Reading Teachers Lounge

Reading Teachers Lounge

Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi

Episodes 129
Avg. Duration 46m
Activity Declining
Apple Rating 4.7 (123)
Since Nov 2018
Latest Episode Mar 2026

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Publishing Details

Schedule
Every 2 Weeks
Format
Episodic
Consistency
53%
Hosting
rss.buzzsprout.com

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About This Podcast

This is the Reading Teachers Lounge where listeners can eavesdrop on professional conversations between elementary reading teachers. We are passionate about literacy and strive to find strategies to reach all learners. Shannon and Mary are neighbors who realized that they were “literacy soul sisters” at a dinner in their Atlanta neighborhood. Once they started chatting about reading they haven’t really stopped. Come join the conversation.

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Recent Episodes

S8E9 8.9 Teacher Preparation

Mar 08, 2026 1h 12m Transcript

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…

S8E8 8.8 Grammar and Syntax

Feb 06, 2026 1h 6m Transcript

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…

S8E7 8.7 Supporting Learning at Home

Jan 23, 2026 50m Transcript

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…

S8E6 8.6 Deliberate Orthography

Jan 09, 2026 1h 7m Transcript

Shannon and Mary revisit the topic of Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) and discuss the importance of understanding the deliberate reasons for English spellings with guests Jennifer Petrich and Bradley…

S8E5 8.5 The Literacy Block

Dec 07, 2025 54m Transcript

Mary and Shannon are joined by Lindsay Kemeny, a returning guest and 1st grade teacher. Lindsay discusses her latest book and shares insights into structuring an effective literacy block. During the…

S8E4 8.4 SEL Concerns

Nov 16, 2025 42m Transcript

Educator and author Erin Waters joins Shannon and Mary to discuss supporting the whole child through Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Erin shares her teaching journey and highlights the crucial…

S8E3 8.3 Affirming Practices with Dr. Jasmine Rogers

Oct 31, 2025 44m Transcript

In this episode, you're getting a preview of the types of conversations happening with educators in our bonus subscription episodes.   This month, Shannon and Mary chat with Dr. Jasmine Rogers, a…

S8E2 8.2 Treasured Stories

Oct 17, 2025 57m Transcript

In this special episode of the Reading Teachers Lounge, hosts Shannon and Mary have an engaging and insightful conversation with acclaimed children's author Kate DiCamillo about treasured stories.…

S8E1 8.1 New Season, New Stories

Oct 03, 2025 45m Transcript

Shannon and Mary kick off the new season with reflections on how far the podcast has come, from family anecdotes to stories of former students thriving—like Rigby, a once-struggling reader now headed…

S7E18 7.18 Season 7 Finale

Jul 11, 2025 31m Transcript

Shannon and Mary look back over Season 7 and reflect on what really matters for our reading students.   "The right things for our learners" emerged as the unofficial theme of our seventh season. This…

S7E17 7.17 Impactful Interventions

Jul 05, 2025 56m Transcript

Shannon and Mary chat with Dr. Katie Pace-Miles about MTSS and RTI, sharing practical tips for delivering effective reading interventions, choosing quality resources, and running efficient team…

S7E16 7.16 Executive Functioning Demands

Jun 27, 2025 1h 9m Transcript

What's really happening when students struggle to stay on task, complete assignments, or transition between activities? In this illuminating conversation with literacy experts Dr. Matt Strader and…

S7E15 7.15 Language Demands

Jun 20, 2025 1h 5m

Shannon and Mary talk with Dr. Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez about supporting Multi-Language Learners, exploring language development, daily classroom language demands, and practical strategies to help…

S7E14 7.14 Literacy Leaders

Jun 13, 2025 54m

Shannon chats with Laura Stewart (from 95 Percent Group) about bold moves that literacy leaders can take to transform the literacy practices in their learning communities.    Laura provides stories…

S7E13 7.13 The Right Things for Our Learners

Jun 06, 2025 1h 10m

Shannon and Mary welcome Dr. Timothy Shanahan to the Reading Teachers Lounge to quiet the noise within the literacy community and help us all realize the MOST important things we should be doing for…

S7E12 7.12 Effective Student Engagement

May 30, 2025 49m

Shannon and Mary chat with Brandi Dugal from The Fidget Game, featured on Shark Tank, about unique ways to engage and motivate students to learn.   They share methods for gamification, brain breaks,…

S7E11 7.11 Structured Word Inquiry

May 23, 2025 1h 53m

Dr. Pete Bowers shared how Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) transforms spelling and vocabulary into tools for deep thinking - perfect for engaging advanced and struggling readers in the elementary…

S7E10 Challenging Advanced Readers

May 18, 2025 1h 3m

How can teachers effectively support advanced readers in elementary school? In this insightful episode, we’re joined by literacy expert Nancy Young to explore practical, evidence-based strategies for…

S7E9 7.9 Smart Technology

Apr 18, 2025 50m Transcript

Shannon and Mary welcome Brandon Cardet-Hernadez from Mrs. Wordsmith to the RTL to chat about smart technology resources.  They talk about intentional uses of technology resources for instructional…

S7E8 7.8 Importance of NonFiction

Jan 24, 2025 40m Transcript

Shannon and Mary talk with Melissa Taylor from ImaginationSoup.net about the importance of nonfiction texts in a student's reading diet.    They chat about the flexible comprehension strategies…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Reading Teachers Lounge have?

Reading Teachers Lounge has published 129 episodes since November 2018, covering topics in Education, Kids & Family.

Is Reading Teachers Lounge still active?

Reading Teachers Lounge is currently declining with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 46m.

How do I contact Reading Teachers Lounge for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Reading Teachers Lounge, including email and social media links.

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