designed to connect teachers with practical classroom resources and Professional Learning tips.
3. Vanderbilt University:   Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez
4. Edutopia:  Using SIOP with English Learners
5. Savvas Learning Company:  SIOP Model Professional Learning
6. Impact of Multilingualism and Learning Patterns on Student Achievement in English and other subjects by Raees Calafato and Kevin Simmonds
7. WIDA Can Do Descriptors for various grade levels
8. Reading Rockets:  What Does Research Tell Us About Teaching Reading to English Language Learners?
9. Academic Language and ELLS: What Teachers Need to Know
10. Reading Horizons:    What's the Difference Between ESL, EFL, ESOL, ELL, MLL, and ESP?

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• Information about our Patreon membership

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Shannon chats with Laura Stewart (from 95 Percent Group) about bold moves that literacy leaders can take to transform the literacy practices in their learning communities.    Laura provides stories and strategies relating to successfully implementing best practices informed by the Science of Reading into schools and classrooms, and Shannon shares some real-life examples of what she's learned to do and not to do as a literacy leader.   Listen and also download the recommended resources from the show notes to be empowered in your transformation efforts.

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. The Courage to Lead: 10 Bold Moves for Transformational Change by Laura Stewart ebook (download link from our Google Drive)
2. bio for Laura Stewart, 95 Percent Group's Chief Academic Officer
3. Becoming a Literacy Leader by Jennifer Allen *Amazon affiliate link*
4. Cox Campus Structured Literacy training
5. The Courage to Teach:   Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's life by Parker Palmer *Amazon affiliate link
6. Science of Reading 2.0 ebook from 95 Percent Group
7. Uphill Climb article by Laura Stewart
8. NIRN Hub
9. EdWEb.net Recording with Laura Stewart and Ken Kirby regarding Professional Learning in 2025
10. 95 Percent Group on IG
11. 95 Percent Group on Twitter/X
12. 95 Percent Group on Facebook
13. Morpeheme Magic
14. Science of Reading Defining Guide (The Reading League)

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• Finding Good Books Guide created by us
• Information about our Patreon membership

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Shannon and Mary welcome Dr. Timothy Shanahan to the Reading Teachers Lounge to quiet the noise within the literacy community and help us all realize the MOST important things we should be doing for our learners according to the reading research.    Listeners will find out what practices and activities they should prioritize to improve their students' reading achievement.

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives:  How Students' Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It by Timothy Shanahan (available for PreOrder) *Amazon affililate link
2. Dr. Shanahan's website (Shananan on Literacy)
3. Dr. Shanahan's blog
4. Connect with Dr. Shananan via Facebook
5. Dr. Shanahan's blog post about Comprehension (mentions text cohesion)
6. Are We Teaching Reading Comprehension Part II:   6 Things Every Teacher Should Know (blog post by Dr. Shanahan)
7. 30 Second Mysteries *Amazon affiliate link
8. McGraw-Hill Science of Literacy Library:
   A free resource hub containing blogs, videos, research reports, and more— designed to connect teachers with practical classroom resources and Professional Learning tips. 

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• Information about our Patreon membership

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Shannon and Mary chat with Brandi Dugal from The Fidget Game, featured on Shark Tank, about unique ways to engage and motivate students to learn.   They share methods for gamification, brain breaks, and other strategies teachers can use to increase student engagement.  Listen for ideas to make reading more fun and how to help motivate even the most reluctant readers to get excited about their learning.

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. The Fidget Game website
2. Fidget Game TikTok account
3. Shannon's favorite (FREE) growth mindset activities via TpT-lower grades
4. Shannon's favorite (FREE) growth mindset activities via TpT-upper grades
5. The Fidget Game for purchase *Amazon affiliate link
6. King Komodo game for purchase *Amazon affiliate link
7. SquishyLand game for purchase *Amazon affiliate link
8. The Vocabulary game for purchase *Amazon affiliate link
9. ASCD:  New Thinking about Student Engagement

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Dr. Pete Bowers shared how Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) transforms spelling and vocabulary into tools for deep thinking - perfect for engaging advanced and struggling readers in the elementary reading classroom. 
We encourage the listeners to also check out this episode on YouTube to learn from the visuals Dr. Bowers shared during the discussion (link is at the top of the show notes).

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. Our Youtube link to the episode
2. Pete Bower's Word Works Kingston website:  See MANY helpful links at the bottom of the page.   We use this homepage as a hub for SWI information.
3. Dr. Bowers' Monday 5 pm EST office hours link
4. Real Spelling Toolbox
5. Active View of Reading Duke, Cartwright, 2021
6. Homophone Principle - described in this lesson
7. David Share:  Self teaching 
8. "Ultra-detailed brain map shows neurons that encode words’ meaning" Nature 631, 264 (2024)
9. Spelling Out Orthography demonstration video from Dr. Bowers
10. Document describing a SWI hunt for all the jobs of the final, non-syllabic
11. Video from Dr. Bowers with Marie Foley about The Nested Combinatorial Nature of English Spelling
12. 2025 Reading League  presentation from Dr. Bowers about Morphological Instruction and Language Comprehension
13. Upcoming SWI Training in June 2025 with Pete Bowers and Rebecca Loveless
14. Upcoming 4 day in-person training with Dr. Bowers in July 2025 on Wolfe Island
15. Structured Word Inquiry: An Implementation Guide for Teachers by Jennifer A Constantine and Kara B Lee *Amazon affiliate link
16. Teaching How the Written Word Works by Peter Bowers (via www.wvced.com Store)

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How can teachers effectively support advanced readers in elementary school? In this insightful episode, we’re joined by literacy expert Nancy Young to explore practical, evidence-based strategies for meeting the needs of gifted and high-achieving readers in the classroom.

Nancy shares her expertise on differentiation strategies, including offering choice in reading materials, using tiered assignments, and implementing project-based learning to keep advanced readers engaged. We also discuss how to encourage critical thinking, promote independent reading, and create meaningful peer discussion and mentorship opportunities.

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, reading specialist, or literacy coach, this episode offers valuable tools and inspiration to elevate your elementary reading instruction and ensure all students—especially your strongest readers—are challenged and supported.

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. Updated Ladder of Reading & Writing with permissions for usage
2. Chapter 2 of her book-free download
3. Guided Inquiry Design
4. SEM-R.   School-wide enrichment model for reading
5. William and Mary Center for Gifted Ed Resources
6. Climbing the Ladder of Reading & Writing by Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck *Amazon affiliate link
7. contact Nancy via her website
8. Acceleration Institute
9. Subject-specific acceleration across grade grouping *Google drive file download

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Subscriber-only episode

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This is our April 2025 bonus episode of Reading Teachers Lounge podcast.  In these episodes, Shannon and Mary will share about the students they're helping in reading, the resources they're using, and the books and other materials they're studying to further their practical knowledge about the Science of Reading.  

In this April 2025 bonus podcast episode, Shannon and Mary chat about the tutoring and advocacy work they've been doing.    They talk about how they're preparing their students for the upcoming testing season.  They discuss some of the struggles and successes they're having implementing the new activities they've learned about in their Structured Work Inquiry trainings.  They also shared some of their favorite new resources from UFLI and Emily Gibbons.     Links for all the resources discussed are included below in the show notes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

1. Write Score
2. Khan Academy
3. Word Matrices
4. Dr. Bowers: Structured Word Inquiry
5. 4 guiding questions of SWI
6. Read Works passages
7. UFLI supplemental decodable passages
8. Emily Gibbons' new decodables

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