Shannon and Mary welcome Dr. Ellen Ballock and Julia D'Onofrio from Gordon College to talk about teacher preparation programs. Discover how they design and implement teacher prep programs focused on literacy instruction, the science of reading, and practical teaching methods. Our guests shed light on the importance of comprehensive training, common misconceptions in literacy education, and the roles of explicit instruction and evidence-based practices. They also delve into how their curriculum bridges gaps in teacher knowledge, ensuring future educators are well-equipped to foster student success. This episode will likely remind you of your own teacher training and inspire you, making you feel hopeful about the future of our field and for new teacher candidates.

01:16 Meet Today’s Guests
05:10 Teacher Prep Shifts Nationwide
10:54 Data Language and Decision Making
14:36 Unlearning Balanced Literacy
18:06 Teaching Phonemic Awareness to Adults
22:06 Modeling Explicit Instruction
25:39 Morphology and Word Study
29:49 Curriculum Partnerships and Fidelity
32:01 Adapting Curriculum with Scaffolds
35:50 Redesigning for Comprehension
38:13 Gateway Checks for Think Alouds
40:39 Coaching Struggling Candidates
43:53 Writing Methods and Sentence Work
48:22 Sentence Composing Mentor Models
52:11 Practicum Pathway and Feedback
01:03:04 Doctoral Program for Change Agents
01:07:19 Closing Thanks and Takeaways

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE EPISODE:

1. Gordon College
2. Sentence Composing (Don Killgallon)
3. Grammar for Middle School: A Sentence Composing Approach by Don and Jenny Killgallon *Amazon affiliate link
4. NCTQ
5. Early literacy observation tool (Massachusetts)
6. Moat's Survey of Teacher Knowledge
7. How Spelling Supports Reading article by Louisa Moats
8. Gordon College's Science of Learning Doctoral Program

Support the show

• Get Literacy Support through our Patreon
• Bonus Episodes access through your podcast app
• Bonus episodes access through Patreon
• Buy us a coffee
• Get a FREE Green Chef box using our link

In this episode of the Reading Teacher's Lounge, hosts Mary and Shannon welcome expert Sara Lee to discuss best practices for teaching grammar and syntax. They dive into how understanding sentence structure, grammatical functions, and modifiers can elevate both reading comprehension and writing skills for students of all ages. Sara emphasizes the importance of embedding grammar instruction within reading and writing activities, and provides practical strategies for making grammar engaging and relevant. Specific strategies, such as focusing on sentence nuclei, harnessing descriptive modifiers, and being mindful of students' language acquisition backgrounds, are discussed. Additionally, Sara emphasizes the importance of providing meaningful practice opportunities and underscores the value of understanding grammar as the structure of language. The episode is rich with actionable insights and resources to help teachers better support their students.

NOTE FROM GUEST:

Re: our discussion about adverbs at minute 33 in the episode, I want to make sure listeners understand that the word "so" can also modify adverbs (as adverbs can modify other adverbs), rather than thinking that adverbs can only modify adjectives.

01:38 Introducing Our Special Guest: Sara Lee
02:31 Diving into Grammar and Syntax
05:33 Understanding Grammatical Functions
07:55 Challenges and Resources for Teaching Grammar
10:04 Practical Applications and Student Engagement
12:41 The Importance of Sentence Structure
25:05 Using AI to Enhance Grammar Lessons
32:23 Supporting Multi-Language Learners
35:22 Challenges in Teaching Writing
36:38 Tips for Enhancing Writing Skills
39:34 Using Sentence Nucleus for Creativity
41:28 Grammar in Reading and Writing Instruction
44:30 Engaging Students in Grammar
48:41 Resources for Teaching Grammar
01:02:02 Making Grammar Fun and Approachable
01:03:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE EPISODE:

1. The Literacy Doctor
2. Sentence Composing (Don Killgallon)
3. Grammar for Middle School: A Sentence Composing Approach by Don and Jenny Killgallon *Amazon affiliate link
4. The Death of Practice (Sara's blog post)
5. Grammarism
6. Linguistics Girl
7. Word Hippo
8. Video from Dr. Bowers and Marie Foley (Nested Combinatorial Structure)
9. Timothy Shanahan's blog post: Comprehension Instruction that Really Helps-Teaching Cohesion
10. Evan Moor Daily Paragraph Editing book *Amazon affiliate link

Support the show

• Get Literacy Support through our Patreon
• Bonus Episodes access through your podcast app
• Bonus episodes access through Patreon
• Buy us a coffee
• Get a FREE Green Chef box using our link

In this episode, we explore effective practices for supporting students with homework. Join us as we discuss strategies to foster a productive & stress-free homework environment. We cover the importance of EF, the advantages and challenges of traditional homework, & how to address post-COVID implications. Also, we share insights on balancing homework with students' SEL, creative engagement techniques, & practical communication tips for accommodations.

01:14 Supporting Learners at Home
02:20 The Role of Executive Functioning in Homework
05:27 Creative Homework Approaches
09:01 Simplifying Homework for Better Engagement
10:32 Flexible and Individualized Homework Strategies
19:24 Creating a Productive Homework Environment
25:28 Understanding Executive Functioning in Children
26:07 Dealing with Meltdowns and Connection Issues
27:37 Empathy and Minimal Help Strategies
28:07 Middle School Homework Challenges
29:28 Reaching Out to Teachers for Support
29:58 Effective Homework Breaks and Routines
36:55 Positive Feedback and Encouragement
43:52 The Role of Parents in Homework Success
44:22 Reading Logs and Encouraging Curiosity
46:59 Research on Homework Benefits
48:18 Conclusion and Resources

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE EPISODE:

1. Reading Rockets: What the Research Says About the Value of Homework
2. Understood.org Homework Challenges & Strategies
3. 11 Tips for Helping Your Child Manage Homework
4. Why Nov. is Hard For Students and 7 Ways Parents Can Help
5. Infographic: How Does Homework Actually Affect Students?
6. Stanford Research Shows Pitfalls of Homework
7. Copy of Mary's Email
8. Scripts to Use When Requesting Support
9. Effective Practices for Homework
10. 5 Homework Strategies for Working with Students with Learning Disabilities
11. Tips for Parents
12. Timer * affiliate

Support the show

• Get Literacy Support through our Patreon
• Bonus Episodes access through your podcast app
• Bonus episodes access through Patreon
• Buy us a coffee
• Get a FREE Green Chef box using our link