<description>&lt;p&gt;Dr. Brennan Chandler, assistant professor at Georgia State University and researcher specializing in spelling, reading intervention, and literacy development — particularly for students with persistent reading difficulties unpacks what the research sayings about spelling instruction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He shares insights from his large-scale meta-analysis examining decades of spelling intervention research and explains why spelling has the capacity to be far more than a writing skill; it can be a lexical lever that strengthens both reading and writing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Takeaways:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why spelling is essential for building strong word representations&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Common misconceptions (including the infamous “Friday spelling test”)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What current research says actually works in spelling instruction&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The impact of technology (spellcheck, AI, predictive text) on literacy development&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Practical ways teachers can embed effective spelling instruction into their day&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Chandler also shares actionable guidance for educators, including how just 10–15 minutes of intentional spelling instruction daily can make a meaningful difference.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Resources:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00222194251364836" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;A Meta-Analytic Review of Spelling Interventions for Students With or At-Risk for Learning Disabilities&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt; - Chandler, B. W., Toste J. R., Novelli, C., Rodgers, D., Hardeman, E. (2025)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Article: ​​&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://mashable.com/article/google-docs-grammarly-chatgpt-for-spelling" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;Why your kid can't rely on tech tools to spell&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Intervention/762#:~:text=Spelling%20Mastery%20is%20designed%20to,%2C%20and%20whole%2Dword%20strategies." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;Spelling Mastery (Direct Instruction program)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Connect with Brennan Chandler, PhD:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Website: &lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="http://brennanchandler.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;brennanchandler.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;IG: &lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/brennanchandlerphd/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;@BrennanChandlerPhD&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;LinkedIn: &lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennanchandler/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;Brennan Chandler, PhD&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thank you to &lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.reading.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;Reading.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt; 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Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators

Michelle Sullivan • Literacy Coach & Science of Reading Advocate

87. Spelling Matters: What the Research Says About Teaching Spelling with Brennan Chandler, PhD

MAR 31, 202666 MIN
Literacy in Color: A Science of Reading Aligned Podcast for Educators

87. Spelling Matters: What the Research Says About Teaching Spelling with Brennan Chandler, PhD

MAR 31, 202666 MIN

Description

Dr. Brennan Chandler, assistant professor at Georgia State University and researcher specializing in spelling, reading intervention, and literacy development — particularly for students with persistent reading difficulties unpacks what the research sayings about spelling instruction.He shares insights from his large-scale meta-analysis examining decades of spelling intervention research and explains why spelling has the capacity to be far more than a writing skill; it can be a lexical lever that strengthens both reading and writing.Key Takeaways:Why spelling is essential for building strong word representationsCommon misconceptions (including the infamous “Friday spelling test”)What current research says actually works in spelling instructionThe impact of technology (spellcheck, AI, predictive text) on literacy developmentPractical ways teachers can embed effective spelling instruction into their dayDr. Chandler also shares actionable guidance for educators, including how just 10–15 minutes of intentional spelling instruction daily can make a meaningful difference.Resources:A Meta-Analytic Review of Spelling Interventions for Students With or At-Risk for Learning Disabilities - Chandler, B. W., Toste J. R., Novelli, C., Rodgers, D., Hardeman, E. (2025)Article: ​​Why your kid can't rely on tech tools to spellSpelling Mastery (Direct Instruction program)Connect with Brennan Chandler, PhD:Website: brennanchandler.comIG: @BrennanChandlerPhDLinkedIn: Brennan Chandler, PhDThank you to Reading.com for supporting the production of this episode.Visit reading.com/color for 60% off the annual plan today.Instagram: @_readingcomYouTube: ReadingComFacebook: Reading.comPinterest: Reading_comConnect with Michelle:Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademyJoin our Facebook CommunitySign up for my NewsletterShop on TPT: The Colorful ClassroomVisit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.comJoin The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit MembershipWant to Support the Podcast?Make a Donation to Support ProductionInterested in Learning More about Morphology?Logos Literacy AcademyCourse 1: Mastering Morphology: Foundations for Every EducatorCourse 2 & Curriculum: K-2 MorphologyMonthly Coaching Calls: Logos LiveMentioned in this episode:Reading.comVisit reading.com/color for 60% off the annual plan today!