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PODCAST

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators

Michelle Sullivan • Literacy Coach & Science of Reading Advocate

Literacy in Color is the go-to podcast for elementary teachers, literacy coaches, and reading interventionists who are passionate about bringing the Science of Reading to life in vibrant, engaging, and effective ways. Hosted by Michelle Sullivan — a seasoned literacy expert & Science of Reading advocate - with as a reading interventionist & literacy coach since 2013 — this show is designed to help you captivate your learners, boost reading fluency, and foster a deep understanding of language. Each

education how to

All Episodes

44:11

115. From Undiagnosed Dyslexia to Advocacy: Ameer...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/10/06

Emmy-nominated actor, dyslexia advocate, and speaker Ameer Baraka explores the human side of unidentified dyslexia. Ameer takes us back to his childhood, when difficulties with reading left him feeling isolated, ashamed, and convinced that he simply wasn’t capable of learning. As his struggles went unidentified, school felt like it wasn’t a place of possibility, and he began searching for another way to make it in the world.It wasn’t until Ameer was incarcerated as a young adult that his educational

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01:07:04

114. But what exactly are we "waiting to see"? with...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/10/02

What does dyslexia actually look like – from preschool through high school – and how can educators recognize when a student’s struggles may be telling us something more?In this Dyslexia Awareness Month bonus episode, Certified Dyslexia Therapist and teacher educator Barb Golub joins the show for an honest, practical, and incredibly fun conversation about recognizing and supporting students with dyslexia.Barb shares the personal story that ultimately led her into dyslexia therapy, and explains why

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01:00:29

113. Integrated MTSS: Looking at Academics & Behavior...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/09/29

What happens when schools treat academics and behavior as two completely separate systems?Dr. Dawn Miller and Dr. Pamela Radford of MTSS Innovations help us explore what it really means to build an integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): one that recognizes that students’ academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs don’t exist in isolation.We unpack the powerful relationship between academic success and behavior, including what can happen when a student’s academic struggles show up

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51:01

112. Routines for Reading Results with Dr. Sarah...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/09/22

Dr. Sarah Brown and Dr. Kelly Powell-Smith, co-authors of Routines for Reading Results: A Practical Approach for Accelerating Growth, alongside Dr. Stephanie Stollar and Beth Madden unpack the principles of Direct Instruction and explain why effective reading instruction depends not only on what we teach, but on the intentional design and delivery of instruction.They walk through the four phases of learning: acquisition, automaticity, generalization, and adaptation – and explain why students can

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01:08:36

111. When Language is the Missing Piece: DLD & SWI...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/09/15

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects approximately 1 in 14 people, yet many educators have never heard of it. So what might DLD actually look like in the classroom? How can we better support students when difficulties with language intersect with dyslexia, ADHD, executive function, reading, spelling, and writing?Speech-language pathologists, Kathleen Love and Beth Coppoc Gunshor take us for a deep dive into DLD and language-based literacy intervention.Kathleen and Beth unpack the

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51:51

110. Decodable Texts Done Right: How to Leverage Them...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/09/08

Decodable texts are an important tool for helping readers apply their phonics knowledge, but are we squeezing everything we can out of them?Dr. Wiley Blevins – longtime educator, researcher, author, and one of the most recognized voices in phonics instruction – shares all about choosing and using decodable texts.When it comes to choosing decodable texts, Wiley shares the prevailing thinking around how decodable a text actually needs to be. We also tackle a question that doesn't always have a neat

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01:09:36

109. Phonological Awareness & the Alphabet: What the...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/09/01

Before we get into what the research currently says about teaching phonological awareness and the alphabet, this episode begins by breaking down some key terminology. What makes a practice evidence-based? What’s the difference between research-based and research-tested? What should we consider when implementing instruction aligned with the Science of Reading?Dr. Shayne Piasta, Distinguished Professor at THE Ohio State University and Faculty Associate at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research

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18:23

108. Making Phonics Richer with Multiple Meaning Words

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/08/25

What if one of the richest language opportunities in your literacy block is already hiding inside your phonics word list? Even the simplest decodable words can carry surprisingly rich meanings. A word like “cap” might be something you wear on your head, the top of a bottle, an action you perform when you cover something, or even part of the phrase “no cap.” Simple to decode doesn't necessarily mean simple in meaning. In this episode, I share a few simple ways to intentionally sprinkle meaning into

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59:38

107. Stop Overcomplicating Big Words: How to Teach...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/08/18

What happens after students master single-syllable words in phonics, but the words in their books keep getting longer?Dr. Devin Kearns takes us for a deep dive into polysyllabic word reading and what the research tells us about helping students tackle increasingly complex words. He explains why the transition into longer words presents challenges that simply don't exist in single-syllable words, including the unpredictability of single-letter vowels, reduced vowels & schwa, and the growing

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44:35

106. How New York City Is Transforming Reading...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/08/11

What does it actually mean for a word to become "stored" in the brain – and how do we design instruction that helps that happen for every student?In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Katie Pace Miles, associate professor at Brooklyn College, founder of The Reading Institute, co-founder of CUNY Reading Fellows, and one of today's leading voices in reading science.She not only shares about the cognitive process of orthographic mapping, but also why understanding how words become permanently stored in

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50:11

105. From Imposter Syndrome to Impact: A Literacy...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/08/04

Transitioning from classroom teacher to literacy coach is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you build trust? Support veteran teachers? Know when to offer advice...and when to simply listen?Today’s episode is part Coaching Conversation, as literacy coach Leah Ruesink shares about her transition to coach and what coaching really looks like behind the scenes. Leah shares some lessons she’s learned along the way, including how to build meaningful relationships, navigate imposter

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48:16

104. Building the Biliterate Reading Brain:...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/07/28

One of the most influential voices around “the reading brain”, Dr. Maryanne Wolf, joins the show to tackle that very subject. Our brains were never wired to read. Reading is a learned, plastic circuit that develops through instruction – and how we teach profoundly shapes how that circuitry is built.Dr. Wolf explains dyslexia, why fluency is much more than reading quickly, and why decoding alone is not enough for deep comprehension. She shares the research behind her POSSUM framework and explains why

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19:34

103. 5 Quick Tips for b/d Letter Reversals

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/07/21

Letter reversals are one of the most common concerns among parents and teachers. In this episode, we dive into what’s happening in the brain when it comes to letter reversals, when reversals may be expected, and 5 practical tips for fixing b/d reversals specifically.Resource Mentioned:Forthcoming Book: Developing Proficient Writers by Amy Siracusano & Michelle Sullivan (Solution Tree, expected late Spring 2027)This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie

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01:03:07

102. Powerful Fluency Instruction & Performance-Based...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/07/14

Fluency serves as the critical bridge between accurate word reading and deep comprehension, so how can we build it? In this episode, Michelle sits down with literacy scholar, author, and educator, Dr. Chase Young shares what fluency really is, why it matters, and how teachers can transform fluency instruction from repetitive practice into engaging, meaningful learning experiences.Chase shares the research behind performance-based fluency instruction, including Reader’s Theater, Poetry Slams, Teddy

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01:01:02

101. Science of Reading Hot Topics: Navigating the...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/07/07

The Science of Reading has transformed literacy instruction, but with that shift has come a new challenge: navigating the growing number of debates, disagreements, and hot topics within the field itself.Author, podcaster, and doctoral student Anna Geiger of Reach All Readers joins the show to explore the nuance behind some of the most talked-about conversations in literacy today. We discuss what research can (and cannot) tell us, why instructional decisions are not always black and white, and how

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31:11

100. A Literacy Manifesto After 100 Episodes: 3 Hills...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/06/30

Happy 100th Episode!!! To celebrate this milestone episode, I share:3 literacy hills I’d die on3 things I hope we can leave behind, and3 things I’m watching closely Thank you for helping make the first 100 episodes possible. Here's to the next 100!Favorite Episodes Mentioned:Playlist (if listening from your computer)Playlist (if listening from a podcast player)This podcast is brought to you by Reading Science Academy, where our friend Stephanie Stollar is giving Literacy in Color listeners an

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41:24

99. How PS 152Q Transformed Early Literacy with...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/06/23

What happens when a school decides that "business as usual" is no longer good enough? Principal Lisa Russo and the first-grade team at PS 152Q to discuss their remarkable literacy transformation. After years of using balanced literacy practices, the school shifted toward structured literacy, embraced the science of reading, and implemented a schoolwide intervention block supported by Dr. Katie Pace Miles' Reading Ready intervention program.The team shares their journey from seeing students struggle

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54:36

98. Syntax is Everything: The Backbone of...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/06/16

When educators discuss reading comprehension, the conversation often centers around vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension strategies, but what if we've been overlooking one of the most critical components of comprehension all along?Research scientist, Dr. Julie Van Dyke shares about the powerful role syntax plays in reading comprehension. Drawing from decades of research in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and language processing, Dr. Van Dyke explains why syntax is

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57:25

97. Effective Universal Instruction with Dr. Sarah...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/06/09

Drawing from decades of experience in literacy, school psychology, systems-level leadership, and MTSS implementation, Dr. Sarah Brown and Dr. Kimberly Gibbons explain why strong universal instruction is the true foundation of student success. They explore what Tier 1 actually includes, why intervention alone cannot solve widespread literacy struggles, and how leadership, collaboration, fidelity, coaching, and systems-thinking all work together to improve outcomes for students.Key Takeaways:What Tier

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58:41

96. Reading’s Dynamic Duo: How Fluency & Vocabulary...

Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned... ·

2026/06/02

Melissa Loftus and Lori Sappington from the Melissa & Lori Love Literacy podcast take their hosting hats off for the day to share their expertise around fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension – and why comprehension instruction is far more complex than simply teaching “strategies.”Melissa and Lori explain why comprehension is considered an unconstrained skill, how fluent word recognition frees up cognitive space for meaning-making, and why vocabulary and knowledge building are essential for

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