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!

• 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)