Margin Notes

Summer can offer a different kind of space for professional learning. The slower pace, longer walks, road trips, or afternoons by a pool can open small windows for listening that can be harder to find during the school year. If you are looking for a few literacy podcasts to add to your summer playlist, here are some you might enjoy exploring:

Shanahan on Literacy Podcast: Timothy Shanahan has long been one of our favorite voices in literacy, and we regularly find ourselves returning to his work. If you are looking for a polished, highly produced podcast, this may not be the one for you. What you will find instead is what makes Shanahan’s work so compelling: thoughtful engagement with research, concrete examples, practical advice, and ideas that keep you thinking long after the episode ends.

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy: Melissa and Lori have a contagious enthusiasm that makes listening feel like joining a conversation with colleagues. Their guests are consistently knowledgeable and engaging, but what stands out most is the way they approach each episode with curiosity. Rather than presenting themselves as the experts in the room, they ask thoughtful questions and seem to learn right alongside their listeners. Their topics are timely, and the accompanying resources are incredibly helpful for anyone wanting to dig a little deeper.

Reach all Readers: Anna Geiger shares practical conversations about literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading. She takes research and makes it approachable, offering strategies teachers can apply right away to support a wide range of readers. While the podcast originally focused more on early literacy, it has grown to include ideas and discussions that connect to literacy learning across grade levels with several episodes focused specifically on older readers.

Cult of Pedagogy: Jennifer Gonzalez has been hosting the Cult of Pedagogy podcast for more than a decade, and there is a reason it continues to be a go to resource for so many educators. While the podcast is not solely focused on literacy, many episodes connect directly to literacy teaching and learning, and all of them are grounded in thoughtful conversations about education. Whether the topic is instructional strategies, classroom culture, technology, assessment, or student learning, Jennifer consistently brings practical ideas and engaging guests to the conversation. Whether you are looking specifically for literacy learning, or simply hoping to explore broader questions about teaching and learning, there is likely an episode waiting for you.

There are certainly other podcasts worth exploring, and this list only scratches the surface. However, we hope these recommendations offer a starting point for filling some of those summer listening moments with ideas, conversations, and learning that leaves you feeling inspired.