Literacy Talks

Braxton was in kindergarten when the pandemic interrupted his first year of formal reading instruction. But his mother, Kristie, soon realized there was more to his struggles. Donell Pons talks with Kristie about the years Braxton spent “hanging on,” his eventual dyslexia identification, and what changed when he finally received targeted support—just as he prepares to enter middle school.
Show Notes
Today’s middle schoolers were just beginning their education when the pandemic disrupted classrooms across the country. For some students, that interruption came at a critical point in learning to read—and years later, foundational reading needs may still be following them into the secondary grades.
Braxton was one of those beginning readers.
He started kindergarten in fall 2019. When COVID closed his school the following spring, he spent the final two and a half months of kindergarten at home. That was when his mother, Kristie Nelson, a former kindergarten teacher, began noticing that something wasn’t right. Braxton struggled to identify letter names and sounds, and Kristie ultimately decided to have him repeat kindergarten.
But the pandemic wasn’t the whole story. Kristie remembered concerns dating back to preschool, and as Braxton moved through elementary school, he continued to struggle with reading even as he found ways to compensate. He made progress. He worked hard. He was “hanging on.” And because he was never dramatically behind, the underlying problem remained difficult to see. But by fifth grade, the work had become harder and those compensatory strategies were no longer enough.
In this episode of Literacy Talks, Donell Pons talks with Kristie about the journey that ultimately led to Braxton being identified with dyslexia. Kristie shares the signs she learned to recognize, how his school responded, and what began to change once instruction could target his specific needs.
The results have been encouraging. With focused work on phonics and other foundational skills, Kristie reports substantial improvement in Braxton’s reading accuracy. Perhaps even more telling, a child who had found reading difficult and exhausting began asking to read aloud.
Now another transition is coming: middle school.
Instead of spending most of his day with one teacher who understands how he learns, Braxton will move among multiple teachers and face increasingly complex reading and writing demands. An IEP, targeted intervention, and continued support will be critical as he enters sixth grade.
Braxton’s story is his own. But it also raises a much larger question: How many students are entering middle school with unfinished foundational reading needs—and what will it take to ensure those needs don’t follow them any further?
This conversation is Part 1 of The Braxton Story, a Literacy Talks series following Braxton and his family through the transition to middle school. We’ll check back during his sixth-grade year to hear about his progress, the challenges that emerge, and what his experience can teach us about supporting older struggling readers.
In this episode:
How the pandemic interrupted the end of Braxton’s first kindergarten year
The early reading difficulties Kristie noticed before and after that disruption
How Braxton compensated for reading difficulties through the elementary grades
Why increasing academic demands made his struggles harder to overlook
How learning about dyslexia helped Kristie recognize what she was seeing
What happened when his school identified his needs and targeted instruction accordingly
Why putting an IEP in place mattered before the transition to middle school
What Braxton’s experience can teach us about the unfinished reading needs students may carry into the secondary grades
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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.
From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.
See how Ascend works.
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A new school year brings fresh opportunities—and plenty of preparation. In this back-to-school episode of Literacy Talks, classroom teacher Lindsay Kemeny shares the five priorities she focuses on every year to create a strong start for both students and teachers.
From getting to know your students before the first day to planning instruction, building relationships with families, organizing your classroom, and even taking time to celebrate the start of a new year, Lindsay offers practical strategies that can help make those first weeks more intentional and less overwhelming.
Along the way, Stacy Hurst and Donell Pons expand the conversation with insights on supporting students across grade levels, fostering self-advocacy, communicating effectively with families and educators, and creating learning environments where every student can thrive.
If you're looking for practical ideas to make the transition back to school smoother and more successful, this episode offers actionable strategies you can put into practice from day one.
Watch on YouTube.
Show Notes

Lindsay's 5 Principles

1: Get to know your students before day one.
A fresh start doesn't have to mean starting with a blank slate. Lindsay explains how she reviews academic data, previous interventions, IEP accommodations, health considerations, and other available information before school begins. That knowledge helps her make intentional decisions about seating, initial small groups, and the support individual students may need.
2: Plan instruction—and teach routines through it.
Rather than spending the first weeks focused exclusively on rules and procedures, Lindsay begins teaching content right away, slowing down instruction as needed to explicitly teach classroom routines along the way. Procedures for using materials, transitioning, working at desks, and participating in lessons become part of actual instruction.
3: Build communication and connection early.
Positive relationships with families shouldn't begin when there's a problem. The hosts discuss welcome communications, parent questionnaires, regular classroom updates, and the value of intentionally reaching out with something positive—especially to families who may be accustomed to hearing from school only when something has gone wrong.
4: Design the classroom around students and learning.
Classroom setup isn't just about decoration. Lindsay considers traffic flow, accessibility, attention, student needs, seating, materials, and how easily students can see and participate in instruction. Donell extends the conversation to helping older students recognize environmental distractions and advocate for learning conditions that help them succeed.
5: Make room to celebrate.
Preparing for a new school year is a lot of work. Lindsay's final priority is simple: intentionally do something enjoyable to mark the beginning of a new year. The hosts also discuss checking in and celebrating after the first week as a way to reflect on what went well, what was challenging, and what's ahead.

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Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.
From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.
See how Ascend works.
Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

As another school year comes to a close, Stacy Hurst, Donell Pons, and Lindsay Kemeny reflect on the moments, challenges, and lessons that shaped their year in literacy education. From advocating for students and navigating legislative pressures to celebrating reading breakthroughs and planning for growth, this candid conversation explores the very human side of teaching reading.
The hosts discuss the realities educators face beyond academics, the importance of literacy advocacy, what students truly need to become successful readers, and how they hope to reset and recharge over the summer months.
This episode is a reminder that the work of literacy changes lives — and that educators are never carrying the work alone.
Show Notes
In this episode, we discuss:
Reflections on a year of literacy leadership and advocacy
Why literacy instruction is deeply human work
Student moments that stayed with us all year
The growing need for writing instruction in teacher preparation
Balancing research-based practices with real classroom time constraints
Vocabulary instruction, small groups, and instructional flexibility
Legislative challenges impacting literacy education
Summer reset ideas, reading lists, and personal growth goals
Resources Mentioned
Reading Horizons Literacy Talks Podcast
Reading Horizons Ascend Mastery
Cascade Reading & Julie VanDyke
Lindsay Kemeny — Rock Your Literacy Block
Young-Suk Kim — Integrating Reading and Writing Instruction
Stewart Brand — Whole Earth Catalog
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Subscribe to the Literacy Talks Podcast Digest for episode recaps, resources, and teaching takeaways delivered straight to your inbox!
Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.
From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.
See how Ascend works.
Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

In this special conference rewind episode of Literacy Talks, Stacy Hurst and Lindsay Kemeny are joined by Reading League leader, Andrea Setmeyer, to unpack the biggest assessment insights from the Reading League Summit. From classroom data and progress monitoring to district systems and policy, this conversation highlights the practical literacy assessment practices educators can apply right away as they reflect on the current school year and prepare for the next one.
The conversation explores how assessment can drive stronger instruction, the importance of actionable data, the difference between screening and diagnosis, myths around popular assessment tools, and what educators at every level can do to improve outcomes for students.
This episode offers meaningful takeaways to help you turn assessment into action.
Show Notes
Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode
The Reading League
TRL Facilitation Guide for PLCs on Reading Assessment
Reading League Journal
Reading Horizons Literacy Talks Podcast
Reading Assessment Done Right by Stephanie Stollar & Kate Winn
National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) Tools Charts
Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR)
Margaret Goldberg’s “Right to Read” Project
PALS Reading Fluency Resources
Anita Archer Instruction Resources
Special thanks to Andrea Setmeyer and the Reading League for sharing additional assessment resources and professional learning tools with Literacy Talks listeners.
YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/s0BB2ur4AHM
💬 Want more insights like this?
Subscribe to the Literacy Talks Podcast Digest for episode recaps, resources, and teaching takeaways delivered straight to your inbox!
Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.
From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.
See how Ascend works.
Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.

A recent article questioning the “cost of overteaching phonics” sparked major discussion across the literacy world—and in this episode, Stacy Hurst, Donell Pons, and Lindsay Kemeny unpack it all.
Are schools really overteaching phonics? What does the research actually say? And how do teachers balance explicit instruction, reading practice, spelling, assessment, and student engagement without swinging too far in either direction?
The conversation explores the nuance behind phonics instruction, the dangers of clickbait headlines, the importance of teacher knowledge, and why struggling readers still need intentional, explicit teaching. The hosts also discuss phonemic awareness, spelling instruction, scaffolds, differentiation, and the critical role of meaningful reading practice.
Show Notes
Referenced Article
The Cost of Overteaching Phonics by Liana Loewus (Education Next)
Researchers & Experts Mentioned
Dr. Mark Seidenberg
Dr. Louisa Moats
Dr. Devin Kearns
Dr. David Kilpatrick
Tim Shanahan
Resources Mentioned
Devin Kearns’ PHINDER Tool
Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg
💬 Want more insights like this?
Subscribe to the Literacy Talks Podcast Digest for episode recaps, resources, and teaching takeaways delivered straight to your inbox!
Core Instruction and Reading Intervention. One System. One Path Forward.
From Pre-K readiness to advanced fluency, Ascend®️ gives educators a consistent, needs-based approach to literacy—helping every teacher deliver the right instruction and every student build lasting mastery, one skill at a time. Coherent literacy for lasting impact.
See how Ascend works.
Do you teach Structured Literacy in a K–3 setting?
Sign up for a free license of Reading Horizons Discovery® LIVE and start teaching right away—no setup, no hassle. Sign-up Now.