107. Stop Overcomplicating Big Words: How to Teach Polysyllabic Word Reading with Dr. Devin Kearns

Podcast: Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators · Michelle Sullivan • Literacy Coach & Science of Reading Advocate

Opublikowano: 2026-08-18

What happens after students master single-syllable words in phonics, but the words in their books keep getting longer? Dr. Devin Kearns takes us for a deep dive into polysyllabic word reading and what the research tells us about helping students tackle increasingly complex words. He explains why the transition into longer words presents challenges that simply don't exist in single-syllable words, including the unpredictability of single-letter vowels, reduced vowels & schwa, and the growing prevalence of derivational suffixes. He also challenges some long-standing approaches to syllable division and explains why more rules and terminology aren't necessarily better for...