Literacy Talks
Welcome to Literacy Talks, a podcast from Reading Horizons, where reading momentum begins. Each episode features our trio of literacy champions: Stacy Hurst, an assistant professor of reading at Southern Utah University and Chief Academic Advisor at Reading Horizons; Donell Pons, a dyslexia specialist, educator, presenter, and writer, who now works with adults with reading challenges; and Lindsay Kemeny, a dedicated elementary teacher who is a CERI-certified Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher and author of 7 Mighty Moves.
Each episode is a conversation among friends with practical literacy strategies, powerful tips, and a real passion for teachers and students alike. Listen, laugh, and learn with Literacy Talks, brought to educators everywhere by Reading Horizons.
Literacy Talks
Latest Episodes
Episode 124: The Best Assessment Takeaways from the Reading League Summit
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 ...
Episode 123: The “Overteaching Phonics” Debate—What Teachers Need to Know
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? W...
Episode 122: From Awareness to Action: Lessons from Literacy Changemakers
What does it really take to improve literacy outcomes? In this wrap-up to the Changemakers series, Stacy Hurst, Donell Pons, and Lindsay Kemeny explore the systems, support, instructional practices, and leadership moves behind Mississippi’s wid...
Episode 121: Turning Awareness into Impact with Kareem Weaver
In this powerful conversation, Kareem Weaver—literacy advocate, educator, and featured voice in The Right to Read—challenges us to rethink what’s at stake when students don’t learn to read.From personal stories to system-wide solutions, ...
Episode 120: Too Many Reading Assessments? What to Keep—and What to Let Go
Are you spending too much time on assessments without getting the clarity you need? In this episode, we break down which reading assessments actually matter, which ones may be wasting your time, and how to make smarter, more efficient decisions...
