Show Notes
In this episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast... Katie talks with Dr. Jen O’Sullivan, education researcher and lecturer, about what effective reading instruction looks like beyond phonics - and why strong literacy teaching needs to connect the different skills involved in learning to read.
📩 Subscribe to The Reading Symphony on Substack Get practical literacy tips, science-of-reading insights, and evidence-based strategies to help children become stronger readers. Subscribe here: 👉 https://katiemegrian.substack.com/
👤 About Dr. Jen O’Sullivan Dr. Jen O’Sullivan is an education researcher and lecturer specializing in literacy education. A former primary school teacher, her work focuses on early reading development, early intervention for reading difficulties, teacher professional learning, and the role of children’s literature in literacy instruction.
🔗 Dr. O’Sullivan’s Links: Read Write Jen: readwritejen.com Read Aloud with Intent by Dr. Jen O’Sullivan and Dr. Clara Fiorentini: Read Aloud with Intent The Power of Playful Language: Read Dr. O’Sullivan’s article Picture Book Vocabulary Finder: Vocabulary Finder International Reading Achievement Results (PISA): PISA 2025 Results
Chapters 00:00 – The Science of Reading vs. the Science of Teaching Reading 00:55 – Meet Dr. Jen O’Sullivan 02:16 – From Classroom Teacher to Literacy Researcher 04:18 – Bridging the Gap Between Reading Research and Practice 05:26 – What Effective Teacher Training Looks Like 07:05 – Why Teachers Need Ongoing Professional Development 09:43 – Connecting the Pieces of Literacy Instruction 11:03 – Why Reading Skills Shouldn’t Be Taught in Isolation 12:22 – Reading Is Like an Orchestra 14:43 – Why Phonics Is Fundamental — But Not Enough 16:27 – Vocabulary and Background Knowledge Matter Too 18:21 – How Background Knowledge Supports Reading 20:03 – Why Reading Multiple Books on One Topic Helps 20:34 – Why Vocabulary Is So Important for Comprehension 22:30 – Why Dictionary Definitions Aren’t Enough 25:04 – Playful Ways to Build Vocabulary at Home 29:43 – The Picture Book Vocabulary Finder 33:03 – How Picture Books Build Sophisticated Language 35:27 – Using Books to Develop Vocabulary 39:32 – How Parents Can Evaluate Reading Instruction 42:04 – What to Do If Your Child Is Struggling 42:38 – Nursery Rhymes and Building Early Literacy 43:20 – Let Your Children See You Read and Write 44:05 – Why Reading Aloud Is So Powerful 45:21 – Making Read-Alouds More Engaging 48:19 – The INTENT Framework 50:28 – Should Parents Worry About Graphic Novels? 55:13 – Where to Find Dr. Jen O’Sullivan
#ScienceOfReading #ReadingInstruction #Phonics #ReadingComprehension #Vocabulary #Literacy #ReadingAloud
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