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The Science of Reading Formula
Welcome to The Science of Reading Formula, the podcast that helps you simplify reading instruction, save time, and support every student’s success—without feeling like you’re running on empty.
I’m Malia Hollowell—a National Board Certified Teacher, author, and founder of Playdough to Plato. Over the past 20 years, I’ve honed my craft, combining science-backed practices with practical solutions to meet the real challenges educators face every day.
Each episode dives into essential pillars of teaching success:
- Smart strategies to meet the needs of every student without adding extra stress to your plate.
- Honest conversations and tips to tackle teacher burnout and find a balance between school and home life.
- Science-backed practices that actually work—saving you time and boosting student results.
- Practical tips to streamline your planning and free up time for what matters most.
This is your space to find encouragement, expert insights, and actionable ideas to create a classroom (and life) that works for you. Let’s get started!
The Science of Reading Formula
Fan Favorite- Stop Drilling Sight Word Flashcards! (Do This Instead)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Are your students still struggling with sight words even after hours of drilling flashcards? You're not alone—and there’s a better way. In this episode, we're diving into research-backed strategies that actually help K-2 students retain high-frequency words without relying on visual memory.
In this episode, we’ll talk about:
- Why traditional sight word flashcard drills don’t work.
- The 3-step shift to help students memorize words on autopilot.
- How to align sight words with phonics instruction for better results.
- A simple tool (sound maps!) that builds fluency and retention.
- Why sorting by phonics rules is a game changer.
Show Links
Sight Word Lists by Phonics Skill on TPT / Free inside the Formula
Phonics Curriculum- Printable Lessons
Free Sound Map
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