Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers

Sara Marye, Literacy Teacher, Elementary Teacher
  • 4.3 (6)
  • How To
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the Stellar Teacher Podcast! We believe teaching literacy is a skill. It takes a lot of time, practice, and effort to be good at it. This podcast will show you how to level up your literacy instruction and make a massive impact with your students, all while having a little fun! Your host, Sara Marye, is a literacy specialist passionate about helping elementary teachers around the world pass on their love of reading to their students. She has over a decade of experience working as a classroom teacher and school administrator. Sara has made it her mission to create high quality no-fluff resources and lesson ideas that are both meaningful and engaging for young readers. Each week, Sara and her guests will share their knowledge, tips, and tricks so that you can feel confident in your ability to transform your students into life-long readers. For printable and digital resources, head to stellarteacher.com. Connect with Sara on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany

  1. 4d ago

    309: Fluency - The Bridge Between Decoding & Comprehension

    Your Literacy Block: Part 4 Fluency is more than reading fast — it's the bridge between word recognition and comprehension. In this episode of the Your Literacy Block series, Emily breaks down what reading fluency really means, why upper elementary students still need explicit fluency instruction, and three simple, research-backed activities you can start using this week. You'll learn: the 3 components of fluency: accuracy, automaticity, and prosodyHow fluency connects to Scarborough's Reading RopeWhy upper elementary teachers often overlook fluency instruction3 quick fluency activities: repeated reading (with the "One Glow, One Grow" partner routine), echo reading, and silly voices Mark your calendars! The Stellar Teacher Collective Kickoff is coming up — a live virtual training just for our Collective members. Join us July 5th - 10th as we explore the *new* Collective website and plan and prep for the school year. This is your chance to learn live, ask questions in real time, and connect with fellow upper elementary teachers in the community. Not a Collective member yet? stellarteacher.com/join Catch up on the series: Part 1 (Comprehension) Part 2 (Word Study with Kori), Part 3 (Phonics & Phonemic Awareness).

    12 min

  2. 6d ago

    [Listen Again] Intervention Strategies for Struggling Readers with Shannon Moore

    Supporting struggling readers is one of the most important—and often most challenging—parts of literacy instruction. When intervention time is limited and student needs vary widely, it can be difficult to know where to focus your efforts. In this episode, literacy specialist Shannon Moore joins us to discuss the key components of effective reading intervention and how teachers can create systems that lead to meaningful student growth. Whether you're responsible for intervention groups, supporting students during your literacy block, or looking for ways to strengthen your school's intervention practices, this conversation will provide clear, actionable ideas you can put into practice right away. In this episode, we'll discuss: • The four essential components of effective literacy intervention • How to use assessment data to make informed instructional decisions • Tips for creating flexible, skill-based intervention groups If you're looking for a more structured approach to supporting struggling readers, this episode is full of practical advice and encouragement. Resources & Links: The Stellar Literacy Collective stellarteacher.com/join The Stellar Reading Intervention Toolkit stellarteacher.com/intervention

    32 min

  3. Jun 15

    308: Phonics & Phonemic Awareness: Closing Gaps in Upper Elementary

    Your Literacy Block: Part 3 If you've ever wondered whether phonemic awareness and phonics still matter in upper elementary, this episode is for you! While these foundational skills are often associated with primary grades, many students in third, fourth, and fifth grade continue to struggle because of gaps in their word recognition skills. In this episode, we're unpacking the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics, why both are essential for reading success, and how teachers can provide targeted support without overhauling their entire literacy block. In this episode, we'll discuss:The difference between phonemic awareness and phonicsWhy foundational reading skills still matter in grades 3–5How gaps in word recognition impact fluency and comprehensionScarborough’s Reading Rope and the role of word recognitionPractical phonemic awareness activities for upper elementary studentsEffective phonics routines and instructional strategiesWays to provide targeted support without adding more to your plate Resources Mentioned: ⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc

    11 min

  4. Jun 11

    [Listen Again] How the Brain Learns Words (and Why It Matters for Reading Success) with Dr. Molly Ness

    We replayed an interview with Dr. Molly Ness last week... and we just could not help airing this one too! We love our interview episodes. What helps a word move from something students have to sound out to something they instantly recognize? In this episode, literacy researcher and educator Dr. Molly Ness joins us to explore orthographic mapping—the process that allows readers to permanently store words in memory for quick and effortless retrieval. If you've ever worked with students who can decode a word one day but seem to forget it the next, this conversation will help explain why. Dr. Ness breaks down the science behind how the brain learns words and shares a practical four-step routine teachers can use to support word learning, fluency, and reading comprehension. Whether you're a classroom teacher, interventionist, or literacy coach, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of how skilled reading develops—and simple instructional moves you can implement right away. In this episode, you'll learn:What orthographic mapping is and how it supports fluent readingWhy automatic word recognition is critical for comprehensionThe connection between phonemic awareness, phonics, and word memoryCommon misconceptions about how students learn wordsA simple four-step routine that helps words "stick" If you love what Dr. Molly Ness has to say in this episode, you will love what is happening in our Summer Learning Series. We are reading her book Making Words Stick. There is still time to join in - visit stellarteacher.com/summerpd.

    25 min

  5. Jun 8

    307. The 5-Minute Word Study Routine That Builds Reading Confidence

    Your Literacy Block Series: Part 2 If your students freeze when they come across long, unfamiliar words while reading, this episode is for you. In today’s episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re talking about how morphology instruction can completely change reading confidence for upper elementary students. You’ll learn how teaching prefixes, suffixes, roots, and base words helps students decode unfamiliar vocabulary, improve spelling, and strengthen comprehension. We also break down what explicit morphology instruction actually looks like during whole group, small group, and independent reading—without adding another complicated routine to your literacy block. Inside this episode: What morphology is and why it mattersSimple questions students can ask when decoding big wordsExamples using words like “unexplainable” and “transportation”Easy word study routines you can use in 5–10 minutes a dayHow morphology supports both decoding and comprehension If you teach grades 3–5, this episode will give you practical strategies you can start using right away. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ FREE Reading Big Words Poster stellarteacher.com/bigwords ⭐ Whole Group Lessons with built-in morphology instruction only available in the Stellar Literacy Collective ⤵︎ ⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc

    10 min

  6. Jun 4

    [Listen Again] Why Every Literacy Block Needs Read-Alouds with Molly Ness

    Are read-alouds still worth making time for in an upper elementary classroom? According to literacy researcher and author Dr. Molly Ness—they absolutely are. In this episode, we dive into the research-backed benefits of read-alouds and why they still play an essential role in a Science of Reading-aligned literacy block. From building vocabulary and background knowledge to increasing engagement and comprehension, Dr. Ness shares practical insights teachers can immediately apply in their classrooms. If you’ve ever questioned whether read-alouds are “enough” academically, this conversation will remind you just how powerful they can be.

    32 min

  7. Jun 1

    306. Comprehension: A Simple Research-Backed Framework That Actually Works

    Your Literacy Block Series: Part 1 If you’ve ever wondered: “How do I actually help my students comprehend what they read?” …this episode is for you. Reading comprehension is the goal of reading instruction—but it’s not just one strategy or skill. In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re kicking off a brand-new series all about building an effective upper elementary literacy block. We’re sharing: What reading comprehension actually isWhy comprehension should be woven throughout your literacy blockThe key components that support comprehensionA simple research-backed 3-2-1 framework you can use with ANY text You’ll walk away with practical ideas for building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary, supporting sentence-level understanding, asking meaningful questions, and using writing about reading to deepen comprehension. If you’ve ever wondered how to actually help students better understand what they read, this episode is for you. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ Whole Group Lessons with built-in 3-2-1 comprehension support only available in the Stellar Literacy Collective ⤵︎ ⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc

    11 min

  8. May 25

    305. [Listen Again] Let Them Be Bored: Why Boredom Might Be Exactly What Kids Need with Mike Bender and Chuck Dillon

    Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers

    35 min
See All (200)

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Stellar Teacher Podcast! We believe teaching literacy is a skill. It takes a lot of time, practice, and effort to be good at it. This podcast will show you how to level up your literacy instruction and make a massive impact with your students, all while having a little fun! Your host, Sara Marye, is a literacy specialist passionate about helping elementary teachers around the world pass on their love of reading to their students. She has over a decade of experience working as a classroom teacher and school administrator. Sara has made it her mission to create high quality no-fluff resources and lesson ideas that are both meaningful and engaging for young readers. Each week, Sara and her guests will share their knowledge, tips, and tricks so that you can feel confident in your ability to transform your students into life-long readers. For printable and digital resources, head to stellarteacher.com. Connect with Sara on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany

Information

You Might Also Like