We unpack how to use decodable texts with precision so beginners practise the code instead of guessing. We share the biggest mistakes schools make, how to spot readiness to transition, and a staged text diet that blends decodables with rich literature.

• reframing the debate around suitability, not good or bad
• defining novice readers by code knowledge, not age
• risks of mixing leveled and decodable texts too early
• signs students are ready to shift text types
• planning a staged text diet across early years
• teaching set for variability while keeping decoding first
• free framework to guide movement beyond decodables

As always, if you found this helpful, I would love to hear from you. And if you're looking for more resources on implementing effective instruction, head over to JustinSiemereducation.com or comb through the many, many, many podcast episodes we have in the catalogue for this podcast

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
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#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

In this episode, we weigh the current research on decodable and leveled texts, separate durable findings from weak claims, and explore which research findings we can confidently base decisions on.
Some of the research focus explored in this episode are:
• strengths and limits of the research base
• how decodables build early decoding and pseudoword reading
• strategy differences prompted by text type
• why early gains fade without progression
• cautions around comprehension claims and knowledge
• aligning texts to scope and sequence and student readiness

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

We share five evidence-informed moves to boost reading in Years 3–6, from language-rich talk and explicit code knowledge to partner reading and smart text selection. We close with practical ways to thread reading through science, history, and geography without burning out.

• creating a language-rich classroom with explicit, natural vocabulary use
• assessing and addressing phonics and morphology gaps
• using partner reading to differentiate practice efficiently
• prioritising short, high-quality texts over length for its own sake
• integrating reading across the curriculum to build knowledge and stamina
• avoiding overestimation of foundational skills through class-wide screening
• focusing on accuracy before fluency and then sophistication
• choosing one change to start and one area to strengthen

Email us at help@jocinseeducation.com\

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

What is the Summer Series?

A collection of listener favourites from the Structured Literacy Podcast to get you prepared for 2026.

Today's Episode

Join us on the Structured Literacy Podcast as we unpack the critical elements of successfully rolling out these initiatives. From meticulous planning to effective execution, we guide you through the journey educators will undertake—from initial excitement to achieving high commitment and skill levels. We tackle common pitfalls, such as merging old and new methods, and share best practices for making thoughtful decisions about what to retain and discard.

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

What is the Summer Series?

A collection of listener favourites from the Structured Literacy Podcast to get you prepared for 2026.

Today's Episode

In this episode of the Structured Literacy podcast, Jocelyn addresses the challenges of successfully onboarding new school staff members while maintaining instructional quality.

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

What is the Summer Series?

A collection of listener favourites from the Structured Literacy Podcast to get you prepared for 2026.

Today's Episode

Repeated reading doesn't work for all students because fluency issues have different root causes. Understanding four reading profiles helps target the right intervention:

1. Speedy & accurate
2. Slow & accurate
3. Fast & inaccurate
4. Slow & inaccurate

Critical principle: First comes accuracy, then comes speed.

Why repeated reading fails: If students lack foundational phonics knowledge (can't automatically decode 60-70 graphemes), no amount of text-level practice will improve fluency.

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics

What is the Summer Series?

A collection of listener favourites from the Structured Literacy Podcast to get you prepared for 2026.

Today's Episode

In today's 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.

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

Are your students good readers, but poor spellers? If so, you are not alone. Spelling Success in Action addresses phonics, orthography, and morphology to give students a well-rounded understanding of how our language system works.

Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Quick Links
Jocelyn Seamer Education Homepage
The Resource Room
Youtube channel
Facebook Page

#jocelynseamereducation #literacy #bestpractice #earlyprimaryyears #primaryschool #primaryschools #primaryschoolteacher #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearseducator #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading #classroom #learning #learningisfun #studentsuccess #studentsupport #teacherlife #theresourceroom #theevergreenteacher #upperprimary #upperprimaryteacher #thestructuredliteracypodcast #phoneme #grapheme #phonics #syntheticphonics