In this episode of Knowledge for Teachers, I sit down with Mandy Nayton — CEO of the Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation and president of AUSPELD — for a deep and timely conversation about how students really learn to read.
Mandy draws on decades of experience to unpack what the science of reading actually is (and what it isn’t), why explicit instruction matters, and how effective intervention can change the trajectory for struggling students.
We explore key frameworks like the Simple View of Reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope, and the Cognitive Foundations Framework — and dig into DSF’s new Word Origins program, designed to transform how spelling is taught in Years 3–6 by building deep morphological and etymological knowledge.
Whether you’re just starting to explore structured literacy or you’re leading change in your school, this conversation is packed with insight, clarity, and practical takeaways.
🎧 Listen now and explore how teacher knowledge is the most powerful tool we have to improve literacy outcomes.
Resources mentioned:
- Word Origins
- Literacy Frameworks & Models
- Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer)
- Scarborough’s Reading Rope
- Cognitive Foundations Framework (Hoover & Tunmer)
- Dehaene’s Four Pillars of Learning
- Instructional & Program Resources
- DSF’s Word Origins Program
- Direct Instruction Phonics Manual
- Others
- Kathy Rastle
- National Reading Panel (2000)
- Reid Lyon
- John Hattie
You can connect with Mandy:
Twitter/X: @mandynayton
Facebook: @dyslexiaspeld
email: support@dsf.net.au
You can connect with Brendan:
Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee
Facebook: @learningwithmrlee
Website: learnwithlee.net
Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:
https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast
About Mandy Nayton
Mandy is the CEO of DSF Literacy and Clinical Services and Co-President of AUSPELD. She is an educational and developmental psychologist and teacher with extensive experience in the field of literacy education. Mandy is an ardent advocate for evidence-informed practice, supports schools with literacy planning and provides professional development in the areas of literacy acquisition and intervention, vocabulary development, working memory and cognitive load, learning difficulties and the assessment of learning disorders. Mandy is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Curtin University’s School of Allied Health, is a leading Australian LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) Trainer, has conducted research in collaboration with UWA, Curtin, ACU and Macquarie Universities, and was awarded an OAM for her services to education in 2016.
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