Episode 1: Why Reading Feels So Hard (and Why It Doesn’t Have to)

Welcome to the first episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast. I’m your host, Katie Megrian—educator, literacy leader, and mom to two very different readers.

In this episode, I break down the current state of reading in the U.S., why so many children struggle, and the hopeful truth that at least 95% of kids can learn to read with the right instruction. You’ll learn why reading isn’t natural, how it actually develops in the brain, and why all parts of reading—phonics, vocabulary, knowledge, and comprehension—must work together.

New episodes drop every Wednesday morning. Starting with Episode 2, I’m joined by leading literacy experts who help translate the science of reading into clear, practical guidance for parents and educators.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about your child’s reading, you’re in the right place.

🎙 Episode: Making Words Stick and Read-Alouds for All Learners (with Dr. Molly Ness)

In this episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast, Katie Megrian sits down with Dr. Molly Ness, former classroom teacher, reading researcher, teacher educator, and author of six books (with a seventh on the way). Molly is known for translating research into practical, usable moves for teachers and families, and this conversation is packed with exactly that.

Together, Katie and Molly dig into two big questions families ask all the time:

1. How do we help words actually “stick” so kids become fluent readers?
2. What can we do at home to build language and comprehension in ways that feel doable?

You’ll learn why memorizing word lists often fails, what “orthographic mapping” really means in plain language, and how read-alouds can be one of the highest-leverage tools for building vocabulary, knowledge, and comprehension at any age.

In this episode, we cover:

• Molly’s path from Teach For America to reading research and why she’s passionate about closing the research-to-classroom gap
• The concept of orthographic mapping and why it matters for fluency and comprehension
• Why flashcards and rote memorization often don’t lead to lasting word learning
• The difference between sight words, high-frequency words, and heart words, and how to think about them at home
• Why spelling is one of the best windows into a child’s literacy development
• A parent-friendly way to support tricky patterns, including r-controlled vowels
• How to talk to teachers with curiosity, not conflict, when homework or instruction doesn’t feel aligned
• Molly’s best read-aloud advice for families, including:
  • The “decline at nine” and why you should keep reading aloud well past third grade
  • Why reading informational text matters more than most people realize
  • How to use think-alouds (instead of constant questions) to model comprehension
• Why kids benefit when we expand beyond the books we loved growing up and how to find high-quality diverse book recommendations
• Molly’s simple framework for getting kids to read more: ARC (Access, Relevance, Choice)

Book and author shout-outs from the conversation:

• Making Words Stick (Molly Ness & Katie Pace Miles)
• Read Alouds for All Learners (Molly Ness)
• Authors mentioned: Matt de la Peña, Chris Van Dusen, Jarrett Lerner

Connect with Dr. Molly Ness:

Molly’s website: mollyness.com (resources, videos, and contact info)

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If this episode helped you, it would mean a lot if you would follow the show, leave a quick 5-star rating or review, and share it with a parent, teacher, or caregiver who cares deeply about helping kids become joyful, confident readers.