In this episode of Parent Teacher Interview, Joshua chats with Anna O’Connor — a passionate kindergarten teacher, mum of two, and one half of the creative duo behind SoundSlam.

Anna shares how phonological awareness forms the foundation for early reading success and how she and her co-creator, Lucy, designed SoundSlam to make learning fun, engaging, and screen-free.

Together, they explore practical ways parents and educators can build literacy skills through everyday moments, the power of play in learning, and the story behind developing an educational game that’s already making an impact in classrooms and homes.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

SoundSlam

• 🌐 soundslam.com.au

• 📸 Instagram: @SoundSlamAU

Websites & Reading Resources

• Five from Five — Created by Dr. Jennifer Buckingham, focusing on the five pillars of reading.

• Reading Rockets — A U.S.-based resource offering practical tools and articles for parents and teachers.

Books & Authors

• Reading for Life by Lyn Stone

• Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg

• Research and work by Dr. Pam Snow and Dr. Jennifer Buckingham

Podcast

• 🎙️ Sold a Story by Emily Hanford — A deep dive into the science of reading and how children learn to read.