Rainbow Skies for Teachers
Hey there, amazing teachers - this podcast is for YOU! Whether you’re just starting your teaching journey or you're a seasoned educator seeking inspiration, Rainbow Skies for Teachers is here to help you thrive in and out of the classroom.
We’re Ashleigh and Alisha, your enthusiastic hosts and co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With 20+ years of combined experience in primary education, we’re dedicated to sharing practical advice, supercharged tips, and game-changing strategies to help you succeed as a teacher.
Whether it’s crafting engaging lessons or perfecting your classroom management, we’ve got your back. We're on a mission to lead an education revolution; one inspired teacher at a time….
There are rainbows ahead, and together, we're unstoppable!
You can follow us on Instagram or TikTok @rainbowskycreations
To discover more helpful tips + tricks for teachers, head to http://www.rainbowskycreations.com
Rainbow Skies for Teachers
131. Literacy Swaps That Align with the Science of Reading
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What does the Science of Reading actually look like in a real classroom?
In this powerful and practical episode, we’re joined by Jen Jones from Hello Literacy, who breaks down the research into clear, doable steps teachers can implement straight away.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about guided reading, running records, sight word lists, or online readers - this episode is your permission slip to rethink, refine, and reset.
What We Cover in This Episode:
- Why grouping by skill (not reading level) changes everything
- The simple assessment shift that gives you clearer data in minutes
- How to use decodable texts without making literacy feel robotic
- A smarter way to teach sight words that actually sticks
- The permission teachers need when shifting to Science of Reading practices
Key Takeaways:
- Teach the skill, not the level
- Align your literacy block with decoding research
- Progress over perfection when making changes
- Use a phonics scope and sequence as your instructional roadmap
- Create small group folders organised by phonics skill
This conversation is honest, empowering, and packed with actionable strategies. And perhaps most importantly? Jen reminds us that growth requires experimentation and imperfection is part of the process.
Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Check our Jen’s website: Hello Literacy
- Hello Decodables website
- Jen’s Free Phonics Assessment and Quick Placement Assessment
- Connect with Jen Jones on Instagram
- Purple Project Video mentioned
- Book mentioned: The ABCs and All Their Trick By Margaret Bishop
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | AMAZON
About Today’s Guest
Jen Jones is a veteran educator, literacy consultant, and the founder of Hello Literacy and Hello Decodables. With over 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher and literacy coach, Jen specializes in translating the Science of Reading research into practical, classroom-ready instruction. She is the author of a comprehensive phonics scope and sequence and has created a full library of decodable books and small-group lessons used in schools across the country. Jen is passionate about helping teachers move from confusion to clarity so students can become confident, skilled readers.