In this episode of Together In Literacy, we dig into spelling to get at the deeper concepts that interventionists need to know. Spelling is often where our students’ struggles show up the most. It’s where gaps in phonology, orthography, and morphology all converge. Today we’re sharing five deeper truths about spelling instruction that will strengthen your teaching and, more importantly, your students’ progress. Join us as we go beyond the basics.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

This week in Together in Literacy we continue our discussion on supporting older students with dyslexia. Last episode we talked about the why, and now we want to talk about the how. We explore practical, research-based strategies that help middle and high school students move from struggle to success, including explicit decoding routines, morphology instruction, and scaffolded writing supports. We talk about the importance of assessing students closely, breaking learning into manageable steps, and building conceptual understanding to foster confidence and independence.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

This week on Together in Literacy we’re starting off Dyslexia Awareness Month by discussing the needs of a demographic that can get left behind – older students with dyslexia in middle school, high school, and beyond. We talk about the social emotional side of working with older students who can struggle with internalized shame, frustration with services, or lack of trust in educators and the tools they use.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

Welcome to Season 5 of Together in Literacy! We’re thrilled to be back and thank you for joining us. 

In this episode we’re kicking off our new season by setting the scene for the overarching topic that will inform our conversations: What do students with dyslexia really need?

The answer may sound familiar: more than just phonics! Our students need a comprehensive approach that sees the whole learner. We’ll talk about this in-depth this season, with topics like going beyond explicit phonics, decoding, executive function, layered and responsive instruction, metacognition, and self-advocacy strategies.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

We're looking for topic and guest suggestions for season 5 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

Please enjoy our last re-release of favorite episodes before we launch season five! This one looks at the Science of Reading:

The recent movement to look deeply into the Science of Reading (SOR) has shifted the training we seek for teachers, the training and programs endorsed at the state level, and the curriculum school districts purchase. So, why are our students still not reading and writing proficiently?

Is it the instruction, curriculum, or teacher training and knowledge that is seriously impacting learning outcomes? Or, is it a combination of all three factors?

In this episode, we discuss the SOR movement and why some students, particularly those with dyslexia, seem to be getting lost in the debate.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

We're looking for topic and guest suggestions for season 4 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

Today we continue with our re-release of favorite episodes -- this one goes all the way back to season 1! 

Everyone loves to play games, right? Are you using games and learning activities in your lessons with your students?

In this episode, we talk about the benefits of playing games with our students, the different purposes these games serve, and tips to keep in mind when planning what games to use (and how) in your lessons.

So, tune in if you’ve ever wondered, “Can I use games in my lesson?” or “What games should I use?”

We also answer a listener’s question about becoming a dyslexia specialist.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Season 1, Episode 9: Working Memory with Dr. Erica Warren 

Season 1, Episode 10: The Gradual Release of Responsibility

Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry Roedigger, and Mark McDaniel

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

We're excited to be rereleasing some of our favorite episodes this summer! Before we jump into Season 5, join us to review some of the most popular episodes that you may have missed. We're starting today with 2.12.

In this episode, we’re diving into handwriting. Even for those who do not have difficulty, handwriting in the early years is essential. When students have not yet reached automaticity or legibility in letter formation, it taxes their working memory and places a higher demand on cognitive resources. We want to look at how we can free up some of those cognitive demands.

Effective handwriting practice will lead to stronger spelling, reading, and writing performance.

Tune in as we discuss the role handwriting should have in our classrooms as well as the importance and some of the benefits of cursive handwriting! We’ll also look at the developmental stages, offer some teaching tips, and share the most beneficial handwriting resources we’ve used over the years!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest. For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom.

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

This is the last episode of season FOUR! Whenever we wrap up a season, we like to look back and chat about each episode, provide some important takeaways, and share information about actionable steps you can take this summer to keep growing your knowledge base. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

We're looking for topic and guest suggestions for season 4 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode, we’re joined by Nicky Humphreys and Ally Lewis, the founding members of Dyslexia Awareness Northern Ireland, for a transatlantic talk on dyslexia.

Nicky Humphreys did her PGCE Primary in 2004/05; in 2016, she commenced a postgraduate diploma in teaching literacy to learners with dyslexia/SpLD through the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Centre. She worked as a tutor for the Centre in Belfast for a few years before setting up her own small business teaching children in her local area and working with her local schools. Her professional body is PATOSS. She is married to Marshall and they have three children. She loves spring/summer and holidays. 

Ally Lewis is a former pediatric and neonatal nurse who transitioned into education after having children. Her personal journey into literacy advocacy began when her son struggled with reading and spelling in early primary school. Frustrated by the lack of support and resources in Northern Ireland, Ally pursued structured literacy training in Belfast. Since then, she has become a passionate advocate for children with dyslexia, offering support to families and working one-on-one with students in schools.

Together, along with Jodi Snowdon (who now works for NESSY), Nicky and Ally founded the Facebook page and advocacy group in Northern Ireland, DANI (Dyslexia Awareness Northern Ireland).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

We're looking for topic and guest suggestions for season 4 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode, Casey Welsh, of Savannah Dyslexia, joins us to answer the most important questions about morphology.

Casey Welsh is an Accredited Training Fellow with OGA and has her M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction, focusing on Dyslexia Studies & Language-Based Learning Disabilities. She is the CEO of Savannah Dyslexia, a private practice in Savannah, GA, focused on providing OG intervention, professional development courses for classroom teachers, and mentoring trainees through training and practicum for OGA Associate, Certified, and Fellow level credentials. As a mom of two dyslexic sons, Casey has a deep belief in the impact of the Orton-Gillingham approach on students’ lives and a drive to ensure more teachers and interventionists are empowered with the knowledge and tools to reach more students. 

We are so grateful to have Casey join us to share her advice and practical tips for infusing morphology thoughtfully and effectively into our O-G lessons.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

We're looking for topic and guest suggestions for season 4 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!