Building a Reader

Jennifer Burns

Welcome to the Building a Reader Podcast, your go-to for teaching the youngest learners the joy of reading. Designed for the kindergarten, first grade and homeschool teachers, this show focuses on how to help you say, "Let me show you how this works." So you can engage the youngest students in phonics, phonemic awareness and reading in a way that results in what I like to call, "No teacher needed." Join me as I dive into effective, research based, student focused teaching. You'll be looking at your student(s) and interacting with them more confidently. Your students will want to come to reading. Tune in to discover: *Techniques for enhancing phonics and phonemic awareness *Engaging reading interventions for kindergarten and first graders *Strategies for creating an authentic reading environment Ready to transform your teaching? Subscribe to our email list for exclusive resources, check out my book for deeper insights, check out my online courses and join our membership for Building Independent Readers. Let's make reading a joyful adventure for every young learner!

Episodes

  1. 07/03/2025

    Beyond the Program: Using AI to Personalize Student Learning

    How AI Is Helping Us Teach Students to Read—A Conversation About Flexibility, Creativity, and Student-Centered Support I had the chance to sit down with my friend Jacklyn for a powerful conversation about how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way we support students—especially when it comes to reading instruction. From reluctant readers to collaborative lesson planning, AI is helping educators meet student needs with creativity, speed, and flexibility. Listen to hear how Jacklyn uses AI to differentiate teaching.  Creating appropriate reading material Supporting vocabulary instruction Adapting lessons Some of her favorite tools? IEP Pilot and ChatGPT top the list for their practicality and flexibility. And if you’re just getting started with AI in your own practice, here are a few prompting ideas from Jacklyn: Be specific.  Don’t settle.  Vet everything.  Talk to it like a colleague.  Listen for more ideas about how AI could change how you meet the varied needs of your students. ~Jennifer

    20 min

  2. 06/26/2025

    Kids Are a Product of Their Opportunities

    Are your students stuck in a reading rut? In this episode, we explore how expanding text formats—not just genres—can unlock engagement, reduce boredom, and create richer reading opportunities for all learners. Use your summer freedom to rethink what counts as reading and prep for a year of curiosity, creativity, and real growth. Ideal for K–5 teachers seeking responsive, student-centered literacy practices. Episode Notes: Have you ever looked around your classroom and felt like something was missing? Maybe your highest readers aren’t growing. Maybe your students are disengaged. Maybe you’re caught in the rut of sameness—where reading is defined by a basal, a video, or another paragraph on the projector. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Summer is the perfect time to reset. With the curriculum paused and creativity on high alert, it's your chance to reimagine what reading looks like for your students—and for you. The Problem Isn't Always Skill. It's Opportunity. When students seem bored or stuck, we often reach for interventions or new programs. But what if the issue isn’t ability or behavior... but opportunity? What if the texts we put in front of students don’t reflect their interests, their curiosities, or their lived experiences? In this episode of the podcast, we’re rethinking the idea of "text." Not just books. Not just passages. But formats—ways that words and sentences show up in the world. A Simple Summer Challenge To get started, try this: Write down three students you’ve taught. Next to each name, list one or two of their top interests. Then, brainstorm a list of possible text formats that match those interests. For example: Johnny loves construction. He might enjoy DIY home guides Local construction news Tool catalogs How-to websites Email exchanges or letters about building projects Make a list of everything you read in a day. Think beyond books: recipes, menus, texts, newsletters, blog posts, instructions, social media posts, comment sections... Challenge yourself to brainstorm 50 different text formats. See how many ways people engage with print in real life. You’ll quickly see how narrow classroom texts can feel in comparison. Why It Matters When students experience more variability in what they read, it leads to: Reduced boredom Increased engagement More authentic reading experiences Better options for take-home texts Clearer mentor texts for writing A stronger connection between reading and the real world By the end of the summer, you’ll be equipped with a refreshed mindset—and practical ideas to reach every reader in your room, from the highest flyer to the most reluctant learner. A Responsive Teacher's Superpower Whether you're planning whole-group lessons, small-group instruction, or one-on-one reading conferences, expanding your text formats gives you a powerful tool: choice. And choice creates opportunity. And opportunity? That’s what helps kids grow.

    11 min

  3. 06/12/2025

    What evidence do you have? The heart of responsive teaching!

    In this episode of Building a Reader, I'll share one powerful question every teacher should ask when making instructional decisions: “What evidence do you have?” Consider how your notes can help you to indicate one-off behaviors and patterns.

    12 min

  4. 05/29/2025

    Get to the Root: Using 5 Why’s to Drive Reading Instruction

    When a student struggles to read a word, it’s easy to jump to conclusions or offer surface-level solutions. But what if we paused and asked why—not just once, but five times? In this episode of Building a Reader, we explore the 5 Why’s strategy, a simple yet powerful tool borrowed from problem-solving frameworks, and show how it can be used by teachers to uncover the root causes behind students' reading behaviors. Whether a student can’t decode a word, remember a sight word, or apply a strategy you've taught, the 5 Why’s can guide you from confusion to clarity—and from frustration to action. Tune in to learn how asking better questions leads to better instruction.

    8 min

  5. 05/22/2025

    What Basketball Can Teach Us About Reading Instruction

    What do learning to read and playing basketball have in common? In this episode of Building a Reader, we explore how reading involves much more than just phonics and sight words—just like basketball involves more than shooting hoops. Discover how cognitive skills, practice, and strategy apply to both literacy development and athletic training. This analogy will help you understand the full complexity of how children learn to read. Perfect for teachers looking to explain the reading process in an accessible and engaging way.

    9 min

  6. 05/15/2025

    Fluency and Long Words: Why Some Readers Slow Down and How to Help

    Are your students slowing down or stumbling when they encounter long, multisyllabic words? In this episode of Building a Reader, literacy consultant Jennifer unpacks what it really means when students struggle with reading fluency—especially with longer words. You'll learn how to recognize the signs that a student needs support. More importantly, you’ll walk away with a clear, step-by-step strategy to help readers break through long-word, fluency roadblocks. Plus, discover how to integrate this strategy throughout the school day—from shared reading and small groups to content-area lessons. Whether you're a classroom teacher, reading specialist, or literacy coach, this episode gives you practical tools to help students read longer words with confidence and improve their overall fluency. Get your free download to help you implement the stragegy.  Click Here

    9 min

  7. 05/08/2025

    Three Signs of a Growing Reader: Integration, Flexibility, Independence

    As the school year wraps up, it's time to go beyond reading levels and reflect on what really matters: how our young readers have grown. In this episode of Building a Reader, Jennifer guides you through the three essential behaviors—integration, flexibility, and independence—that reveal deep, meaningful progress. You’ll learn what each behavior looks like in practice, how to spot the signs of growth (or gaps), and how to use this lens to support every child’s next step as a reader. Whether you’re in the classroom or at home, this is your guide to recognizing and celebrating true reading development.

    11 min

  8. 05/01/2025

    Three Steps to Creating the Kinds of Kids Who Can Figure It Out

    I love scaffolds. They send students into action taking mode. If taught intentionally, they send the message, "You are the kind of kid who can figure this out." Help students to become action-takers with...  1. Letters 2. Words 3. Science processes or more.. Grab a sheet of paper and I'll share with you three steps to take to transfer the action taking over to your students. Cheers to transferring the power! ~Jennifer

    12 min

  9. 04/24/2025

    Kindergarteners Can Learn the Phonics Game Faster

    Teaching kindergarteners can be confusing and old techniques of drill and skill and flashcards can be minimally effective. When teachers, Megan and Danielle, joined the Building Kindergarten Readers training and started using authentic texts they started to see growth - in the phonics/reading game. Listen as they tell us about the progression of learning they took their students on and how their students stayed completely engaged. In fact they stated, "They didn't have time to be disengaged!" Learn How they keep their students in the Zone of Proximal development by teaching students to constantly be noticing print The reciprocal nature of reading and writing Independent practices that they align to their teaching RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Building Readers From The Playground To Print: Unlock the magic of joyful reading Building Joyful Reads Building Kindergarten Readers training

    13 min

  10. 04/17/2025

    Four Kinds of Learners

    In this episode we'll consider the mindset of the learners that you teach. Some of them seem to approach learning with an open mind and others do not.  Today we'll talk about the four categories that helped me to reconsider the students I was teaching and what I needed to do next. Join me as we consider 1. The knower 2. The NOT knower 3. The guesser 4. The believer, "I can figure it out." And the three steps to get you started shifting your students. Grab a piece of paper and consider the students that are sitting in front of you. ~Jennifer

    13 min
  11. The playground effect demonstrates why young readers need to train their eyes.

    04/10/2025

    The playground effect demonstrates why young readers need to train their eyes.

    I search for Where's Waldo by looking left to right, top to bottom - because I am a reader. I have reading eyes. Learning letters and words is hindered by the way a child looks and hears. If they look and hear randomly while doing phonics or learning a word they will not be taking in the information in a helpful way. In this episode I will share a new way to look at students - a playground way. I will establish a way to look at letters and words that is more helpful. It is a way to train them. Join me as we help the youngest students to gain control of their looking at print. ~Jennifer Resources Mentioned Book: Building Readers From The Playground To Print

    5 min
  • 11 Episodes

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Building a Reader Podcast, your go-to for teaching the youngest learners the joy of reading. Designed for the kindergarten, first grade and homeschool teachers, this show focuses on how to help you say, "Let me show you how this works." So you can engage the youngest students in phonics, phonemic awareness and reading in a way that results in what I like to call, "No teacher needed." Join me as I dive into effective, research based, student focused teaching. You'll be looking at your student(s) and interacting with them more confidently. Your students will want to come to reading. Tune in to discover: *Techniques for enhancing phonics and phonemic awareness *Engaging reading interventions for kindergarten and first graders *Strategies for creating an authentic reading environment Ready to transform your teaching? Subscribe to our email list for exclusive resources, check out my book for deeper insights, check out my online courses and join our membership for Building Independent Readers. Let's make reading a joyful adventure for every young learner!

Information

  • Creator
    Jennifer Burns
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Building a Reader