It’s the season finale of Season 4 of Reading Road Trip! Kate wraps up the season with an all-star lineup of nine expert guests, each sharing one powerful tip to set you up for your best school year yet. From data meetings to integrated instruction, parent communication to avoiding burnout, this finale is packed with practical advice you can use right away. Join us as we celebrate the close of another fabulous podcast season with insights from some of the most thoughtful voices in the field. Many thanks to this episode's fabulous guests: Dr. Renata Archie, Dr. Sonia Cabell, Dr. Pam Kastner, Dr. Holly Lane, Dr. Matt Burns, Dr. Jamie Metsala, Alicia Smith, Jacqueline Chartier, and Dr. Todd Cunningham! Reading Road Trip Mentioned Season 1, Episode 6 — Dr. Renata Archie on universal screening Season 1, Episode 2 — Dr. Sonia Cabell on early literacy Season 3, Episode 1 — Sonia Cabell and Anita Archer (recorded live at Lit Learn 2024) Season 1, Episode 3 — Dr. Holly Lane on foundational reading skills

Kate chats with educator and author Blake Harvard about his book Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning. They explore what we know about attention, working memory, and long-term memory, why multitasking doesn’t work, and practical strategies like retrieval and spaced practice that help students remember more.   This episode mentions: Métis Christmas Mittens by Leah Marie Dorion, with Michif translation by Norman Fleury Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning by Blake Harvard The Effortful Educator blog by Blake Harvard Powerful Teaching by Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain

Kate welcomes three educators from the Near North District School Board to share how they transformed reading outcomes for intermediate students through a targeted, data-driven structured literacy intervention. Lisa Rogers, Courtney Berger, and Kristen Roy walk us through the data that prompted the initiative, the logistics of scheduling and grouping, and the instructional choices that made a difference for older students. From explicit instruction with the REWARDS program to building safe, motivating classroom spaces, their stories highlight not only measurable academic growth but also powerful shifts in student confidence and identity as readers. This episode mentions: Indigenous Peoples in the World Wars by Simon Rose (Beech Street Books) Fluency in Perspective: Grade 8 Changemakers (ONlit) Fluency in Perspective: Grade 7 Across the Curriculum (ONlit) REWARDS program by Anita Archer, Mary Gleason, and Vicki Vachon Tolentino Teaching website No Time to Waste: Structured Literacy with Young Adults (Dr. Julie Brown)

This week, Kate welcomes Dr. Tiffany Hogan to explore Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). They dig into what DLD is, how it relates to dyslexia, signs educators can watch for at different grade levels, and how to support students in the classroom. Dr. Hogan shares insights on screening, assessment, and instructional strategies, as well as misconceptions that can impact identification and services. The conversation is packed with practical advice for educators and a call to action to raise awareness about DLD. This episode mentions: Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina DLD and Me See Hear Speak podcast Open access article reviewing DLD screeners PELI - Preschool Early Literacy Indicators LanguageScreen CUBED Narrative Language Measures Acadience CFOL - Comprehension, Fluency & Oral Language

Reading Road Trip hits the road! In this special episode, co-producer Dr. Una Malcolm swaps her behind-the-scenes hat for a mic as she and host Kate Winn unpack their highlights and hot takes from the 2025 Society for the Scientific Study of Reading Conference in Calgary. From poster sessions to practitioner panels (and even a scenic detour to Banff), Kate and Una reflect on their conference adventure. Plus, listen in for a bonus segment featuring top structured literacy tips from Reading Road Trip listeners! Links to past Reading Road Trip episodes mentioned: Season 4, Episode 4 – Implementation Science with Dr. Katlynn Dahl Leonard Season 3, Episode 8 – Higher Education & Systems-Level Literacy with Dr. Andrea Fraser Season 1, Episode 3 – Foundational Literacy Skills with Dr. Holly Lane Season 1, Episode 2 – Language and Literacy with Dr. Sonia Cabell

This week, Kate Winn chats with educator and SyllaSense decodable book author Lee-Ann Lear. They discuss the role decodables can play in a structured literacy classroom, common misconceptions, and practical tips for using decodable text. Lee-Ann also shares how SyllaSense got started, how the books are written and reviewed, and why their scope and sequence goes beyond just phonics. Whether you’re new to decodable text or already using it regularly, this episode offers helpful insights for educators supporting early readers.   Mentioned in this episode:  Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? by Tyna Legault Taylor The Reading League Decodable Book Sources UFLI Decodable Text Guide The Active View of Reading - Duke & Cartwright SyllaSense Scope and Sequence SyllaSense Teacher Tip Sheets SyllaSense deck-odables SyllaSense workshops

What is implementation science, and why should educators care about it? In this episode, Kate welcomes Dr. Katlynn Dahl-Leonard to break down how this field can help close the gap between literacy research and classroom practice. They discuss Katlynn's recent study on teacher implementation of a structured literacy intervention, components of fidelity, and what makes implementation easier - or harder - for educators. Tune in for practical insights on supporting evidence-based instruction in real-world settings. This episode mentions: If You Were Here by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Maya McKibbin Katlynn's study, co-authored with Drs. Colby Hall & Philip Capin, Exploring the feasibility of implementing the SPELL-Links to Reading and Writing intervention (open source) Translational science: A road map for the science of reading by Dr.Emily Solari et al. Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) Program integrity in primary and early secondary prevention: Are implementation effects out of control?    

Kate is joined by Dr. Sarah Lupo, and together, they explore how to support adolescent readers across subjects with practical, research-informed strategies. Dr. Lupo discusses the five major challenges that make texts tough for students, shares tools for scaffolding instruction, and explains how to centre identity, language, and purpose in secondary literacy. Whether you're an English, science, or history educator, this episode offers concrete ideas you can apply right away. Links: Tackling Tough Texts by Sarah Lupo, Dan Reynolds, and Christine Hardigree On the Trapline by David A. Robertson and Julie Flett Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy – Special Issue on Foundational Skills (Guest Edited by Dr. Lupo)

This week, Kate Winn welcomes Irish educator and researcher Dr. Jen O’Sullivan to explore how young children develop the ability to make inferences and how educators can explicitly support this essential skill. From playful, practical strategies to research-backed insights, this episode is packed with ideas to bring inferencing to life in the early years. Mentioned in the Episode: The Game by Henry Charles Ten Bears and Shoshannah Greene RAND Reading Study Group (2002) Oakhill and Cain (2012) study on inference and comprehension Tighe and Schatschneider (2014) study on predictors of reading comprehension Hall et al. (2019) study on inference instruction with English language learners Jen O’Sullivan’s Substack  

Buckle up - it's the Season 4 premiere of Reading Road Trip! Host Kate Winn kicks off the new season with Dr. Leslie Laud of thinkSRSD for a lively and practical conversation about transforming writing instruction. From kindergarten to high school, discover how this evidence-based approach is scaling across classrooms, building confidence, reducing teacher workload, and aligning beautifully with Canadian curricula.   Links Mentioned in this Episode: Cedar School Decodables by Strong Nations Publishing thinkSRSD CommonLit ONlit.org thinkSRSD resources: Getting Started with thinkSRSD and Grade 3 thinkSRSD-inspired POWeR Cycles thinkSRSD Facebook Group thinkSRSD Canadian Facebook Group

Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a fourth season! Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and practitioners, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!

For this surprise bonus episode, buckle up and join Kate Winn and Una Malcolm for a candid conversation about all things reading! Kate and Una share their "road bumps" and "refuels" along the road to reading for all.  Stay tuned for Season 4 of Reading Road Trip this summer where we'll bring another carload of fabulous guests along for the ride. Keen to explore some of the resources Kate and Una mentioned in the episode? Kate's UFLI in Ontario Kindergarten document, co-authored with Dr. Holly Lane and Dr. Valentina Contesse Season 3 Episode 1 of Reading Road Trip featured Dr. Anita Archer and Dr. Sonia Cabell SISEP and NIRN host the Active Implementation Formula Framework Modules IDA's Perspectives on Language and Literacy has an issue focused on implementation Dr. Stephanie Stollar has an active Facebook page and leads the Reading Science Academy ONlit's Screening: The Reel Deal is a series of short videos addressing common questions about early reading screening Dr. Diana Burchell was a guest on Season 1 Episode 9, and Dr. Steve Graham joined us for Episode 9 of Season 2 Mount St. Joseph University offers access to their library database through the Center for Reading Science membership program Ontario teachers - the wonderful Jenni vanRees made this brief video showing how to navigate the OCT Library

Season 3 wraps up with a jam-packed episode featuring Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. Kate and Amanda have a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and human behaviour - how do children learn new things? From the instructional hierarchy to incremental rehearsal, don't miss this fabulous episode!   Show Notes: Curious about Amanda's insights into Kindergarten math instruction? Take a peek at the links she shared: Skills for screening, by grade level and time of year Kindergarten classwide intervention for making a quantity with numbers to 10: Paired partner practice Independent practice Teacher-directed whole-class error correction Tier 2 intervention - guided practice for finding a missing number

This week Kate is joined by Dr. Amanda Nickerson for a candid conversation about supporting gifted and highly advanced readers. Don't miss this episode that highlights the value of advanced decoding and spelling instruction for skilled readers!  

Dr. Andrea Fraser joins Kate to chat about her systems change journey: first in a board central team role, shifting her district's literacy instruction to structured literacy, and then preparing preservice teachers to teach with a structured literacy approach. Tune in to hear her insights on bridging the gap between research and practice at the district level and in higher education! The Basics of Decoding and Spelling Instruction is a low-cost, asynchronous online course offered by IDA Ontario. Students in Canadian education, EA, or SLP programs, as well as educators working in First Nation schools, can receive free access here. IDA Ontario partners with Dyslexia Canada to develop ONlit.org, a free website designed to support educators with the revised Ontario Language curriculum. Don't miss the most recent resource - a free embedded picture mnemonic set!

Kate welcomes Dr. Marc Joanisse for a discussion about the neurobiology of dyslexia and other comorbid disorders, including ADHD and DLD.  Dr Marc Joanisse is a professor at the University of Western Ontario in the Department of Psychology and the Western Institute for Neuroscience. His research examines the cognitive and brain basis of reading dyslexia and developmental language disability in children, as well as typical reading and language and development. His research team at the Language Reading and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab uses a multimodal approach, including eye tracking, EEG and MRI. His research in dyslexia focuses on better understanding the links between poor reading and spoken language and phonology, and the comorbidities of dyslexia with other kinds of learning disorders like DLD and ADHD. Stay up to date on research and upcoming studies from Marc's lab:Language, Reading and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab Facebook page and website

Curious about evidence-based instruction for older readers? This week, Kate welcomes Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer to discuss strategies for helping older readers decode big words and tackle complex texts, focusing on syntactic features like connectives and anaphora to improve text comprehension. Heidi Anne is the author of several great books, including Big Words for Young Readers: Teaching Kids in Grades K to 5 to Decode - and Understand - Words with Multiple Syllables and Morphemes, and Teaching Skills for Complex Text: Deepening Close Reading in the Classroom. Kate and Heidi Anne also discussed a new article, Time in Text: Differentiating Instruction for Intermediate Students Struggling with Word Recognition. Find Heidi Anne on twitter at @haemesmer.

Dr. Claude Goldenberg joins us this week. Don't miss this engaging conversation about reading instruction for multilingual students - and keep listening to the end to learn about Claude's real-life road trips inspired by a John Steinbeck book! Claude is the Nomelini and Olivier professor of education emeritus at Stanford University. A native of Argentina, his areas of research and publication centred on promoting academic achievement among language minority students, particularly those from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. In the episode, Claude mentioned his work on the National Literacy Panel, an article in Reading Research Quarterly, and his own road trip adventures inspired by John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley: April to May 2023 September to October 2021 May to June 2019 October 2018

Kate welcomes Meredith and David Liben for a candid conversation on reading comprehension. The Libens walk through effective instruction to help students understand what they read - from close reading to structured journals, they share practical tips to support comprehension! The Libens are the authors of Know Better Do Better: Teaching the Foundations So Every Child Can Read, and the newly released Know Better, Do Better: Comprehension: Fueling the Reading Brain With Knowledge, Vocabulary, and Rich Language. Kate mentions the Matthew effect, a phenomenon coined by Dr. Keith Stanovich where good readers enjoy reading, read more, and develop stronger reading skills. Struggling readers avoid reading, making the gap between skilled and weak readers widen over time. Access this influential paper here. The Read Aloud Project, mentioned by David, is a repository of lesson plans for rich read alouds of complex books.

Join us this week for a chat with parent educator Maya Payne Smart. Kate and Maya walk through clear, actionable steps to empower parents to support their child's language and literacy development. Maya is the author of Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six. It is excellent - well-researched, clear, and parent-friendly - and even a great read for teachers, too! Eager to learn more? Maya's website is a treasure trove of resources for parents and educators. From book recommendations to tips to build language and literacy, don't miss it. Maya recommended the picture books The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read and An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin & Noah Webster's Spelling Revolution.