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Hi there, I'm Jocelyn Seamer. Teacher, former school leader, author, and all around cheerleader for teachers everywhere. Learning to read and write is a matter of social justice. Every child deserves to learn through evidence informed practices, and every teacher deserves to be fully supported to make that happen.The Structured Literacy Podcast goes beyond the program to get to the heart of what it's really like to build a structured approach to literacy across the school.
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In this podcast, the team at Jocelyn Seamer Education and I will dive deep into all things structured literacy. We will unpack our online resources and analyse chapters from my books.
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! There are four decisions we need to make in pacing phonics for our students. 1) when to begin phonics 2) how much content to teach at once 3) when to move on in the code 4) when to stop teaching phonics. Key moments in this episode: 3min 14 sec -deeper understanding of phonemic awarene…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! A characteristic of all high growth schools I work with is that they feel a deep sense of personal responsibility for student outcomes. In this week's podcast, I'm sharing some thoughts on what it looks like when we take radical responsibility for student outcomes as teachers and leade…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Ever wonder why some students who can read and write with ease seem to stumble when it's time to shine in the classroom? Join me, Jocelyn, as we unravel the enigma of underperformance despite apparent ability, and take a closer look at the myriad of factors influencing a student's acad…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Could flashy credentials be leading us astray in educational consulting? Unpack these misconceptions with us as we reveal what truly makes a consultant invaluable to our schools. We're not peddling our services here – our calendar is chock-full – but we are eager to share the scoop on …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode of the Structured Literacy podcast, we explore the role of comprehension strategies in our overall instruction. This episode will leave you with a clearer vision of the reading instruction landscape and the tools necessary to develop a deep understanding of texts. Quick…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Join us for a riveting conversation with Jo Griffin from Newtown Primary School, as we unearth the profound impact that structured literacy and daily review have on shaping young minds. In the arena of education, where traditional practices often reign, Jo shares the tale of her school…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Today's episode of Research to the Classroom (Part 2) is about how to maximize your students' learning and get the most out of daily review. What is Research to Classroom? As a teacher, you have likely not had the advantage of examining research in your teaching degree and now that you…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! This epsiode of Research to the Classroom miniseries focuses on the practice of daily review and retrieval, why we might do it, what it might look like, and what it's like to implement it in a school. What is Research to Classroom? As a teacher, you have likely not had the advantage of…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode, we'll continue our discussion on effective questioning techniques in the classroom. We'll also discuss the importance of providing robust teaching leading up to asking questions and increasing the number of opportunities for students to produce correct responses. Addit…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! On today's episode, I'd like to speak with you about how you can get bang for your buck in the good stuff in the classrooms. That is through an element of explicit instruction that we have all seen in action but that so many of us are yet to embrace—not asking students to put their han…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In today's episode, I will run through a few shifts we might've made in our schools and share some pointers for how you can get the best out of each of them. Let's start with the early years. There are two main things to consider here. That is phonics instruction and decodable text; of…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In today's episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast, I interview fellow teacher Kirby about fluency and assisted reading in the classroom. Kirby shares insights on fluency practice in her classroom and talks about her journey towards understanding structured literacy. Listeners who h…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! This Week's Episode. This is the second episode in our current Research to the Classroom series about assisted reading. Our Research to the Classroom series is in three parts: part one, where we share a published research paper; part two, where we unpack what classroom instruction migh…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Today's Episode. This week, we are discussing dyad reading or assisted reading. The paper I'm sharing is The Effects of Dyad Reading and Text Difficulty on Third Grader's Reading Achievement. It was published in 2017 by Lisa Brown, Kathleen Moore, Bradley Wilcox, and Tyson Barrett. And…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! I'd like to start us off for the year with an episode all about goals. We're going to talk about getting clear on some things that are important. There are so many things that we all get hung up about and overcomplicate in our quest to ensure that every child learns to read and write, …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Guided reading in small groups is a key feature of many upper primary classrooms; however, with a move to structured literacy, there are other choices. In this episode, I will share key ideas from two key books and provide details about how you can create a robust reading lesson. Quick…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Hello there. Welcome to the Structured Literacy Podcast. My name is Jocelyn, and I'm so pleased to welcome you here today. This week, we will tackle another tricky thing that is scary to let go of. Benchmark reading assessment. You can read more and find support at www.jocelynseameredu…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In the past, when we had struggling readers in our class, we'd do a benchmark assessment, identify reading levels, and try to support these students in our small group rotations. But these days, with the growing awareness that guided reading, levelled texts and three queuing are no lon…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Jocelyn shares a Christmas message for all the busy educators out there. Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room The Evergreen Teacher Shop Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primarysc…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this week's episode, we will talk about some of the mindsets and thinking we need to shift when it comes to moving from a small group, guided reading situation to working with a more structured literacy block. Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room The Everg…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode, I'm going to share some key findings from theory and research when it comes to spelling, evaluate a common practice in spelling instruction, and then go on to suggest instructional practices that are a more efficient and effective alternative based on the research on m…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Hello there, and welcome to the Structured Literacy Podcast. My name is Jocelyn, and today, we will be talking about the upper primary literacy block. For a long time, we have focused exclusively on what goes into the early years literacy block and upper primary teachers; it is your tu…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! As we enter the season of report writing, I'd like to dedicate this podcast episode to all the teachers working tirelessly to complete their semester two reports and the leaders who will be reading them. Having worn both hats, I know that there were days when I found writing the report…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Every year we consider what the next year will bring. Invariably, our thoughts turn to what programs we will use. In this episode (originally published in January 2023) Jocelyn explores the benefits and limitations of programs and share suggestions for how to get the best from them wit…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Today in the podcast, we're going to change tone a little bit, and I'd like to talk to you about civility. We have all had the experience of civility and collaborative working and we've all had the opposite. Basically, I want to talk about what it means to be a productive member of our…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Hello, hello, and welcome. My name is Jocelyn, and I am delighted to bring you this 5-day program called Making Sense of Structured Literacy. I look forward to sharing some ideas to make your teaching life easier and your student's results even better. Day 1 - What to expect on a chang…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast, I answer 3 burning questions that have been asked in the On the Structured Literacy Bus Facebook group. When one person asks a question, you can bet your bottom dollar that others will benefit from the answers. So, let's dive in. Q1 -…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode of the podcast, I'd like to share a framework with you that I think will be incredibly useful to help you make decisions about any new approaches you are thinking of adopting. At this time of year in particular, it's common to see schools eagerly order new programs, org…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast, I discuss how English words can seem confusing. Still, they are largely logical when we understand four key areas: phonics, orthography, morphology, and etymology. The truth is that spelling needs to be explicitly taught, just like re…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Hello, and welcome to the Structured Literacy Podcast. My name is Jocelyn, and I'm so pleased that you've decided to join me for this episode. A little while ago, I created an episode called, why Isn't My Tier Two Instruction Working? This was season 2, episode 3. In this episode, I sh…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode, I'd like to share some of my secrets for writing and teaching text-based units that will engage all your students in learning age-appropriate content. Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room The Evergreen Teacher Shop Youtube channel Facebook Pa…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In today's podcast episode, we will discuss the issue of creating an integrated literacy block. This episode starts with a trip down memory lane of my early childhood experiences, but the episode is for all grades of primary school. So, upper primary folks stick with me. This episode i…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Welcome to this week's episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast. I am coming to you from Pataway Burnie in gorgeous Tasmania. I'm Jocelyn, and so pleased that you've been able to join me. In this episode, I'm going to discuss a question that comes up often in our live events and onli…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! You may have heard the phrase, low variance in relation to literacy instruction. Low variance refers to instruction that has the following features. Firstly, it usually has a scope and sequence or a clear outline of specific content that is to be taught. People know what they're going …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Today on the podcast, I'll be talking about tier two instruction, some circumstances that result in it not being as effective as it could be, and some things that we could do to ensure that our and our students' efforts result in great outcomes. Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Hom…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Whole school approaches give us consistency and shared vision, but how can we make sure that this feature of instruction doesn't go too far? Quick Links Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage The Resource Room The Evergreen Teacher Shop Youtube channel Facebook Page #jocelynseamereducation …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Term 3 is the golden term. That's right. You know your students, there are no reports, and it's the perfect time to go big with expectations for student growth. In this week's episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast, I share three ways that you can plan for success in Semester 2. Qu…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Our literacy blocks are so full that it's difficult to find time for all of the things we need to fit in, including morphology. In this week's episode of the Structured Literacy podcast, I share tips for finding time for this important area of instruction in both the early years and up…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In today's episode, I'd like to discuss a very real situation in which so many of us feel immense pressure to teach spelling well but feel as if we don't have the knowledge to do so. Spelling knowledge has two aspects to consider: content and pedagogical. Learning English structure, ph…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! This week I'd like to turn my attention to upper primary. I'll start by running a scenario by you, and we'll see how familiar it sounds. You're a teacher in a year three to six classroom and know that you have a range of students in your class. Your students appear to mostly have solid…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In this episode, I'm going to share some key findings from theory and research when it comes to spelling, evaluate a common practice in spelling instruction, and then go on to suggest instructional practices that are a more efficient and effective alternative based on the research on m…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! We all know that learning is challenging. We teach our students a mantra - "we can do hard things." We aim for them to develop resilience, persistence, and the understanding that making mistakes is a natural part of learning. Being a good learner means accepting vulnerability and ackno…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Today's episode is about the fourth reason things might not be going well and some suggestions for what you can do about it. I am rounding off this series of podcast episodes by sharing my thoughts on a situation in many schools. Your once robust, disciplined, and focused approach has …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Reports are approaching if you are teaching in Australia, and if you were listening to this episode when it was released at the start of June 2023, you might be knee-deep in reporting. So this podcast episode is dedicated to all teachers working away writing their semester one reports …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Every school has a time where the wheels might be falling off their instructional approach. This current series of 4 episodes shares some of the reasons this might be happening and what you can do to get things back on track. This current episode discusses elements of instruction that …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! In our last episode, I shared the first reason the wheels might be falling off your literacy improvement efforts. If you haven't listened to that episode about the need for strong, decisive leadership, I suggest you go back and listen when you have a moment. In this week's episode, I'd…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! You've chosen your phonics program, had everyone trained, and have begun to teach. At first, things seem to be going well, But a year or so down the track, you still aren't seeing those text-level results you were hoping for. This scenario is really common. Hello there. My name's Jocel…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Today, I want to talk to you about an issue that has had me with a bee in my bonnet for a little while now, and that is the large amount of time that many children spend in independent silent reading during literacy instruction. Now my challenge with this is not that it is bad for chil…
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! Taking steps to build student success in reading and writing is no easy task. It isn't made any easier when we don't know which advice or information we should be listening to. In this week's episode, I share 8 myths of reading instruction to help you separate fact from fiction as you …
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Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch! We all want teaching to be just that little bit simpler, but responding to the needs of students isn't a simple matter. When it comes to spelling, our decision making is further complicated by the fact that we probably weren't taught about how words really work at school or university.…
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