Ed 333 Content by Justine Riewer

Podcast: How to Spot Dyslexia

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:36:14 UTC

This podcast explains that dyslexia affects about 15% of students and is linked to difficulties with processing the sounds of language, not just reversing letters. It lists common signs, like trouble rhyming, blending sounds, or recalling letter–sound connections. Early recognition and evaluation are emphasized. Recommended supports include explicit phonics instruction, multisensory learning, and extra practice to help students succeed.

Phonics planning guide

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:38:52 UTC

This is my phonics planning guide we created for class. I added this as it serves as an example of what a phonics lesson plan could look like in my classroom one day.

Podcast: Power of Independent Reading

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:42:14 UTC

In this episode, educator Donalyn Miller discusses why giving students time and choice to read independently is powerful for building lifelong reading habits and motivation.
She reflects on her own teaching journey and how independent reading allowing students to pick books they care about increases reading volume and deepens engagement more than assigned reading alone. Miller suggests that offering freedom, respect, and support around independent reading can help students develop stronger reading identities and autonomy.

Comprehension Planning

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:43:49 UTC

This is my comprehension planning guide from class. I felt this was useful with similar reasoning to adding my phonics planning guide.

Article: Spelling Mistakes

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:45:09 UTC

This article explains why many early‑grade writing assignments allow students to use “inventive spelling” rather than correct spelling during drafting. The idea is that focusing on idea generation without freezing creative flow helps kids write more fluently and build confidence. It argues that spelling doesn’t “count” until later stages (e.g. editing or final draft), because constant correction early can inhibit idea development.

Article: How Spelling Supports Reading

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:46:10 UTC

Moats’s article argues that spelling and reading draw on much of the same underlying knowledge specifically, the relationships between letters (graphemes), sounds (phonemes), and meaning so understanding spelling supports better reading. She shows that although English spelling seems unpredictable, most words follow fairly regular, learnable patterns, making spelling more systematic than many assume. The article suggests that explicit, systematic spelling instruction helps build reading, writing, and word‑recognition skills that support fluent reading and comprehension.

Podcast: Writing Revolution

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:48:20 UTC

This podcast describes an episode of Melissa & Lori Love Literacy featuring The Writing Revolution authors Judith Hochman and Natalie Wexler. The discussion centers on how The Writing Revolution approach emphasizes teaching writing starting at the sentence level, rather than assuming students can write full paragraphs or essays from the start. The authors describe writing not as a separate subject, but as a tool embedded in the regular curriculum: writing activities are integrated across content areas so students build both knowledge and writing skills. They outline six core principles: explicit writing instruction from early grades; sentences as foundational building blocks; content‑driven writing activities; grammar taught in context; and the importance of planning and revising.

Writing Planning Guide

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:49:21 UTC

This is my writing planning guide from class. I felt this was useful with similar reasoning to adding my phonics and comprehension planning guide.

Quick Tips

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:51:15 UTC

This handout talks about the phonological awareness umbrella and the skills that fall under phonological awareness. It also describes the difference between phonological and phonemic awareness.

44 Phonemes

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:52:25 UTC

Following is a list of the 44 phonemes along with the letters of groups of letters that represent those sounds. It shows the phoneme, grapheme, and gives examples of words they are found.

Video: How the Brain Learns to Read

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:53:38 UTC

This video shows how reading development involves the brain linking visual patterns (“letterbox”) to sounds (phonemes) and then connecting those to meaning a process that gradually becomes automatic with practice.
It emphasizes that systematic and explicit instruction especially in letter‑sound correspondences and decoding is crucial for wiring the brain’s reading circuitry effectively. As learners practice and build fluency, they begin to recognize words by sight, freeing cognitive resources for comprehension and deeper understanding.

Importance of Teaching Phonics

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:55:05 UTC

In this article is shows the jarring statistics over the last decade of the amount of students who can read. It talks about the reasoning for these results such as assumptions like learning to read is a natural process. It then goes into the science behind giving literacy the proper time to be taught in schools. It then shows the improvement of results after using the science of reading training in schools.

Video: Syllable Division

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 01:59:46 UTC

This video demonstrates the process of splitting words into syllables as a game. It teaches the steps from underlining the vowels and splitting the word. It explains open syllables and closed syllables, and how that can change the way the vowel sounds.

Video: Spellography

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:01:17 UTC

This video shows a program called Spellography, designed to support students who struggle with spelling and shows how it works in a classroom or intervention setting. It gives viewers a behind‑the‑scenes look at how the program teaches spelling systematically, likely emphasizing structured instruction, repetition, and explicit teaching of phonics/spelling rules. The goal of Spellography (as presented) is not just to correct individual spelling errors, but to build foundational skills so students become more confident and independent spellers. Overall, the video makes a case that with the right support and systematic approach, struggling spellers can improve, rather than just “get by.”

Podcast: Sold a Story (How students learn to read)

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:02:50 UTC

This podcast investigates how many U.S. schools continue using reading curricula that de‑emphasize explicit instruction in phonics, spelling, and word structure. It argues that relying primarily on meaning‑based reading instruction has left many children particularly those from low‑income or marginalized backgrounds without the foundational skills needed to actually decode and understand text. The work highlights inequities in reading achievement and calls for evidence‑based reading instruction grounded in the science of reading.

Article: What Teachers of Reading Need to Know and Be Able to Teach

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:03:59 UTC

The article emphasizes that effective reading instruction requires a deep understanding of the full scope and sequence of reading skills, not just effort or experience. It breaks down the “five core components” of reading and explains how each should be taught systematically across grade levels. The article provides detailed examples of phonological awareness and phonics activities, including syllable, onset‑rime, and phoneme manipulation, as well as instruction in letter‑sound patterns, vowel types, morphemes, and word origins. It also addresses vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension strategies, emphasizing explicit, research‑based instruction that can be adjusted for struggling readers. Overall, Tolman argues that teachers can significantly improve student reading outcomes by teaching strategically, systematically, and with knowledge of evidence‑based practices rather than relying on time and effort alone.

Video: Solutions for Dyslexia

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:05:02 UTC

This video shows common reading and spelling mistakes made by individuals with dyslexia. It explains how dyslexia affects decoding, word recognition, and spelling, even in motivated learners. Traditional instruction often isn’t enough, so the video highlights research‑based interventions like structured, explicit phonics and word-study approaches.

Article: How to Recognize Early Warning Signs

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:07:09 UTC

This article explains that dyslexia is a learning disability affecting word recognition, decoding, and spelling, often despite average intelligence. It highlights early warning signs so teachers can identify students who may struggle. Evidence‑based interventions, including systematic instruction in phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, are provided to support student achievement.

Article: Strategies for Building Fluency and Comprehension

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:08:28 UTC

This IRIS Center module explains PALS (Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies), a structured peer-tutoring program for reading in grades 2–6. Students work in pairs to practice fluency, comprehension, summarizing, and predicting through guided activities. The module walks teachers through how to set up, teach, and manage PALS in the classroom. Its goal is to improve reading skills through active, cooperative learning.

Article: Instruction for Struggling Readers

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:11:21 UTC

This article lays out research‑based recommendations for how to support older students (grades 4–12) who struggle with reading. It identifies five core areas of instruction — word study (decoding), fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and motivation/engagement that are critical for adolescent readers to access academic content. The article describes how effective programs compare to struggling readers: successful readers continually monitor comprehension, draw on background knowledge, use a variety of reading strategies, and engage with text purposefully; struggling readers often lack those skills. Finally, it recommends instructional practices that are explicit, systematic, and appropriately intensive including small-group or one-on-one sessions, tailored word‑study, and explicit strategy instruction so older struggling readers can catch up and succeed.

Video: What is it Like to Have Dyslexia?

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:12:24 UTC

The video features children with dyslexia sharing their personal experiences, what reading and learning feels like when you have dyslexia. It offers insight into the daily challenges and frustrations dyslexic learners face, giving viewers a more human, empathetic understanding of the condition.

Video: Dyslexic? Not Broken

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:13:19 UTC

This speaker argues that people with dyslexia aren’t “broken” instead, their brains are simply wired differently, and dyslexia should be viewed as a different way of thinking rather than a deficit. The talk challenges common stigmas and misconceptions about dyslexia, encouraging listeners to recognize the strengths that often accompany it, rather than focusing only on difficulties. It advocates for evidence‑based, strength‑oriented instruction and support that empowers dyslexic learners helping them thrive rather than just cope.

Article: Why Repetition is Important

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:14:03 UTC

The article argues that repetition is essential for building reading skills because each correct, repeated practice helps forge and strengthen the neural pathways required for fluent reading. It explains that learners especially those with dyslexia or other reading difficulties need many more repetitions than typical students to “automatize” decoding, spelling, and letter‑sound mapping. It recommends embedding repeated decoding, spelling, letter‑sound review, and reading/spelling practice throughout lessons so that reading becomes more automatic and less effortful over time.

Video: Technology to Assist Dyslexic Learners

jriewer2g — 2025-11-29 02:14:49 UTC

This video introduces three assistive‑technology tools (within Word and OneNote) designed to support students with dyslexia. It shows how these tools like dictation and text‑to‑speech can help by reducing the decoding/spelling burden, enabling students to focus more on meaning and comprehension. The video is aimed at educators and families, offering practical tech‑based strategies to make reading and writing more accessible for dyslexic learners.

Video: How Can Phonemic Awareness Impact Reading?

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:20:01 UTC

In this video she talks about the impact phonemic awareness has on reading comprehension. As well as the importance of teaching this skill systematically and explicitly.

Article: Supporting Fluency Using the Science of Reading

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:21:55 UTC

This article explains how reading fluency supports comprehension and why both are essential parts of the Science of Reading. It describes fluency as a combination of automatic word recognition and expressive reading (prosody). The article highlights evidence based strategies such as repeated oral reading, choral reading, and partner reading to build fluency. It also emphasizes that fluency instruction benefits both early readers and older students working with complex texts.

Video: 6 Ways to Build Fluency for K-2

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:24:25 UTC

The video shows six effective strategies for building reading fluency with kindergarten through second-grade students. The methods are designed to help young readers practice smooth, expressive reading, which supports comprehension and confidence. It’s aimed at teachers and caregivers offering practical, classroom-ready techniques to strengthen early reading skills.

Article: Why Your Kids Can Never Have Too Much Vocabulary

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:26:00 UTC

The article argues that a rich vocabulary is more than knowing a word’s definition, it includes how to use it, when it applies, what it connects to, and what associations it carries. It explains that strong vocabulary knowledge underlies reading comprehension because it helps readers understand context, subtlety, and meaning in different texts. The piece also notes that children learn many of their words outside the classroom through reading, conversations, media, and experiences not just formal instruction. Finally, it offers practical tips for families to support vocabulary growth at home, such as reading together, discussing unfamiliar words, exploring synonyms/antonyms, and encouraging repeated exposure and usage.

Article: Vocabulary and Morphology in Early Learning

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:28:03 UTC

This article talks about the science behind teaching vocabulary at an early age to build their reading skills. It shares how to develop this into classrooms.

Video: Effective Teaching Strategies for Vocabulary

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:29:36 UTC

This video is focused on teaching phonics or reading, aimed at helping children learn vowel sounds or reading fundamentals. It’s part of a broader set of “learn-to-read” videos. The video is designed for parents or teachers to use with early-readers to build foundational reading skills.

Article: The Importance of Comprehension

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:31:34 UTC

This article explains that the Science of Reading isn’t tied to a single method, but is a broad body of research about how people learn to read including what skills are involved and how they interact. It highlights that comprehension (the ability to understand language and meaning) is fundamental to reading. Models of reading development show that comprehension must work together with word recognition for true reading skill. The article also points out that research-based guides and tools from IES are available to help educators improve reading comprehension instruction for students.

Article: Strategies for Teaching Comprehension

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:32:31 UTC

This article outlines seven research‑based strategies that help students better understand what they read.
These include teaching students to monitor their own comprehension, use metacognition (thinking about their thinking), use graphic or semantic organizers, answer and generate questions, recognize text or story structure, and summarize what they’ve read. The article emphasizes that comprehension instruction is most effective when it’s explicit: teachers should model strategies, guide practice, then gradually let students use them independently. This helps students become active, purposeful readers rather than passive ones.

Video: Instructional Strategies for Teaching Writing in Elementary

jriewer2g — 2025-12-04 19:33:40 UTC

This video outlines effective strategies for teaching writing to elementary‑age students, focusing on how to build their writing skills systematically. It emphasizes explicit instruction, meaning teachers should model writing skills, guide students through examples, and provide scaffolded support rather than assuming writing skills develop naturally. The video recommends using mentor texts, giving students a variety of writing strategies, and embedding writing across different content areas not just in a “writing class.” It also highlights the importance of differentiating instruction: adjusting support based on each student’s needs, strengths, and areas for growth.