Why Literacy Instruction Must Be Explicit and Coherent | Dr. Jen O’Sullivan

In this episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast...

Katie talks with Dr. Jen O’Sullivan, education researcher and lecturer, about what effective reading instruction looks like beyond phonics - and why strong literacy teaching needs to connect the different skills involved in learning to read.

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👤 About Dr. Jen O’Sullivan

Dr. Jen O’Sullivan is an education researcher and lecturer specializing in literacy education. A former primary school teacher, her work focuses on early reading development, early intervention for reading difficulties, teacher professional learning, and the role of children’s literature in literacy instruction.

🔗 Dr. O’Sullivan’s Links:

Read Write Jen: readwritejen.com

Read Aloud with Intent by Dr. Jen O’Sullivan and Dr. Clara Fiorentini: Read Aloud with Intent

The Power of Playful Language: Read Dr. O’Sullivan’s article

Picture Book Vocabulary Finder: Vocabulary Finder

International Reading Achievement Results (PISA): PISA 2025 Results

Chapters

00:00 – The Science of Reading vs. the Science of Teaching Reading

00:55 – Meet Dr. Jen O’Sullivan

02:16 – From Classroom Teacher to Literacy Researcher

04:18 – Bridging the Gap Between Reading Research and Practice

05:26 – What Effective Teacher Training Looks Like

07:05 – Why Teachers Need Ongoing Professional Development

09:43 – Connecting the Pieces of Literacy Instruction

11:03 – Why Reading Skills Shouldn’t Be Taught in Isolation

12:22 – Reading Is Like an Orchestra

14:43 – Why Phonics Is Fundamental — But Not Enough

16:27 – Vocabulary and Background Knowledge Matter Too

18:21 – How Background Knowledge Supports Reading

20:03 – Why Reading Multiple Books on One Topic Helps

20:34 – Why Vocabulary Is So Important for Comprehension

22:30 – Why Dictionary Definitions Aren’t Enough

25:04 – Playful Ways to Build Vocabulary at Home

29:43 – The Picture Book Vocabulary Finder

33:03 – How Picture Books Build Sophisticated Language

35:27 – Using Books to Develop Vocabulary

39:32 – How Parents Can Evaluate Reading Instruction

42:04 – What to Do If Your Child Is Struggling

42:38 – Nursery Rhymes and Building Early Literacy

43:20 – Let Your Children See You Read and Write

44:05 – Why Reading Aloud Is So Powerful

45:21 – Making Read-Alouds More Engaging

48:19 – The INTENT Framework

50:28 – Should Parents Worry About Graphic Novels?

55:13 – Where to Find Dr. Jen O’Sullivan

#ScienceOfReading #ReadingInstruction #Phonics #ReadingComprehension #Vocabulary #Literacy #ReadingAloud