Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators

Dr. Sarah Brown and Dr. Kelly Powell-Smith, co-authors of Routines for Reading Results: A Practical Approach for Accelerating Growth, alongside Dr. Stephanie Stollar and Beth Madden unpack the principles of Direct Instruction and explain why effective reading instruction depends not only on what we teach, but on the intentional design and delivery of instruction.
They walk through the four phases of learning: acquisition, automaticity, generalization, and adaptation – and explain why students can appear to “get it” during a lesson yet struggle to retain or apply that learning later.
The conversation also tackles a common criticism of scripted instruction: Do scripts stifle teacher creativity and responsiveness? Sarah and Kelly explain why thoughtfully designed routines can actually reduce cognitive load for teachers, provide consistency for students, and free educators to focus on the thing that cannot be scripted ahead of time: how students are responding in the moment.
They also discuss how these routines can live alongside existing high-quality instructional materials, how educators can use data to identify gaps rather than continually purchasing new programs, and what school leaders can do to support implementation.
Key Takeaways:
Direct Instruction (DI) defined & why both the design and delivery of instruction matter
The four phases of learning: acquisition → automaticity → generalization → adaptation & how instructional needs change depending on a student’s phase of learning
The role of precise, concise teacher language
Modeling, leading, testing, firming, and providing individual turns – while building sufficient practice and intentional error correction into instruction
How leaders can support implementation through collaboration, data analysis, ongoing learning, and coaching

Resources & References Mentioned:
Book: Routines for Reading Results: A Practical Approach for Accelerating Growth - Stephanie Stollar, Kelly A. Powell-Smith, Beth A. Madden & Sarah Brown (Amazon)
Book: Routines for Reading Results (Solution Tree)
Book: Teaching Struggling and At-Risk Readers: A Direct Instruction Approach - Doug Carnine and colleagues
Direct Instruction: the instructional approach originating in the work of Siegfried Engelmann
Project Follow Through: “the largest and most consequential educational experiment in U.S. history, and its findings continue to inform NIFDI’s work to promote evidence-based, replicable instructional practices.”
Research on connected phonation/continuous blending (Gonzalez-Frey, S. M., & Ehri, L. C. (2021). Connected Phonation is More Effective than Segmented Phonation for Teaching Beginning Readers to Decode Unfamiliar Words. Scientific Studies of Reading, 25(3), 272–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2020.1776290)

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Sarah Brown:
Website: https://systemimpactconsulting.com/
Contact Dr. Sarah Brown on her Website
LinkedIn: Sarah Brown Ph.D.
Join Dr. Brown’s MTSS Data Academy
Dr. Brown also offers Virtual Coaching Sessions!

Connect with Dr. Kelly Powell-Smith:
LinkedIn: Kelly A. Powell-Smith
Mount St. Joseph University: Kelly Powell-Smith

This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie Stollar is giving Literacy in Color listeners an exclusive, free grouping resource bundle designed to help you spend less time figuring out what to do with screening data and move more quickly into purposeful, skill-based groups.
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here.
Or, become a member of Reading Science Academy to learn in community and receive research-backed support alongside over 1,600 literacy educators.
Connect with Michelle:
Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
Join our Facebook Community
Sign up for my Newsletter
Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
For Phonics Resources, grab: The COLORFUL Phonics Toolkit

Want to Support the Podcast?
Make a Donation to Support Production

Interested in Learning More about Morphology?
Logos Literacy Academy with Michelle Sullivan & Sarah Paul
Join: Beyond Phonics Club - our Membership Community

Mentioned in this episode:
SOR Fall Book Study
Join us: https://colorful-classroom.mykajabi.com/sor-fall-book-study-2026
Reading Science Academy
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/groupingsheets?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Join The Reading Science Academy: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/register?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=literacy-in-color

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects approximately 1 in 14 people, yet many educators have never heard of it. So what might DLD actually look like in the classroom? How can we better support students when difficulties with language intersect with dyslexia, ADHD, executive function, reading, spelling, and writing?
Speech-language pathologists, Kathleen Love and Beth Coppoc Gunshor take us for a deep dive into DLD and language-based literacy intervention.
Kathleen and Beth unpack the differences and overlap among DLD, dyslexia, and ADHD, including why a student who appears inattentive or off-task may actually be struggling with the language demands of a task. They also share subtle signs of DLD educators can watch for: from vague vocabulary and word-retrieval difficulties to challenges following directions, understanding complex sentences, and telling cohesive stories.
Then, the conversation turns practical. Kathleen and Beth explore ways educators can manage cognitive load, strengthen vocabulary instruction, and provide the repeated, explicit language experiences students with DLD may need. They also take us inside their intervention practices to show how Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) can extend far beyond spelling – supporting morphology, vocabulary, syntax, semantic networks, executive function, oral language, and even confidence.
Key Takeaways:
DLD defined
The overlap and distinctions among DLD, dyslexia, and ADHD
Practical ways to reduce unnecessary cognitive load without reducing the thinking
How to strengthen vocabulary instruction for students with language difficulties
Why Structured Word Inquiry can be a powerful tool for building language as well as literacy

Resources Mentioned:
Conifer literacy app
DLD and Me
OxEd & Assessment / NELI
Dr. Tiffany Hogan / The Speech and Language (SAiL) Literacy Lab
2026 ASHA Convention

Connect with Kathleen Love:
Website: https://conifermatrix.com/
Instagram: @conifermatrix
Conifer Matrix on Facebook
Website: https://www.raincityreading.com/
Instagram: @rain.city.reading
Rain City Reading on Facebook
Rain City Reading on YouTube
Rain City Reading Newsletter

Connect with Beth Coppoc Gunshor:
Website: http://bcgslp.com/
Instagram: @bcgslp
BCG SLP on Facebook
BCG SLP Shop - T-Shirts
BCG SLP Shop - Stickers

This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie Stollar is giving Literacy in Color listeners an exclusive, free grouping resource bundle designed to help you spend less time figuring out what to do with screening data and move more quickly into purposeful, skill-based groups.
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here.
Or, become a member of Reading Science Academy to learn in community and receive research-backed support alongside over 1,600 literacy educators.
Connect with Michelle:
Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
Join our Facebook Community
Sign up for my Newsletter
Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
For Phonics Resources, grab: The COLORFUL Phonics Toolkit

Want to Support the Podcast?
Make a Donation to Support Production

Interested in Learning More about Morphology?
Logos Literacy Academy with Michelle Sullivan & Sarah Paul
Join: Beyond Phonics Club - our Membership Community

Mentioned in this episode:
SOR Fall Book Study
Join us: https://colorful-classroom.mykajabi.com/sor-fall-book-study-2026
Reading Science Academy
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/groupingsheets?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Join The Reading Science Academy: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/register?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=literacy-in-color

Decodable texts are an important tool for helping readers apply their phonics knowledge, but are we squeezing everything we can out of them?
Dr. Wiley Blevins – longtime educator, researcher, author, and one of the most recognized voices in phonics instruction – shares all about choosing and using decodable texts.
When it comes to choosing decodable texts, Wiley shares the prevailing thinking around how decodable a text actually needs to be. We also tackle a question that doesn't always have a neat answer: When are students ready for less-controlled text? Wiley shares what he's currently exploring in his research, why that transition may look different from student to student, and why we shouldn't confuse being able to read a pattern with truly mastering it for spelling.
We also get into using decodable texts for all they’re worth. In fact, decodables certainly can go far beyond simply getting students to practice a target phonics pattern. Wiley shares how he uses decodable texts across multiple days and throughout the literacy block to build oral language, fluency, vocabulary, syntax, writing, knowledge-building, and of course, comprehension. He walks us through practical routines teachers can use and explains how decodables can support differentiation for students who need additional practice with previously taught skills.
Key Takeaways:
Why decodable texts are a practice tool, fluency-building tool, and support for spelling
What the research actually says (and doesn't say) about decodability percentages
What makes a high-quality decodable text & why natural language matters
How to scaffold grade-level decodables for students who need additional support
How to get more mileage from a decodable after the first read

Resources:
Book: Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact by Wiley Blevins
Book: Choosing and Using Decodable Text by Wiley Blevins
Book: A Fresh Look at Phonics by Wiley Blevins
Book: Phonics from A to Z by Wiley Blevins
Book: The Megabook of Spelling (K-2) by Wiley Blevins
Book: The Megabook of Spelling (3-5) by Wiley Blevins
Book: Teaching Phonics & Word Study in the Intermediate Grades by Wiley Blevins
Reycraft Books

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!
Connect with Dr. Wiley Blevins:
Website: http://www.wileyblevins.com/
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
Instagram

This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie Stollar is giving Literacy in Color listeners an exclusive, free grouping resource bundle designed to help you spend less time figuring out what to do with screening data and move more quickly into purposeful, skill-based groups.
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here.
Or, become a member of Reading Science Academy to learn in community and receive research-backed support alongside over 1,600 literacy educators.
Connect with Michelle:
Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
Join our Facebook Community
Sign up for my Newsletter
Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
For Phonics Resources, grab: The COLORFUL Phonics Toolkit

Want to Support the Podcast?
Make a Donation to Support Production

Interested in Learning More about Morphology?
Logos Literacy Academy with Michelle Sullivan & Sarah Paul
Join: Beyond Phonics Club - our Membership Community

Mentioned in this episode:
SOR Fall Book Study
Join us: https://colorful-classroom.mykajabi.com/sor-fall-book-study-2026
Reading Science Academy
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/groupingsheets?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Join The Reading Science Academy: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/register?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=literacy-in-color

Before we get into what the research currently says about teaching phonological awareness and the alphabet, this episode begins by breaking down some key terminology. What makes a practice evidence-based? What’s the difference between research-based and research-tested? What should we consider when implementing instruction aligned with the Science of Reading?
Dr. Shayne Piasta, Distinguished Professor at THE Ohio State University and Faculty Associate at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, helps unpack what we know, what we’re still learning, and how educators can make evidence-informed decisions.
We then dig into phonological and phonemic awareness. Dr. Piasta explains what research has established about the importance of PA, why phonemic awareness ultimately matters for reading and spelling, and where questions remain about exactly how PA should be taught. We discuss larger versus smaller units of sound, advanced tasks, group size, dosage, incorporating letters, and even differentiation.
Next, we turn to alphabet learning and instruction. Research increasingly supports teaching names and sounds simultaneously. We also discuss what makes certain letters easier (or harder) to learn, the acrophonic principle, letter sequence and pacing, and what effective alphabet instruction can look like in a kindergarten classroom.
Finally, Dr. Piasta shares trusted sources for evaluating evidence and reminds us why evidence-informed instruction requires research, professional expertise, and knowledge of the students sitting in front of us.
*Please Note: We experienced some audio issues toward the very end of the episode. We did our best to improve the audio quality and appreciate your understanding.
Key Takeaways:
Evidence-based vs. evidence-informed literacy instruction
The difference between research-based and research-tested practices
What we confidently know about phonological and phonemic awareness
What we still don’t know about the most effective way to teach PA
Information about Project OPAL and the questions researchers are currently testing
Whether letter names or letter sounds should be taught first
Alphabet scope, sequence, and pacing
What effective alphabet instruction can look like
Information about CREATE-EBP and teacher-researcher collaboration
How educators can become better consumers of literacy research

Resources Mentioned:
Project OPAL: Optimizing Phonological Awareness Learning
CREATE-EBP: Collaborating Researchers & Educators Apply Technology to Establish Evidence-Based Practices
Dr. Shayne Piasta's Early Literacy and Learning Lab, including research, current projects, opportunities to collaborate, and a newsletter
The Early Literacy and Learning Lab Research Interest Survey
Duke & Martin (2011) - 10 Things Every Literacy Educator Should Know About Research
National Reading Panel
Rice et al. (2022) - Phonemic Awareness: A Meta-Analysis for Planning Effective Instruction
Erbeli et al. (2024) - A Meta-Analysis on the Optimal Cumulative Dosage of Early Phonemic Awareness Instruction
Alphabet Learning & Instruction
What Works Clearinghouse & Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guides
Regional Educational Laboratories
Best Evidence Encyclopedia
Reading Rockets
National Center on Improving Literacy
The Reading League
Florida Center for Reading Research
Let's Know! / Let's Know! 2 - language-focused curriculum

Connect with Dr. Shayne Piasta
LinkedIn
Dr. Shayne Piasta's Early Literacy and Learning Lab

This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie Stollar is giving Literacy in Color listeners an exclusive, free grouping resource bundle designed to help you spend less time figuring out what to do with screening data and move more quickly into purposeful, skill-based groups.
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here.
Or, become a member of Reading Science Academy to learn in community and receive research-backed support alongside over 1,600 literacy educators.
Connect with Michelle:
Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
Join our Facebook Community
Sign up for my Newsletter
Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
For Phonics Resources, grab: The COLORFUL Phonics Toolkit

Want to Support the Podcast?
Make a Donation to Support Production

Interested in Learning More about Morphology?
Logos Literacy Academy with Michelle Sullivan & Sarah Paul
Join: Beyond Phonics Club - our Membership Community

Mentioned in this episode:
Reading Science Academy
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here:...

What if one of the richest language opportunities in your literacy block is already hiding inside your phonics word list? Even the simplest decodable words can carry surprisingly rich meanings. A word like “cap” might be something you wear on your head, the top of a bottle, an action you perform when you cover something, or even part of the phrase “no cap.” Simple to decode doesn't necessarily mean simple in meaning. In this episode, I share a few simple ways to intentionally sprinkle meaning into the decoding and spelling practice you're already doing.
Key Takeaways:
Why multiple-meaning, or polysemous, words offer such rich opportunities for language development
Why a quick contextual sentence during decoding or dictation is so important
How "Word of the Day” and/or Multiple-Meaning Word Anchor Chart get students noticing interesting words across the school day
Even while sprinkling in meaning, it’s still essential to keep the pace and offer repetitions students need during phonics
It’s unnecessary to explore every potential meaning at once

We know explicit & systematic phonics helps students unlock the code, but meaning gives them something worth unlocking.
Want to go Beyond Phonics?
Join Beyond Phonics Club: A Membership Community with Michelle Sullivan & Sarah Paul (Logos Literacy Academy)
Inside the Beyond Phonics Club, Michelle Sullivan and Sarah Paul have created ready-to-use lessons and resources, including lessons targeting multiple-meaning words, that help you expand phonics into richer work with meaning, morphology, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension in mind.
Go beyond phonics – without leaving phonics behind!
This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie Stollar is giving Literacy in Color listeners an exclusive, free grouping resource bundle to help you turn fall screening data into skill-based groups that actually move students forward.
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here.
Or, become a member of Reading Science Academy to learn in community and receive research-backed support alongside over 1,400 literacy educators.
Connect with Michelle:
Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
Join our Facebook Community
Sign up for my Newsletter
Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
For Phonics Resources, grab: The COLORFUL Phonics Toolkit

Want to Support the Podcast?
Make a Donation to Support Production

Interested in Learning More about Morphology?
Logos Literacy Academy with Michelle Sullivan & Sarah Paul
Join: Beyond Phonics Club - our Membership Community

Mentioned in this episode:
Reading Science Academy
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/groupingsheets?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Join The Reading Science Academy: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/register?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=literacy-in-color
SOR Fall Book Study
Join us: https://colorful-classroom.mykajabi.com/sor-fall-book-study-2026
Reading Science Academy
Get your FREE grouping resource bundle here: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/groupingsheets?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Join The Reading Science Academy: https://www.stephaniestollarconsulting.com/register?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=literacy-in-color