Supporting struggling readers is one of the most important—and often most challenging—parts of literacy instruction. When intervention time is limited and student needs vary widely, it can be difficult to know where to focus your efforts.

In this episode, literacy specialist Shannon Moore joins us to discuss the key components of effective reading intervention and how teachers can create systems that lead to meaningful student growth.

Whether you're responsible for intervention groups, supporting students during your literacy block, or looking for ways to strengthen your school's intervention practices, this conversation will provide clear, actionable ideas you can put into practice right away.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• The four essential components of effective literacy intervention

• How to use assessment data to make informed instructional decisions

• Tips for creating flexible, skill-based intervention groups

If you're looking for a more structured approach to supporting struggling readers, this episode is full of practical advice and encouragement.

Resources & Links:

The Stellar Literacy Collective stellarteacher.com/join

The Stellar Reading Intervention Toolkit stellarteacher.com/intervention

Your Literacy Block: Part 3

If you've ever wondered whether phonemic awareness and phonics still matter in upper elementary, this episode is for you!

While these foundational skills are often associated with primary grades, many students in third, fourth, and fifth grade continue to struggle because of gaps in their word recognition skills. In this episode, we're unpacking the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics, why both are essential for reading success, and how teachers can provide targeted support without overhauling their entire literacy block.

• The difference between phonemic awareness and phonics
• Why foundational reading skills still matter in grades 3–5
• How gaps in word recognition impact fluency and comprehension
• Scarborough’s Reading Rope and the role of word recognition
• Practical phonemic awareness activities for upper elementary students
• Effective phonics routines and instructional strategies
• Ways to provide targeted support without adding more to your plate

Resources Mentioned:

⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc

We replayed an interview with Dr. Molly Ness last week... and we just could not help airing this one too! We love our interview episodes.

What helps a word move from something students have to sound out to something they instantly recognize?

In this episode, literacy researcher and educator Dr. Molly Ness joins us to explore orthographic mapping—the process that allows readers to permanently store words in memory for quick and effortless retrieval.

If you've ever worked with students who can decode a word one day but seem to forget it the next, this conversation will help explain why. Dr. Ness breaks down the science behind how the brain learns words and shares a practical four-step routine teachers can use to support word learning, fluency, and reading comprehension.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, interventionist, or literacy coach, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of how skilled reading develops—and simple instructional moves you can implement right away.

• What orthographic mapping is and how it supports fluent reading
• Why automatic word recognition is critical for comprehension
• The connection between phonemic awareness, phonics, and word memory
• Common misconceptions about how students learn words
• A simple four-step routine that helps words "stick"

If you love what Dr. Molly Ness has to say in this episode, you will love what is happening in our Summer Learning Series. We are reading her book Making Words Stick.

There is still time to join in - visit stellarteacher.com/summerpd.

Your Literacy Block Series: Part 2

If your students freeze when they come across long, unfamiliar words while reading, this episode is for you.

In today’s episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re talking about how morphology instruction can completely change reading confidence for upper elementary students. You’ll learn how teaching prefixes, suffixes, roots, and base words helps students decode unfamiliar vocabulary, improve spelling, and strengthen comprehension.

We also break down what explicit morphology instruction actually looks like during whole group, small group, and independent reading—without adding another complicated routine to your literacy block.

Inside this episode:

• What morphology is and why it matters
• Simple questions students can ask when decoding big words
• Examples using words like “unexplainable” and “transportation”
• Easy word study routines you can use in 5–10 minutes a day
• How morphology supports both decoding and comprehension

If you teach grades 3–5, this episode will give you practical strategies you can start using right away.

Resources Mentioned:

⭐ FREE Reading Big Words Poster stellarteacher.com/bigwords

⭐ Whole Group Lessons with built-in morphology instruction only available in the Stellar Literacy Collective ⤵︎

⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc

Are read-alouds still worth making time for in an upper elementary classroom? According to literacy researcher and author Dr. Molly Ness—they absolutely are.

In this episode, we dive into the research-backed benefits of read-alouds and why they still play an essential role in a Science of Reading-aligned literacy block. From building vocabulary and background knowledge to increasing engagement and comprehension, Dr. Ness shares practical insights teachers can immediately apply in their classrooms.

If you’ve ever questioned whether read-alouds are “enough” academically, this conversation will remind you just how powerful they can be.

Your Literacy Block Series: Part 1

If you’ve ever wondered:

“How do I actually help my students comprehend what they read?” …this episode is for you.

Reading comprehension is the goal of reading instruction—but it’s not just one strategy or skill. In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re kicking off a brand-new series all about building an effective upper elementary literacy block.

We’re sharing:

• What reading comprehension actually is
• Why comprehension should be woven throughout your literacy block
• The key components that support comprehension
• A simple research-backed 3-2-1 framework you can use with ANY text

You’ll walk away with practical ideas for building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary, supporting sentence-level understanding, asking meaningful questions, and using writing about reading to deepen comprehension.

If you’ve ever wondered how to actually help students better understand what they read, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned:

⭐ Whole Group Lessons with built-in 3-2-1 comprehension support only available in the Stellar Literacy Collective ⤵︎

⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc

The school year is almost over, but before you fully switch into summer mode, there are a few things your future teacher self will be so thankful you did. In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, Sara and Emily share 7 end-of-year reflection and reset strategies that can help make next school year feel more organized, intentional, and less overwhelming.

Episode Takeaways:

1. Reflect on your favorite moments, lessons, and routines from the school year
2. Identify what brought you and your students the most joy and engagement
3. Make a plan to intentionally repeat those successful moments next year
4. Reflect on areas where you wish you had spent more instructional time
5. Audit and organize your resources—keep what worked and let go of what didn’t
6. Clean up and reset your classroom now so you start next year with a clean slate
7. Be intentional about planning a summer that actually helps you rest and recharge

Stay connected with us this summer! Visit stellarteacher.com/summer to sign up for our free learning experience starting June 1!

In this episode, Emily shares 3 simple, low-prep literacy moves that still make a big impact at the end of the year (hello increased engagement!). You’ll hear practical ideas for:

• Student-led book talks that build excitement around reading
• Fluency performances that combine comprehension, rereading, and engagement
• Bringing back your favorite read-alouds using a simple 3-2-1 comprehension structure

These ideas are designed to help you add structure back into your literacy block while still enjoying the final weeks with your students.

Want a freebie to get started? Grab 5 Book Talk Anchor Charts at stellarteacher.com/freebie

Grab our Book Talk Templates + Guide on under $5 at stellarteacher.com/booktalk

Ready to keep the momentum going this summer? Be sure to sign up for our Summer Learning Series for book study, bonus trainings, and practical literacy support. stellarteacher.com/summer

May can feel exhausting, emotional, and chaotic but it can also be one of the most meaningful months of the school year. In this episode, Tami and Sara are reminder teachers not to miss the magic of May.

Sara and Tami talk about the unique opportunities this final stretch of the year brings: stronger student relationships, visible growth, classroom confidence, and the chance to finish with purpose instead of just surviving until summer.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why May can be a powerful month for teachers and students
• How to stay present during the final weeks of school
• Recognizing the growth your students have made

Ready to keep the momentum going this summer? Be sure to sign up for our Summer Learning Series for book study, bonus trainings, and practical literacy support. stellarteacher.com/summer