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PODCAST

play on words

Learning to read starts with learning to play. This is the podcast for parents and teachers of kids ages 0-8 who want to have FUN learning evidence backed early development and literacy strategies in a short amount of time. This is the podcast for the teacher who needs a bestie to ask questions to and the parent who wants to know the best developmental practices to implement in the 3 minutes a day they have. You"re not alone. Ask your questions here. If I can"t answer them, one of my friends will be

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All Episodes

20:12

The Reading Wars Never Ended—and Your Child May Be...

play on words ·

2026/08/12

In honor of Episode 96, Miss Beth is going back to 1996, a pivotal year in the history of reading instruction and the year one of the most iconic book-loving children arrived on the big screen: Matilda. What did Matilda get right and wrong about literacy and the American Education System?In this episode, Beth breaks down the whole-language approach, the original reading wars and the strategies that encouraged children to use pictures, context and first letters to guess at words. She connects that

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21:05

What your first grader should know before the first...

play on words ·

2026/08/05

Is your child really ready for first grade? The answer has a lot less to do with reading a whole book independently — and a lot more to do with whether the right foundational skills are in place.In episode 95, Miss Beth breaks down the specific literacy skills rising first graders should be developing before the school year begins. We're talking about phonemic awareness, letter sounds, decoding, spelling, and sentence writing — not vague readiness checklists, reading levels, or memorized sight-word

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16:54

Reading Doesn't Start with the Alphabet: The Skills...

play on words ·

2026/07/29

Have you ever worried that your preschooler isn't interested in letters yet? Or wondered if you should be doing more alphabet practice at home?This episode is your reminder to take a deep breath.In episode 94, Miss Beth breaks down the developmental skills that come before the ABCs — and explains why these early experiences are some of the strongest predictors of later reading success. Reading and writing don't begin with flashcards or worksheets. They begin years earlier through movement, play,

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45:34

Is My Child Being Bullied? How to Tell the Difference...

play on words ·

2026/07/22

Is everything bullying now?One day your child comes home saying someone wouldn't let them play. The next day they say they say they are being bullied. As parents, we want to protect our children—but we also want to help them build the confidence and resilience to handle everyday disagreements.In episode 93, I'm joined byDr. Carrie Jacksonto unpack one of the biggest parenting conversations happening today:Has the word "bullying" become too broad?We're talking about how to validate our children's

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59:22

Third Trimester: What's Worth Doing... and What's...

play on words ·

2026/07/01

Episode 92:If you've spent even five minutes on pregnancy TikTok, you've probably wondered: should I be bouncing on a birth ball every night? Do dates actually help? Can I sleep on my back? Do I really need every prenatal appointment? Should I hire a doula? And is there anything that actually helps labor start? This week Miss Beth sits down with labor and delivery nurse, educator, and creator behind The Labor Mama, Lo Mansfield, to separate evidence from internet hype and answer the questions real

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21:33

Reading or Memorizing? The Difference Matters

play on words ·

2026/06/24

Episode 91: This week Miss Beth dives into herviral video that sparked thousands of comments and a lot of strong opinions. After sharing that children who can read familiar words but struggle with nonsense words may be relying on memorization rather than decoding, the internet had questions: is memorization bad, do skilled readers really sound out every word, and are adults just "fake reading"? Beth unpacks what she actually meant, explores the research behind decoding and orthographic mapping, and

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23:38

Why Reading Hasn't Clicked Yet (Hint: It's Not About...

play on words ·

2026/06/08

Episode 90: In this episode, Beth breaks down one of the most important (and most misunderstood) reading skills: fluency. She explains why knowing letter sounds doesn't automatically lead to easy reading, what the real bridge between decoding and comprehension looks like, and simple, science-backed ways parents can help their child become a stronger, more confident reader at home.What you'll learn What reading fluency actually means and why it matters The three components of fluent reading:

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22:39

The Hidden Skills Your Child Needs to Thrive in...

play on words ·

2026/05/26

Episode 89. In this episode, Beth breaks down what kindergarten readiness actually looks like and why reading is just one small piece of the puzzle. She walks through the practical skills children need before they start kindergarten, why an extra year doesn't automatically make reading easier, and what parents can do right now this summer to set their child up for confidence and success on day one.Join us for Big City Summer! LINKED HEREWhat you'll learn Why your child does not need to enter

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21:48

What Your Child's Report Card Actually Means

play on words ·

2026/04/10

Episode 88: In this episode, Beth breaks down one of the most anxiety inducing moments for parents: getting a report card or teacher feedback that says your child is struggling with reading, but not really explaining why. She walks through what vague report card language actually means, the five questions every parent should ask their child's teacher, and simple at-home checks you can do right now to figure out exactly where your child is and how to help. What "declining" really means on a report

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21:51

Understanding Your School's Reading Curriculum

play on words ·

2026/03/20

Episode 87: In this episode, Beth answers one of the most common questions she gets from parents: What reading curriculum should I be looking for and how to I know what my school uses? She breaks down why reading is not a natural process, what phonological awareness really means, and what to look for in a strong reading curriuclum program (plus red flags that a curriculum may be doing more harm than good.) Why curriculum matters and the different types of curriculum schools can use What to do if

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22:01

Sight Words Aren't the Problem

play on words ·

2026/02/25

Episode 86: In this episode, literacy expert Miss Beth breaks down the biggest misconceptions about sight words and reveals what the science of reading actually tells us about how children learn to read.Beth explores orthographic mapping (the brain-based process behind how readers store and recognize words) and explains why phonics and phonemic awareness are non-negotiable foundations for early literacy. Whether you're a parent or teacher, you'll walk away with practical, research-backed strategies

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48:37

Is Your Own Nervous System the Secret to Happy,...

play on words ·

2026/02/13

Episode 85: In this episode, Beth is joined by Jennie Monness (@jenniemonness), early childhood educator and founder of Union Square Play, who shares insightful strategies for parents navigating big feelings, regulation, and self-compassion. We explore how understanding your own nervous systems, modeling vulnerability, and embracing imperfections can transform our approach to parenting and self-care.Key topics:• The importance of recognizing that parents and children are both "first-timers" in this

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22:59

Progress Over Perfection: When Spelling Errors Are a...

play on words ·

2026/02/05

Episode 84: A parent of a second grader recently asked a question I hear all the time:“Do I need to care that much about spelling if my child is improving—even if there are still lots of errors?”Her child recently started spelling MY correctly (it used to be MI), which is real progress—but the writing sample still includes plenty of misspellings. The child wrote it independently, without adult prompting, and that raised an honest question: Should we correct spelling every time? Or is there a moment

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36:53

Why Kids Can't Read

play on words ·

2026/01/23

Episode 83. In this episode of Play on Words, reading specialist and early childhood educator Beth Gaskill discusses overcoming perfectionism, rejection sensitivity, and learning to advocate for your child's education during America's literacy crisis.Beth explores the alarming statistics behind the U.S. reading crisis — 67% of fourth graders cannot read proficiently — and shares the success story of Mississippi's reading instruction reforms. Mississippi's evidence-based approach to teaching reading,

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36:39

Letting Kids Be Bored (Without Feeling Like a Bad...

play on words ·

2026/01/08

What do you do when your child says, “I’m bored” — and why does that moment feel so hard?In this episode of Play on Words, Beth Gaskill sits down with Lizzie Assa (@theworkspaceforchildren), early childhood educator, parenting strategist, and founder of The Workspace for Children, to talk about her upcoming book But I’m Bored! https://amzn.to/3NaKnHlTogether, they explore why boredom isn’t something parents need to fix, how independent play builds confidence and creativity, and what it actually

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42:22

Why is English so Confusing? Breaking it Down with KC...

play on words ·

2025/12/30

In this episode of the Play On Words podcast, host Beth Gaskill welcomes KC Rickerd to dive into the quirks and oddities of the English language, sparked by a viral TikTok video. They explore why certain words are spelled and pronounced the way they are, sharing humorous anecdotes and personal stories along the way. The conversation touches on topics like the origins of words, the science of reading, and the impact of language on childhood education. With a mix of laughter and insight, Beth and KC

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37:19

Why Does My Child Write Their Letters Backwards?

play on words ·

2025/12/18

Episode 80. This week, Miss Beth dives into a question she hears all the time from concerned parents: "Why does my child write their letters backwards?"In this episode, Miss Beth goes over backward letter writing in children, reversing letters and numbers, typical writing development milestones, and when to worry about letter reversals.If you've ever watched your child scribble their name with letters facing the wrong direction, you're definitely not alone! This is completely normal and part of your

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47:46

Big Feelings, Bigger Reactions: Parenting Kids with...

play on words ·

2025/12/11

Episode 79 - ADHD and motivation—let's cut through the noise. This episode breaks down why so many people get motivation wrong when it comes to ADHD, and what actually works to move the needle. Dr. Carrie gets real about the myths we need to retire (like motivation being some tank you can empty) and what actually matters: understanding what drives each person and building an environment that doesn't work against them. Miss Beth chats with Dr. Carrie Jackson about ADHD motivation in kids (and

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36:53

Elf on the Shelf Haters Club (Holiday Meeting Now in...

play on words ·

2025/12/05

EP 78: Beth and Susan host the first-ever meeting of the Elf on the Shelf Haters Club, a hilarious and heartfelt look at why this tradition stresses so many parents out. Using real listener DMs, we break down the surveillance storyline, comparison culture, mom mental load, and kid confusion — while offering alternatives, middle-ground solutions, and scripts you can actually use.Inside this 35-minute episode, we talk about: Why the elf’s surveillance storyline doesn’t align with many families’

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30:55

How to Correct Your Child's Spelling Without Crushing...

play on words ·

2025/12/02

Episode 77 In today’s episode of Play on Words from Big City Readers, Miss Beth breaks down one of the top questions parents ask: Should I correct my child's spelling? Spoiler: correcting isn’t the enemy… but how you do it absolutely matters if you want to protect your child’s confidence and build lifelong readers and writers.From invented spelling to letter reversals, from the dreaded sight word “said” to why she cannot stand the book The Rainbow Fish, Miss Beth gets real about what’s

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