The Road to Reading Podcast

In this episode, Dawn Paz, a 3rd-grade teacher from New York, will share how she has implemented Sean Morissey's Word Mapping Project curriculum. She will specifically showcase and discuss the routine used to introduce mirror words (synonyms and antonyms). We'll get a sneak peek into Dawn's classroom to see how she implements this routine and connects it to other areas of literacy throughout her day.

Video Version: S5E3: The Word Mapping Project with Dawn Paz

Show Notes:

ResearchEd

The Word Mapping Project

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, kindergarten teacher Anjanette McNeely will share how she develops oral language skills in her classroom and begins to develop a higher level of discourse in her classroom. See how she builds language, and think about how you could bring something similar into your classroom.

Video Version: 

https://elana270.substack.com/publish/post/214781510

Show Notes:

Strive for Five Framework by Sonia Cabel & Tricia Zucker

The Scaffolding Effect by Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb

Basics: Oral Language-Reading Rockets article

Resources on Oral Language Development

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Mitch Weathers and Dr. Sarah Oberle will share what Executive Functions (EFs) are and how we can support children to develop their executive function processes that promote attention, memory, and adaptability. This is a great episode and topic to listen to at the beginning of the school year as teachers are setting up their classrooms and putting routines in place.

Show Notes:

• Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom by Mitch Weathers and Dr. Sarah Oberle
•  Executive Functions for Every Classroom Grades 3-12 By Mitch Weathers
• Working Memory video by Jamie Clark (Distilled)
• Resources on Executive Functions by The Learning Scientists
• Executive Functions Guide by Cambridge

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode,  you will meet 3 of the newest Goyen Fellows. The Goyen Foundation strives to exemplify great teachers and their practice. Goyen Fellows share their evidence-informed practices with other educators through Teaching Teacher nights, social media, and educational blogs. Kata Solow is the executive director of this program, and Lauren Profitt ( a former fellow) assists.

Show Notes:

Goyen Foundation

Goyen Fellowship

Science of Reading Classroom Substack Page

Teachers Teaching Teachers

Contact info for Corey:  [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-solitaire/

Contact info for Hanna on X: @mspoormanela

Contact info for Laura: [email protected]

https://substack.com/@laura519

https://www.facebook.com/laura.l.wood.35

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Shari Most and Tal Most share all about their new organization, ColoREADo. They explain why they founded it, how their organization supports and develops teachers' skills in using Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI), and how they are positively impacting their community.

Show notes:

ColoREADo's Invitation for the opening of their new clinic

ColoREADo website

ColoREADo Facebook 

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Kurt Engelmann and Alisa Kerr from the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) join me to talk about what NIFDI is and how the organization supports teachers and schools who are implementing Direct Instruction (DI) programs.

Show Notes:

Engelmann Foundation

Background Videos on DI

Origins of DI: Origins and Elements of Authentic Direct Instruction

Language Webinar: Science of Reading: Explicit Fundamental Language Instruction to Improve Reading Comprehension

Preschool “Show-Off” Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYvMBJJIGc&t=15s

 Get Started with NIFDI

Interested in bringing Direct Instruction to your school or district? Fill out our contact form:

https://bit.ly/4nd1G7v

Implementation Models:

Implementation Options

DI in Preschool

 2026 National Direct Instruction Conference & Institutes

In-Person Training | July 20–24, 2026

Conference and institute sessions for educators, coaches, administrators, and trainers.

2026 National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes (July 20-24)-In-Person Training

 Featured Resource from Dr. Kurt Engelmann

Direct Instruction: A Practitioner’s Handbook (2024)

Published by John Catt / Hodder Education

The most comprehensive guide available for implementing authentic Direct Instruction.

Book link: https://tinyurl.com/direct-instruction-handbook

 Questions?

Email NIFDI: [email protected]

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Daniel Carroll will share what Precision Teaching is and how it can be used in fluency instruction. 

Show Notes:

• The Precision Teaching System
• Response to Intervention and Precision Teaching
• Precision Teaching Webinar 
• Improving Reading Fluency with Precision Teaching
• Precision Teaching Guide
• Morningside Academy

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Rachel Ball, the Coaching Development Lead at Steplab and the author of the book The Scaffolding Effect, will share the intention behind scaffolding, how and when we should put scaffolds in place, and how we can fade scaffolds.

Show Notes:

• Podcast-Progressively Incorrect with Rachel Ball
• The Scaffolding Effect by Rachel Ball & Alex Fairlamb
• Scaffolding Students to Success article by Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb
• Webinar on Mind the Gap with Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb
• EEF blog: Moving from Differentiation to Adaptive Teaching
• EEF blog: Scaffolds-what goes up must come down
• EEF Send Guidance Report

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Marcie Samayoa, a high school science teacher, shares ways that we can build students’ schema.

Show Notes:

• Scientist in the Making Substack
• Knowledge organizers
• Brain, Book, Buddy Retrieval Activity (Blake Harvard)
• Brain Book Buddy from Scientist in the Making
• Effortful Educator Blog
• Teach Fast by Gene Tavernetti
• How Do We Learn by Hector Ruiz Martin
• Just Tell Them by Zach Groshell

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes

In this episode, Dr. Kripa Sundar shares why concept maps can help students learn and retrieve. She shares how they can be used in both primary and intermediate grades and how teachers can use them to both build and assess learning in the classroom.

Show Notes:

• Expertise-Reversal Effect
• The Learning Scientists
• Smart Teaching: Stronger Learning
• Concept Mapping: A Powerful Tool for Learning by Dr. Kripa Sundar
• Concept Maps: Reading Rockets
• How to Start Concept Mapping-Reading Rockets

Show Notes:
Road to Reading Webpage
SoR Resource Page
Season 2-episodes
Season 3-episodes