#96: 7 Mighty Moves That Made My Literacy Block Click with Lindsay Kemeny
From Frustration to Flow: How One Teacher Changed Everything
Have you ever sat at your small group table with a stack of decodable books and thought, Is this really working? Or maybe you’ve stared at your jam-packed literacy block schedule and wondered how to fit it all in without sacrificing quality instruction. If so, you’re not alone—and Lindsay Kemeny has been right there with you.
In this episode, Lindsay shares the powerful story of how her son’s dyslexia diagnosis flipped her understanding of reading instruction upside down—and how it inspired her to overhaul everything about her literacy block. The result? Her now-famous framework, 7 Mighty Moves (Amazon link), grounded in the science of reading and proven in real classrooms. If you’re ready to make your reading block finally click, this is for you.
What Are the 7 Mighty Moves?
Lindsay’s journey started with two big “aha” moments: realizing the traditional approach to reading instruction was failing her kindergarten students—and failing her son. From that personal and professional crossroads, she began deep-diving into the science of reading, experimenting in her own classroom, and refining what worked. The result? A streamlined, practical framework she now calls the 7 Mighty Moves:
- Teach phonemic awareness intentionally – Not just a warm-up. Lindsay had never even considered it before teaching kindergarten.
- Teach phonics explicitly and systematically – No more loose “phonics activities.” Teach the code directly.
- Use decoding strategies—not three-cueing – Stop telling kids to guess with pictures. Teach them to read the words.
- Use decodable texts appropriately – Not forever. Use them as training wheels, and know when to transition out.
- Rethink sight words – Stop memorizing whole words. Break them down into phonemes.
- Be intentional about fluency – It doesn’t just develop naturally. Plan for it.
- Prioritize vocabulary and background knowledge – These are essential to comprehension and too often overlooked.
How to Apply These Moves Without Overhauling Everything
You don’t need to throw away your whole routine. Lindsay’s advice? Start small. Choose one move and build from there.
For example:
- Tighten up your phonics lessons by scripting transitions and maximizing practice.
- Shift your decodable text use to match the needs of only the students who still benefit from them.
- Add engagement without entertainment by focusing on meaningful participation over Pinterest-worthy room transformations.
Her biggest shift wasn’t adding more—it was getting clearer on what matters most.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
- The personal story that led Lindsay to question everything about her instruction.
- The exact 7 Mighty Moves she used to realign her classroom with the science of reading.
- Why decodable texts are a tool—not the goal.
- The one shift she recommends if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.
- How she makes every minute of her 150-minute literacy block count—without losing her mind.
Bringing It All Together
If your literacy block feels more chaotic than cohesive, the 7 Mighty Moves framework offers a reset button. Lindsay’s journey proves that science-aligned teaching doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it can actually be empowering. By starting with just one mighty move, you can boost student outcomes and feel more confident in your instruction.
Want More Support? Join The Science of Reading Formula
If you’re ready to go deeper and apply these shifts in your own classroom, we invite you to join The Science of Reading Formula. You’ll get step-by-step guidance, practical tools, and a supportive community to help you teach reading with clarity and confidence.
LINKS
Become a Science of Reading Formula member!
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