Reading Road Trip
Reading Road Trip, from IDA Ontario, is a podcast about evidence-based literacy instruction. Host and classroom teacher Kate Winn interviews researchers, authors, educators, and advocates who share practical ideas for implementing effective reading strategies in classrooms, schools, or districts. The podcast aims to support educators and promote literacy.
Episodes
S5E4: Navigating Dyslexia: From Personal Impact to Professional Support with Dr. Todd Cunningham
In this episode of Reading Road Trip, Kate welcomes Dr. Todd Cunningham for a thoughtful conversation about dyslexia from both a professional and personal perspective. Todd shares his own experiences growing up with dyslexia before discussing what research tells us about dyslexia today, including early identification, intervention, common misconceptions
S5E3: Outsmart Your Brain - Expert Tips for Learning with Dr. Daniel Willingham
Kate Winn is joined by cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Willingham to discuss Outsmart Your Brain and the science of learning. From reading comprehension and background knowledge to note-taking, studying, procrastination, sleep, test anxiety, and focus, this episode is packed with practical tips for educators, parents, students,
S5E2: Busting Small Group Myths With Dr. Julia Lindsey
In this episode of Reading Road Trip, Kate Winn is joined by Dr. Julia Lindsey to debunk common myths about small-group reading instruction. From ditching leveled texts to using data for flexible, targeted groups, this conversation highlights how small groups can be a powerful, efficient tool to support student learning, without adding hours of prep.
Ou
S5E1: Handwriting and Early Literacy - What the Research Really Says with Dr. Shawn Datchuk
Handwriting isn’t just about tidy letters on a page, it’s a powerful bridge to reading, spelling, and early literacy. In this episode, Kate sits down with Dr. Shawn Datchuk to unpack the science behind handwriting instruction, the three processes every child needs to master, and five research‑aligned practices teachers can use right away. From tracing t
Season 5 Coming June 29!
Season 5 of Reading Road Trip arrives June 29, bringing a fresh lineup of literacy conversations to fuel your summer learning.
Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for another jam‑packed summer of practical, evidence‑based literacy learning. This season features an incredible lineup of guests, including researchers, clinicians, educators, and system leaders
Bonus Episode: Reading Assessment Done Right with Dr. Stephanie Stollar and Kate Winn
Buckle up. This surprise, between-seasons bonus episode of Reading Road Trip goes behind the scenes of the soon-to-be-released book Reading Assessment Done Right. Kate Winn steps out from the host role and into the guest seat alongside co-author Dr. Stephanie Stollar. Together, Kate and Stephanie candidly discuss why they wrote the book, how the collabo
S4 E10: Expert Tips for Your Best School Year Yet!
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 a
S4 E9: Attention, Memory and Learning with Blake Harvard
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.
S4 E8: Reading Interventions for Older Students with the NNDSB Team
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, a
S4 E7: Demystifying DLD with Dr. Tiffany Hogan
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 misconcepti
S4 E6: Unpacking the SSSR Conference with Kate & Una
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), K
S4 E5: The Lowdown on Decodable Text with Lee-Ann Lear
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 seque
S4 E4: Implementation Science with Dr. Katlynn Dahl-Leonard
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,
S4 E3: Scaffolding Complex Text with Dr. Sarah Lupo
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 lit
S4 E2: Inferences in the Early Years with Dr. Jen O'Sullivan
This week, Kate Winn welcomes Irish educator and researcher Dr. Jen O’Sullivan to explore how young children develop the ability to make inferences and how educators can explicitly support this essential skill. From playful, practical strategies to research-backed insights, this episode is packed with ideas to bring inferencing to life in the early year
S4 E1: thinkSRSD 101 with Dr. Leslie Laud
Buckle up - it's the Season 4 premiere of Reading Road Trip! Host Kate Winn kicks off the new season with Dr. Leslie Laud of thinkSRSD for a lively and practical conversation about transforming writing instruction. From kindergarten to high school, discover how this evidence-based approach is scaling across classrooms, building confidence, reducing teac
Season 4 Coming June 30!
Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a fourth season!
Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and practitioners, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!
Surprise! Special Bonus Episode: Kate & Una Share Road Bumps and Refuels
For this surprise bonus episode, buckle up and join Kate Winn and Una Malcolm for a candid conversation about all things reading! Kate and Una share their "road bumps" and "refuels" along the road to reading for all.
Stay tuned for Season 4 of Reading Road Trip this summer where we'll bring another carload of fabulous guests along for the ride.
Keen to
S3 E10: The Science of Learning with Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden
Season 3 wraps up with a jam-packed episode featuring Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. Kate and Amanda have a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and human behaviour - how do children learn new things? From the instructional hierarchy to incremental rehearsal, don't miss this fabulous episode!
Show Notes:
Curious about Amanda's insights in
S3 E9: Supporting Gifted and Advanced Readers with Dr. Amanda Nickerson
This week Kate is joined by Dr. Amanda Nickerson for a candid conversation about supporting gifted and highly advanced readers. Don't miss this episode that highlights the value of advanced decoding and spelling instruction for skilled readers!
S3 E8: Higher Education & Systems-Level Literacy with Dr. Andrea Fraser
Dr. Andrea Fraser joins Kate to chat about her systems change journey: first in a board central team role, shifting her district's literacy instruction to structured literacy, and then preparing preservice teachers to teach with a structured literacy approach. Tune in to hear her insights on bridging the gap between research and practice at the district
S3 E7: Dyslexia - Remediation & Comorbid Disorders with Dr. Marc Joanisse
Kate welcomes Dr. Marc Joanisse for a discussion about the neurobiology of dyslexia and other comorbid disorders, including ADHD and DLD.
Dr Marc Joanisse is a professor at the University of Western Ontario in the Department of Psychology and the Western Institute for Neuroscience. His research examines the cognitive and brain basis of reading dyslexia
S3 E6 Reading Beyond the Early Years with Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer
Curious about evidence-based instruction for older readers? This week, Kate welcomes Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer to discuss strategies for helping older readers decode big words and tackle complex texts, focusing on syntactic features like connectives and anaphora to improve text comprehension.
Heidi Anne is the author of several great books, including Big Wo
S3 E5 Literacy and Multilingual Learners with Dr. Claude Goldenberg
Dr. Claude Goldenberg joins us this week. Don't miss this engaging conversation about reading instruction for multilingual students - and keep listening to the end to learn about Claude's real-life road trips inspired by a John Steinbeck book!
Claude is the Nomelini and Olivier professor of education emeritus at Stanford University. A native of Argentin
S3 E4: Supporting Reading Comprehension with Meredith & David Liben
Kate welcomes Meredith and David Liben for a candid conversation on reading comprehension. The Libens walk through effective instruction to help students understand what they read - from close reading to structured journals, they share practical tips to support comprehension!
The Libens are the authors of Know Better Do Better: Teaching the Foundations
S3 E3: Raising Readers From Birth with Maya Payne Smart
Join us this week for a chat with parent educator Maya Payne Smart. Kate and Maya walk through clear, actionable steps to empower parents to support their child's language and literacy development.
Maya is the author of Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six. It is excellent - well-researched, clear, and parent-friendly - and ev
S3 E2: Reading Science Surprises with Anna Geiger
This week, Kate welcomes fellow podcaster Anna Geiger from The Measured Mom. As two teachers who have shifted from balanced literacy to structured literacy, this episode is filled with candid discussion as Kate and Anna highlight the biggest surprises they encountered along the way!
Anna is the CEO of The Measured Mom, host of Triple R Teaching, and the
S3 E1: Live with Dr. Anita Archer & Dr. Sonia Cabell!
Season 3 of Reading Road Trip kicks off with a candid conversation between literacy greats: Dr. Anita Archer and Dr. Sonia Cabell.
Anita and Sonia recorded this episode at the 2024 Literacy & Learning Conference. Their conversation is both thoughtful and lighthearted - we hope you will enjoy!
Show Notes:
Sonia is a co-author of the new book Stri
Season 3 Coming July 1!
Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a third season!
Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and advocates, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!
S2 E10: Reading Science: What Teachers Really NEED To Know with Dr. Jennifer Buckingham
Season 2 of Reading Road Trip closes out with a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Buckingham. Kate and Jennifer dig into reading science - what do teachers really need to know? From syllable types to comprehension strategies, linguistic terms to cognitive science, this episode distinguishes between what is a "need to know" and what is "nice to know."
Dr
S2 E9: How To Teach Writing with Dr. Steve Graham
In this week's episode, Kate chats with Dr. Steve Graham about all things writing. Dr. Graham highlights the importance of handwriting and spelling, and unpacks evidence-based strategy instruction to build strong writers.
Show Notes:
Steve is an author and editor of many books, including Best Practices in Writing Instruction and Writing Better
Steve
S2 E8: Dyslexia Facts, Myths and Strategies with Dr. Jack Fletcher
Kate chats with Dr. Jack Fletcher this week, unpacking all things dyslexia: Risk factors and prevention, dyslexia vs dysteachia, instructional tips, wait-to-fail, and dyslexia myths and misconceptions.
Show Notes:
Learn more about some of the articles Jack mentioned:
The importance of early reading intervention (Lovett et al., 2017)
Problems with dys
S2 E7: Novels in the Elementary Class: Best Practices with Clara Maria Fiorentini
Kate chats with Clara Fiorentini this week. Tune in to explore novels in the classroom: how class novel studies fit into structured literacy, how complex text can be scaffolded, using "read-alikes" to choose texts, and avoiding the perils of "extractitis" - don't miss this thoughtful conversation about chapter books!
Clara is the president of the Litera
S2 E6: Classroom Comprehension with Dr. Kristin Conradi Smith, Tamara Williams & Ellen Frackelton
This week Kate talks to Kristin Conradi Smith, Tammy Williams, and Ellen Frackelton about research-based comprehension strategies for the classroom, including considerations for text selection and preparation, common pitfalls to avoid and “use it tomorrow” ideas. Bottom line: no more strategy of the week!
Show Notes:
Kristin, Ellen and Tammy co-wrote
S2 E5: Equity and Literacy: Real Talk with Kareem Weaver
In this week's episode, Kate welcomes Kareem Weaver for a candid conversation about the role of literacy in equity, and some myths and misconceptions as strive for the goal of literacy for all.
Kareem Weaver is a co-founder and executive director of FULCRUM and is also the Oakland NAACP's Second Vice President and Chair of its Education Committee. Kar
S2 E4: Next STEPS for Targeted Instruction with Dr. Deb Glaser
This week, Kate chats with Dr. Deb Glaser about the second edition of Next STEPS for Literacy Instruction, co-authored with Dr. Susan Smartt. Kate and Deb unpack how to use valid and reliable assessments to shape effective literacy instructions, particularly through the Next STEPS framework: Set-up, Teach, Engage, Practice, and Show You Know.
Deb's know
S2 E3: The Structured Literacy Shift in a First Nation School with Catherine Shawana
Kate welcomes Catherine Shawana, a member of Wiikwemkoong unceded territory, for a candid discussion about her First Nation school's journey from balanced literacy to structured literacy, as well as a broader conversation about First Nations education. Catherine's passions are rooted in the foundation of building Anishnawbek identity and establishing a
S2 E2: Making Sense of Syntax with Nancy Chapel Eberhardt
This week, Kate is joined by Nancy Chapel Eberhardt to discuss all things syntax. A key element of language comprehension, equipping students with an understanding of syntax is key to supporting strong reading and writing skills! Take a listen to learn more about how syntax develops and how to best teach this domain of language.
Nancy Chapel Eberhardt
S2 E1: Behind & Beyond Sold a Story with Emily Hanford
Season 2 of Reading Road Trip kicks off with Emily Hanford! Join Kate Winn to get the inside scoop on Emily's reporting work on the science of reading, including the incredibly popular podcast Sold a Story. Emily unpacks her journey into reporting on literacy instruction, how Sold a Story was made, and how she responds to critics.
Show Notes:
Emily'
Season 2 Coming January 1!
Buckle up - Reading Road Trip is back for a second season!
Join classroom teacher Kate Winn for a jam-packed season featuring fabulous guests. From researchers and authors to educators and advocates, they're all sharing practical ideas that can be implemented now in your class, school, board or district!
S1 E10: Ask Us Anything!
In the Season 1 finale, you get to ask the questions! Kate Winn and Una Malcolm answer listener questions, sharing their thoughts on sound spelling walls to structured literacy in older grades. Stay tuned to the end for the answer to the most common question - will there be a Season 2 of Reading Road Trip?
Show Notes:
In the spirit of Truth and Reconc
S1 E9: Literacy for Language Learners with Diana Burchell
Kate hosts Diana Burchell for a conversation about language learners. Is structured literacy appropriate for multilingual learners? Can early screening and intervention support students in French Immersion? What does research tell us about the language and literacy development of refugees from Syria?
Diana is a former high school French Immersion teache
S1 E8: Inside the Reading Brain with Dr. Carolyn Strom
This week, Kate is joined by Dr. Carolyn Strom for a conversation about the reading brain. What are the neural underpinnings of how students learn to read? How can research in this field help us in the classroom?
Carolyn is a clinical assistant professor of Early Childhood Literacy at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture Education and Human Development. H
S1 E7: Literacy Coaching and PD with Dr. Daryl Michel
Kate welcomes Dr. Daryl Michel for a candid discussion on literacy coaching and PD. As we look to the beginning of a new school year, and as many systems plan structured literacy teacher PD, how can we create meaningful professional learning opportunities that lead to strong student and teacher outcomes?
Dr. Daryl Michel is the founder of Be A Change,
S1 E6: Universal Screening for Effective Instruction with Renata Archie
This week, Kate and guest Renata Archie dive into early reading screening: what is it, why is it needed, and most importantly, how it can inform instruction. Renata is a doctoral student in reading science, and an Academic Intervention Services Coordinator for New York City Department of Education where she supports educators and leaders with assessment
S1 E5: All Things Fluency with Dr. Jan Hasbrouck
Dr. Jan Hasbrouck joins the podcast this week, sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience on reading fluency. Together, Kate and Jan unpack fluency - what is it, how educators can provide instruction that supports reading fluency, and common misconceptions. You can find Jan on her website and Twitter page.
Jan has written several excellent books,
S1 E4: Mighty Moves for Reading Success with Lindsay Kemeny
This week, Kate has a conversation with Lindsay Kemeny, a primary teacher from Utah and author of the brand-new book 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-To-3 Reading Success. You can find Lindsay on her website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Lindsay’s book, 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strate
S1 E3: Foundational Literacy Skills with Dr. Holly Lane
Kate is joined by Dr. Holly Lane, professor and researcher at the University of Florida, and creator of the UFLI Foundations program. Together, Kate and Holly unpack some of the considerations for teaching foundational word reading and spelling skills.
Dr. Holly Lane is the Director of the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI), an associate pr
S1 E2: Effective Early Literacy Instruction with Dr. Sonia Cabell
Kate Winn welcomes Dr. Sonia Cabell for a candid discussion about five key research-based elements of early language and literacy instruction for young children.
Dr. Sonia Cabell is an Associate Professor of Education at Florida State University and the Florida Center for Reading Research. Sonia's research focuses on early language and literacy instruct
S1 E1: Literacy Myth-Busting with Lyn Stone
In the premiere, Kate is joined by Lyn Stone, a linguist and author. Lyn busts common reading myths and misconceptions, advocating for evidence-based structured literacy for all students.
About Lyn:
Lyn Stone is a linguist, educator, author and founder of Lifelong Literacy. Her books, courses, and presentations unpack the structure of lan
Reading Road Trip Premieres Monday, July 3rd!
Kate Winn and IDA Ontario's President, Una Malcolm, introduce IDA Ontario's new podcast Reading Road Trip, premiering July 3rd, 2023.
