De Facto Leaders

With all the technology and texting kids are doing these days, I often find myself wondering if kids are getting enough "good" practice with spelling and reading skills. Based on social rules, texts often don't have to be written with "correct" grammar and spelling. Since a lot of the kids I've worked (who have diagnoses like dyslexia or developmental language delays, among others), I know that having opportunities to practice reading and spelling is really important; so I'm always on high-alert when it comes to the impact of technology. But the reality is that texting is here to stay; which is why in episode 27 of the Are they 18 yet? ™ podcast , I talk about how to support literacy skills in a digital world. Specifically, I share: ✅What the current literacy trends show as far as the impact of texting. ✅The 3 tenets of effective literacy intervention. ✅Common mistakes people make when teaching kids to use reading strategies. ✅Three essential skills kids need in order to become fluent readers and spellers. In this episode, I mention a blog post called "What is texting doing to reading and spelling skills?" where I dive further in to this conversation. I also talk about my Word Study Toolkit, which offers a set of definitions and concepts you can use to help build the skills kids need to be fluent readers and spellers. The De Facto Leaders podcast was formerly the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast. As of November 2022, the name of the show has changed, and we’ve shifted from a focus on parenting to a focus on supporting clinicians and educators to design effective services for kids (but parents are still welcome to listen). Episodes published before November 24, 2022 will still contain some of our old branding. 

Show Notes

With all the technology and texting kids are doing these days, I often find myself wondering if kids are getting enough "good" practice with spelling and reading skills.

Based on social rules, texts often don't have to be written with "correct" grammar and spelling. Since a lot of the kids I've worked (who have diagnoses like dyslexia or developmental language delays, among others), I know that having opportunities to practice reading and spelling is really important; so I'm always on high-alert when it comes to the impact of technology.

But the reality is that texting is here to stay; which is why in episode 27 of the Are they 18 yet? ™ podcast, I talk about how to support literacy skills in a digital world.

Specifically, I share:

✅What the current literacy trends show as far as the impact of texting.
 
✅The 3 tenets of effective literacy intervention.

✅Common mistakes people make when teaching kids to use reading strategies.
 
✅Three essential skills kids need in order to become fluent readers and spellers.

In this episode, I mention a blog post called "What is texting doing to reading and spelling skills?" where I dive further in to this conversation.

I also talk about my Word Study Toolkit, which offers a set of definitions and concepts you can use to help build the skills kids need to be fluent readers and spellers.

The De Facto Leaders podcast was formerly the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast. 
As of November 2022, the name of the show has changed, and we’ve shifted from a focus on parenting to a focus on supporting clinicians and educators to design effective services for kids (but parents are still welcome to listen). 
Episodes published before November 24, 2022 will still contain some of our old branding. 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

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Creators and Guests

RM
Editor
Rose Anne Miguel

What is De Facto Leaders?

On the De Facto Leaders podcast, host Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan helps pediatric therapists and educators become better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids with diverse learning needs, Dr. Karen shares up-to-date evidence-based practices, her own experiences and guest interviews designed to help clinicians, teachers, and aspiring school leaders feel more confident in the way they serve their students and clients. She’ll cover a range of topics designed to help you support students' emotional and academic growth and set kids up for success in adulthood, including how to support language, literacy, executive functioning, and how to help IEP teams working together to support kids across the day. Whether you want to learn more effective strategies for your therapy session or classroom, be a more influential leader on your team, or find creative ways to use your skills to advance in your career, Dr. Karen has you covered.