Episodes
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With over 28 years of experience teaching, Lena has taught at various grade levels from kindergarten through high school. With a BA in English Literature from the University of Redlands and credentials in Multiple Subject and SPED Mild/Mod from Azusa Pacific University, where she also earned a Master's in Teaching, she brings a wealth of experience to the classroom. Her career began at a non-public high school in a tough part of LA, followed by 10 years in Rosemead, CA, teaching 6th, 4th, and 1st grades. To reduce her commute, she moved to Fontana USD, where she has been for over 15 years, initially teaching 2nd grade before being laid off in 2009. During this period, she earned a SPED credential and returned to teach in an SDC classroom for 4 years. She then transitioned back to general education, teaching 1st grade, took a stint as a STEAM enrichment teacher, and finally settled into a 2nd-grade classroom. Enjoying working with primary grades, Lena looks forward to what the next few years will bring.
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Learn More from Lena:April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
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Pryor Rayburn is a Fellow-in-Training and Certified member of the Orton Gillingham Academy and a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) with ALTA. Pryor graduated from Davidson College with a bachelor’s degree in art, and she holds a Master of Education degree in Special Education, Orton Gillingham. Currently Pryor is the Director of the Associate Orton Gillingham training through Key Learning Center. She also creates Structured Literacy digital resources for teachers to use with their students. Prior to her current roles, she was the Director of the Educational Resource Program at a private school, an Orton Gillingham tutor, President of the NC branch of the International Dyslexia Association, and an elementary school teacher. Pryor is passionate about helping all students learn to read with a focus on Structured Literacy in every classroom. Pryor lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and two children.
April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
Learn More from Pryor Here:
www.OrtonGillinghamMama.com
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How to Teach (and Master!) Sight Words in 5 Minutes a Day -
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Rebecca Riddle is an experienced educator who has taught kindergarten, 1st grade, and 4th grade. She has a deep passion for science and currently serves as the team lead for the Simplify Science curriculum, which emphasizes the integration of writing throughout the learning process.
April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
You can reach out to her through the Simplify Science program at simplifyscience.com/contact. -
Heather O’Donnell MS.Ed and Ed.M began her career as a classroom teacher. Working in both special and general education classroom settings, she left the classroom in 2018 to open New Paltz Multisensory, an online and in person tutoring practice in New Paltz, NY. After identifying a need for private multisensory reading instruction in her community, the practice has grown to include a team of 14 tutors providing online and in person multisensory reading, writing and math instruction to students in over 10 states. All providers are certified and highly trained in using the Orton-Gillingham approach to diagnostically provide explicit instruction so that kids learn to love learning again! In 2023, the tutoring practice has expanded into creating structured literacy and multisensory math materials for use with our clients, and to support other teachers looking to expand their library of go-to teaching tools.
April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
Learn More about Heather:
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April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
Michelle Sullivan is the vibrant and passionate face behind The Colorful Classroom. Her mission? To equip elementary teachers with captivating, SOR-aligned tips, tools, and strategies for strong literacy instruction. Michelle champions teaching WITH color in multisensory ways and encourages educators to BE colorful—showing up with rich vibrancy and brilliance to make a significant impact on their students' literacy development. With over a decade of experience in literacy-centered roles, Michelle has worked as a small group reading interventionist and instructional literacy coach. She has dedicated hundreds of hours to training and self-study, reading dozens of books to deepen her knowledge. Michelle is OG trained, currently on a two-year LETRS training journey, and committed to being a lifelong learner. At The Colorful Classroom, Michelle introduces the acronym COLORFUL: Captivating Our Learnings on Reading Fluently & Understanding Language. She is big on knowing a word deeply—from phonology to orthography and the morphology, etymology, and vocabulary. Join Michelle in making literacy instruction a brilliant and joyful experience!
Learn More from Michelle Here::
FREE GUIDE: "Phonics & Morphology Terms Every Teacher Needs to Know"WebsiteInstagramFacebook -
April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
Heather Cacioppo has taught in self-contained classroom settings for middle school and high school students for 8 years. She is currently a Special Education Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator at a private autism school. Heather has a Bachelor's degree in Special Education and a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Teacher Leadership. Heather is also a special education teacher mentor. She helps self-contained special education teachers with individualized and personalized support to make self-assured educational decisions so that you can avoid the stress, overwhelm and burnout in this field. Special education teachers are better together!
Learn More From Heather Here:
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April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training.
Thomas J. Bussey is a dedicated educator with 15 years of experience. He holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Elementary Education from Georgia State University and is currently pursuing a Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Thomas has taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades across all subjects and currently teaches 5th grade ELA. His passion lies in making learning engaging and exciting for his students.
Learn more from Thomas here:
Instagram: @thebesteducator -
April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training
Susan is a current first-grade teacher in Massachusetts. She has her Ed.M. in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston University and is both LETRS and OG trained. Her passion is sharing research-based tips and activities for K-2 teachers, which she does weekly on her YouTube channel (Susan Jones Teaching). Susan loves teaching reading, writing, and math and is constantly looking for the best ways to effectively teach a skill and increase student engagement simultaneously!
Learn More From Susan Here:
https://youtube.com/@susanjonesteaching
Instagram: @susanjonesteaching
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April Smith is the author of the book Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework For a Student-Centered Writing Block. You can find her on Instagram and Youtube @Performingineducation. Find her free writing training at https://www.simplifywriting.com/training
Nicole Turner is a highly respected K-12 educational coach, author, speaker, and trainer, dedicated to supporting instructional coaches. She launched the first full virtual conference designed specifically for instructional coaches, Simply Coaching Summit™, which has influenced thousands of educators, coaches, and administrators. You can learn more about Nicole Turner at https://simplyinstructionalcoaching.com.
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Thank you for listening! If you need help evaluating your current writing materials, please contact me.
Follow April @performingineducation
https://www.youtube.com/@AprilSmith
Learn More: https://www.simplifywriting.com/training
Articles & Research
Graham, Steve. 2019. “Changing How Writing Is Taught.” Review of Research in Education 43 (1): 277–303. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732x18821125.
Summary: To be successful in various aspects of life, students must learn to write, which requires adequate practice and instruction. Many schools fail to achieve this, as numerous students lack essential writing skills. This chapter identifies factors hindering good writing instruction, such as inadequate instructional time and insufficient teacher preparation. It also offers recommendations for improving writing practices by increasing stakeholders' knowledge and developing effective writing instruction policies.
Reutzel, D.R. (2015). Early literacy research: Findings primary grades teachers will want to know. The Reading Teacher, 69(1), 14-24.
Summary: Early literacy research emphasizes the importance of foundational skills like handwriting, phonemic awareness, and understanding text structures for young students. Handwriting fluency is crucial for effective writing, as it predicts the quality of written work and helps students organize their thoughts. Research shows that teaching handwriting early improves overall writing performance.
Horn, M. (2005). Listening to Nysia: Storytelling as a Way into Writing in Kindergarten. Language Arts, 83(1), 33–41. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csusm.edu/https://www.ncte.org/journals/la/issues
Summary: This article explores the importance of storytelling in kindergarten as a foundational step toward writing. It highlights a specific storytelling session where a child, Nysia, shares her experiences of a field trip while the teacher is guiding her narrative. Horn emphasizes that oral storytelling is a natural way for young children to begin writing, as it allows them to express their experiences and develop their thinking. The piece advocates for recognizing storytelling as a vital component of literacy education that fosters a sense of authorship in children.
Finlayson, K., & McCrudden, M.T. (2020). Teacher-implemented writing instruction for elementary students: A literature review. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 36(1), 1-18. DOI: 10.1080/10573569.2019.1604278.
Summary: The literature review by Finlayson and McCrudden (2020) examines the effectiveness of teacher-implemented writing interventions in elementary classrooms to improve student writing performance. Thirteen experimental research studies were identified, with classroom teachers implementing a variety of writing strategies. The most commonly used approach was explicit strategy instruction, including self-regulated strategy development, which significantly enhanced students' writing achievement. The review highlights the importance of supporting the development of writing skills at a young age. It also provides insights into evidence-based instructional practices that can positively impact students' writing outcomes in elementary grades.
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Follow April @performingineducation
https://www.youtube.com/@AprilSmith
Learn More: https://www.simplifywriting.com/training
Articles & Research
Graham, Steve. 2019. “Changing How Writing Is Taught.” Review of Research in Education 43 (1): 277–303. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732x18821125.
Summary: To be successful in various aspects of life, students must learn to write, which requires adequate practice and instruction. Many schools fail to achieve this, as numerous students lack essential writing skills. This chapter identifies factors hindering good writing instruction, such as inadequate instructional time and insufficient teacher preparation. It also offers recommendations for improving writing practices by increasing stakeholders' knowledge and developing effective writing instruction policies.
Reutzel, D.R. (2015). Early literacy research: Findings primary grades teachers will want to know. The Reading Teacher, 69(1), 14-24.
Summary: Early literacy research emphasizes the importance of foundational skills like handwriting, phonemic awareness, and understanding text structures for young students. Handwriting fluency is crucial for effective writing, as it predicts the quality of written work and helps students organize their thoughts. Research shows that teaching handwriting early improves overall writing performance.
Horn, M. (2005). Listening to Nysia: Storytelling as a Way into Writing in Kindergarten. Language Arts, 83(1), 33–41. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csusm.edu/https://www.ncte.org/journals/la/issues
Summary: This article explores the importance of storytelling in kindergarten as a foundational step toward writing. It highlights a specific storytelling session where a child, Nysia, shares her experiences of a field trip while the teacher is guiding her narrative. Horn emphasizes that oral storytelling is a natural way for young children to begin writing, as it allows them to express their experiences and develop their thinking. The piece advocates for recognizing storytelling as a vital component of literacy education that fosters a sense of authorship in children.
Finlayson, K., & McCrudden, M.T. (2020). Teacher-implemented writing instruction for elementary students: A literature review. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 36(1), 1-18. DOI: 10.1080/10573569.2019.1604278.
Summary: The literature review by Finlayson and McCrudden (2020) examines the effectiveness of teacher-implemented writing interventions in elementary classrooms to improve student writing performance. Thirteen experimental research studies were identified, with classroom teachers implementing a variety of writing strategies. The most commonly used approach was explicit strategy instruction, including self-regulated strategy development, which significantly enhanced students' writing achievement. The review highlights the importance of supporting the development of writing skills at a young age. It also provides insights into evidence-based instructional practices that can positively impact students' writing outcomes in elementary grades.
