Advertise on podcast: The Structured Literacy Podcast

Dramatic play, screen-free singing and nursery rhymes deserve a place back in the early years classroom. Part two of this series makes that case with a structured literacy lens. The episode covers using café role-play to build the background knowledge texts assume. It shows how songs at transition times can double as phonological awareness practice. It also looks at why “tuffet” and “curds and whey” still earn their keep.  Throughout, the line stays clear: these practices aren’t reading instruction, and they don’t replace the literacy block. Used with purpose, they can still do a lot for children’s oral language.  Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

With a quarter of Australian children starting school developmentally vulnerable or at risk in communication and general knowledge, Jocelyn asks whether the answer to Tier 1 language support might be bringing back early childhood practices we let go of in the shift to explicit teaching, rather than buying a new program.  Part one of this two part series covers the first two practices: big books, for concepts of print, shared language experiences and interactive read-alouds, and puppets, as an authentic reason for children to speak, listen and retell stories. Throughout, Jocelyn focuses on the power of "and": classrooms can be structured "and" playful, explicit "and" joyful, without losing instructional time. Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

When your phonics screening check results make your stomach drop, what do you actually do next?  In this return episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast, Jocelyn treats the check like a blood pressure reading: it tells you whether to look closer, and the score sheets tell you where. She explains how to tell students who know the code but stumbled on the format (special hint: alien names) from those with real gaps, and why accent is never an error. She also covers why whole-class phonics and rigid pacing guides may be quietly holding students back. You'll leave with a practical, step-by-step plan for the weeks after the check, and a reminder that the data is feedback, not a verdict on you as a teacher. Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

This episode is a little different. Australia's national education evidence body, AERO, has just released a guidance report that puts rigorous research weight behind something many educators have long known: most professional development doesn't work — and the reasons why are predictable and fixable. In this episode, Jocelyn uses AERO's findings to reflect on six years of Jocelyn Seamer Education, share what's changing about the Structured Literacy Podcast, and introduce the brand new Leading Learning Podcast — a dedicated space for school leaders, curriculum leaders, regional office staff, and system leaders ready to do the hard work of sustained school improvement. Plus: introducing JSE Quick Wins, a new way to get practical literacy support right when you need it.  Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

In this episode, Jocelyn pushes back on all-day, scripted, tightly paced instruction in Foundation to Year 2 while defending responsive, teacher-led explicit instruction as essential for learning across the curriculum. She explains why young children need a better-designed school day with movement, talk, and purposeful guided play so they can regulate, engage, and learn more.   Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

The fastest way to make spelling instruction fail is to assume every student is starting from the same place. They are not and your planning shouldn’t pretend they are. I’m getting practical about what to do with the real mix of spellers sitting in front of you, especially in upper primary and early secondary, where gaps can hide behind “good enough” writing and familiar word memory. I also walk you through the key design decisions behind Spelling Success in Action 1, including differentiated word lists within a shared lesson structure, 15 to 20 minute lessons across four days a week, embedded assessment and progress monitoring, retrieval practice, and text-level application so spelling transfers into writing. Download the free early morphology diagnostic from jocelynseamereducation.com, and share the episode with a colleague who’s wrestling with spelling Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

Spelling is not a side quest. When it isn’t automatic, it quietly steals the working memory students need for ideas, sentence craft, and clear argument, especially in upper primary and the early secondary years. If you are seeing capable students write small, play it safe with vocabulary, or avoid writing altogether, word-level knowledge may be the hidden barrier you cannot afford to ignore. Jocelyn focuses on Years 3 to 8 and lays out what the research says strong spelling instruction should look like, versus what it often becomes in practice.  Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

We map out a practical path to targeted phonics that lifts every learner. We define instructional precision, show how to gather the right data, and share a step-by-step launch plan that works in real schools with limited adults. • clarifying whole class versus grouping and why size is not the point • defining instructional precision and cognitive load in phonics • sorting data as a team and narrowing the range per teacher • assigning teachers to groups • keeping class teachers connected to progress and practice • reducing stigma with neutral language and parent scripts • aligning evidence, workload, and student wellbeing We have a free phonics spelling assessment in the resources section on the Jocelyn Seamer Education website, here. Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

We challenge the assumption that whole-class phonics with a little extra is the most effective route and explore why targeted Tier 1 grouping often delivers stronger gains. Using cognitive load theory and intervention research, we show how matched content can raise progress without creating waitlists or missed learning elsewhere. • why many Year 3 students still need foundational code • what grouping studies actually tested and why that matters • how targeted, explicit, code-focused teaching drives gains • early, intensive support over waiting for intervention • designing Tier 1 to include intervention features • cognitive load as a lens for matching content • when to keep whole-class and when to regroup • practical next steps for data, grouping, and progress checks Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

We unpack how to use decodable texts with precision so beginners practise the code instead of guessing. We share the biggest mistakes schools make, how to spot readiness to transition, and a staged text diet that blends decodables with rich literature. • reframing the debate around suitability, not good or bad  • defining novice readers by code knowledge, not age  • risks of mixing leveled and decodable texts too early  • signs students are ready to shift text types  • planning a staged text diet across early years  • teaching set for variability while keeping decoding first  • free framework to guide movement beyond decodables As always, if you found this helpful, I would love to hear from you. And if you're looking for more resources on implementing effective instruction, head over to JustinSiemereducation.com or comb through the many, many, many podcast episodes we have in the catalogue for this podcast Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

In this episode, we weigh the current research on decodable and leveled texts, separate durable findings from weak claims, and explore which research findings we can confidently base decisions on.  Some of the research focus explored in this episode are:  • strengths and limits of the research base • how decodables build early decoding and pseudoword reading • strategy differences prompted by text type • why early gains fade without progression • cautions around comprehension claims and knowledge • aligning texts to scope and sequence and student readiness Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

We share five evidence-informed moves to boost reading in Years 3–6, from language-rich talk and explicit code knowledge to partner reading and smart text selection. We close with practical ways to thread reading through science, history, and geography without burning out. • creating a language-rich classroom with explicit, natural vocabulary use • assessing and addressing phonics and morphology gaps • using partner reading to differentiate practice efficiently • prioritising short, high-quality texts over length for its own sake • integrating reading across the curriculum to build knowledge and stamina • avoiding overestimation of foundational skills through class-wide screening • focusing on accuracy before fluency and then sophistication • choosing one change to start and one area to strengthen Email us at [email protected] Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

In this season opener of the Structured Literacy Podcast, Jocelyn argues that before any real learning can happen, students need answers to three unspoken questions: Do you like me? Are you going to help me? Can I trust you? Drawing on brain science and classroom experience, she offers practical strategies for building the connection and emotional safety that make everything else, including literacy instruction, possible. Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

What is the Summer Series? A collection of listener favourites from the Structured Literacy Podcast to get you prepared for 2026. Today's Episode Join us on the Structured Literacy Podcast as we unpack the critical elements of successfully rolling out these initiatives. From meticulous planning to effective execution, we guide you through the journey educators will undertake—from initial excitement to achieving high commitment and skill levels. We tackle common pitfalls, such as merging old and new methods, and share best practices for making thoughtful decisions about what to retain and discard. Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Get ready for 2027! Explore our expert-led professional learning and development options in literacy strategy and explicit teaching. Visit our website to discover programs tailored for your school, from 12-month partnerships and action-focused teach-along courses to leader programs that promote real classroom impact. Partner with us to empower your team and make lasting changes that connect to everyday teaching. Boost your students' success. Visit jocelyncemaeducation.com Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics