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Where to find Alyssa?  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learn_with_alyssa/?hl=en Website: https://www.learnwithalyssa.net/ Handwriting Resources: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Write-to-Read-Verbal-Cue-Handwriting-Cards-13558681

In this episode of the Reading Symphony Podcast, Katie Megrian hosts Whitney Whealdon, a career educator and learning architect. They discuss the critical role of background knowledge in reading comprehension, the development of Louisiana's ELA guidebooks, and the importance of coherent and aligned literacy curricula. Whitney shares insights from her career journey, innovation in curriculum development, and the Wonderwood app, designed to help children build knowledge. They also explore practical ways parents can support their children's literacy development at home. Key takeaways include cultivating curiosity, leveraging interconnected knowledge, and advocating for robust science and social studies instruction. 00:00 Welcome to the Reading Symphony Podcast 00:30 Introducing Whitney Whealdon 01:33 Whitney's Journey in Education 03:23 The Importance of Background Knowledge 08:58 Curriculum Transformation in Louisiana 32:43 Building Knowledge at Home with Wonderwood 43:09 Final Thoughts and Resources Where to find Whitney: Secret Life of Learning Substack: https://whitneywhealdon.substack.com/ Knowledge Builders Club for Families: https://www.facebook.com/groups/knowledgebuildersclub/Wonderwood: https://wonderwood.me/en-us/Additional Resources Latent Semantic AnalysisHow book-rich, knowledge-rich curriculum is fueling the Southern Surge  by Karen VaitesThe Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler

The Reading Symphony Podcast helps families and caregivers understand how reading develops and what truly supports reading success, with clarity, compassion, and evidence-based guidance. Host Katie Megrian (educator, parent, and literacy advocate) interviews experts who translate research into practical next steps for home and school. In this episode, Katie is joined by Kate Winn, an Ontario educator, literacy advocate, and co-author of Reading Assessment Done Right: Tools and Techniques for Data-Driven Instruction. With 25+ years of experience across K–8, Kate breaks down what structured literacy looks like in real classrooms and how families can spot strong instruction. They cover the essentials of evidence-based reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing), green flags parents can look for (explicit phonics, decodable texts, letter-sound practice, rich read-alouds), and red flags to avoid (predictable/leveled readers that encourage guessing, and level-based assessment language). Kate also explains a clear K–3 assessment system—universal screening, diagnostic assessment, and progress monitoring—and offers time-efficient ways families can support reading at home, including oral language, read-alouds, and short practice routines. Books mentioned: Zoe and Sassafras series; Dog in Boots by Greg Gormley Find Kate: Instagram @katethismomloves; Reading Road Trip podcast (IDA Ontario) More from Katie: Substack katiemegrian.substack.com; Instagram @thereadingsymphony

In this episode of the Reading Symphony Podcast, host Katie Megrian interviews Dr. Julia B. Lindsey, a literacy expert and author of 'Reading Above The Fray.' They discuss how reading develops, the importance of evidence-based practices in literacy instruction, the role of phonics and comprehension, and the use of small group instruction. Dr. Lindsey shares her insights on the prerequisites for reading comprehension, ongoing professional development for teachers, and the integration of technology in reading instruction. She also emphasizes the significance of making reading instruction practical and actionable for educators and families. Throughout the conversation, the importance of clarity, explicitness, and coherence in teaching literacy is highlighted, with Dr. Lindsey providing practical tips for parents and educators. The episode concludes with recommendations on resources and ways to support children's reading development at home. https://www.juliablindsey.com/ https://www.beyonddecodables.com/ email: [email protected] https://www.instagram.com/juliablindsey/ 00:00 Introduction to the Reading Symphony Podcast 00:26 Meet Dr. Julia B. Lindsey: Literacy Expert 03:22 The Journey from Classroom to PhD 04:42 Writing 'Reading Above the Fray' 07:51 Understanding How Children Learn to Read 13:46 A Day in the Life of an Early Elementary Classroom 22:08 Red Flags in Reading Instruction 30:04 Improving Teacher Training and Professional Development 33:23 Effective Small Group Instruction 37:00 The Role of Technology in Reading Education 39:38 Looking Forward: The Future of Reading Education 43:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Episode 1: Why Reading Feels So Hard (and Why It Doesn’t Have to) Welcome to the first episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast. I’m your host, Katie Megrian—educator, literacy leader, and mom to two very different readers. In this episode, I break down the current state of reading in the U.S., why so many children struggle, and the hopeful truth that at least 95% of kids can learn to read with the right instruction. You’ll learn why reading isn’t natural, how it actually develops in the brain, and why all parts of reading—phonics, vocabulary, knowledge, and comprehension—must work together. New episodes drop every Wednesday morning. Starting with Episode 2, I’m joined by leading literacy experts who help translate the science of reading into clear, practical guidance for parents and educators. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your child’s reading, you’re in the right place.

🎙 Episode: Making Words Stick and Read-Alouds for All Learners (with Dr. Molly Ness) In this episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast, Katie Megrian sits down with Dr. Molly Ness, former classroom teacher, reading researcher, teacher educator, and author of six books (with a seventh on the way). Molly is known for translating research into practical, usable moves for teachers and families, and this conversation is packed with exactly that. Together, Katie and Molly dig into two big questions families ask all the time: How do we help words actually “stick” so kids become fluent readers?What can we do at home to build language and comprehension in ways that feel doable?You’ll learn why memorizing word lists often fails, what “orthographic mapping” really means in plain language, and how read-alouds can be one of the highest-leverage tools for building vocabulary, knowledge, and comprehension at any age. In this episode, we cover: Molly’s path from Teach For America to reading research and why she’s passionate about closing the research-to-classroom gapThe concept of orthographic mapping and why it matters for fluency and comprehensionWhy flashcards and rote memorization often don’t lead to lasting word learningThe difference between sight words, high-frequency words, and heart words, and how to think about them at homeWhy spelling is one of the best windows into a child’s literacy developmentA parent-friendly way to support tricky patterns, including r-controlled vowelsHow to talk to teachers with curiosity, not conflict, when homework or instruction doesn’t feel alignedMolly’s best read-aloud advice for families, including:The “decline at nine” and why you should keep reading aloud well past third gradeWhy reading informational text matters more than most people realizeHow to use think-alouds (instead of constant questions) to model comprehensionWhy kids benefit when we expand beyond the books we loved growing up and how to find high-quality diverse book recommendationsMolly’s simple framework for getting kids to read more: ARC (Access, Relevance, Choice)Book and author shout-outs from the conversation: Making Words Stick (Molly Ness & Katie Pace Miles)Read Alouds for All Learners (Molly Ness)Authors mentioned: Matt de la Peña, Chris Van Dusen, Jarrett LernerConnect with Dr. Molly Ness: Molly’s website: mollyness.com (resources, videos, and contact info) Want more support from Katie? 📩 Subscribe to Katie’s free weekly Substack: katiemegrian.substack.com 📱 Follow on Instagram: @thereadingsymphony If this episode helped you, it would mean a lot if you would follow the show, leave a quick 5-star rating or review, and share it with a parent, teacher, or caregiver who cares deeply about helping kids become joyful, confident readers.