Let's Talk, Teacher to Teacher With Dr. Gina Pepin
Welcome to the Let’s Talk, Teacher to Teacher podcast. My name is Dr. Gina Pepin - and I am so happy to meet you. I am a mom, teacher, professor, supervisor for teacher candidates, a reading specialist and a whole lot more! I am the 2023-2024 Region 1 Michigan Teacher of the Year and State Finalist - and also served in this role as part of the very first group of Regional Teachers/State Finalists of the Year in 2018-2019. But what I want you to know the most about me is… I have a great passion for early literacy and teacher preparation and the thing I am most proud of is of course our children… but my once in a lifetime chance to become a co-author, along with the extremely talented children’s author - Eric Litwin ! Together… we wrote: The Power of Joyful Reading: Help Your Young Readers Soar to Success. You can learn more about me - my experiences, how to hire me to speak at your workshops, schools, teacher programs etc… at www.ginapepin.com I offer you practical make and takes - easy tips along with real life shared stories - so that you can easily create joyful shared reading experiences and other amazing strategies and approaches in your classroom, daycare centers, and homes right away. I am here to help you make powerful changes - Let’s do this together. Check out the Ride and Read program I designed along with 100s of FREE resources at www.ginapepin.com and https://www.instagram.com/drginapepin/
Episodes
In this episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin debunks the myth that sight word learning is all about visual memorization. Drawing on current reading science, Dr. Pepin explains how true sight word mastery actually relies on strong phonemic awareness, phonics skills, and spelling practice. Learn what orthographic mapping really means, why “see and say” is not enough, and how teachers can help every...
In this episode of "Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher," Dr. Gina Pepin shines a spotlight on the unique vocabulary learning challenges faced by children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Discover why fast mapping—acquiring new words quickly—is especially difficult for these students and how gaps in lexical learning impact their classroom success. Dr. Pepin shares actionable strategies for general educatio...
In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin focuses on the critical importance of identifying dyslexia characteristics through careful observation of students’ language, reading skills, and behavioral signs—while also considering the multi-faceted role of visual sensory processing in reading. Dr. Pepin empowers educators to look beyond test scores and notice the everyday experiences that can signal reading challenges in their stu...
In this episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin breaks down the essential building blocks of reading success: word recognition and language comprehension. Discover the key components of each—like alphabetic coding, print concepts, phonemic awareness, and the alphabetic principle for word recognition; and linguistic knowledge, background knowledge, inferencing skills, syntax, and vocabulary for langu...
In this episode of "Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher," Dr. Gina Pepin explores how to balance intensive, code-based reading instruction with the vibrant, meaningful experiences that authentic texts bring to striving readers. Discover why real books, stories, and poems matter—even for students in Tier 3 intervention—and get practical strategies for integrating authentic texts alongside systematic phonics teachin...
In this episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin unpacks the essential components of structured language and literacy instruction. Discover how effective teaching goes beyond simply sounding out words—encompassing phonology (the speech-sound system), orthography (the writing system), syntax (sentence structure), morphology (word parts and meanings), semantics (meaning at the word, sentence, and text ...
Ever wondered what those Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) scores truly reveal? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin breaks down how RAN points to a child’s processing speed and automaticity, risk for reading challenges—including dyslexia—and early signals for reading fluency issues. Learn what RAN predicts, how it fits with other reading assessments, and what it can’t tell you about your students. Walk away with new tools to...
Join Dr. Gina Pepin on this laugh-out-loud episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher” as she shares an unforgettable compliment from a first-grade student: “You look so beautiful—just like a clown!” Dive into the unpredictable world of honest student feedback, the art of accepting compliments (no matter how colorful!), and the value of authenticity and joy in teaching. Whether you’ve been called a clown or a superhero...
Join Dr. Gina Pepin as she unpacks the hot topic of nonsense words in early literacy! Originally created as an assessment tool to gauge students' decoding skills, nonsense words have made their way into daily instruction—but is this really best for our young readers? In this episode, Dr. Pepin explores the history, purpose, and unintended consequences of practicing nonsense words, including how it can affect the ...
Timed one-minute benchmark assessments have become a cornerstone of literacy instruction, but are we getting the full picture for students with speech impairments? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores how these common assessments can blur the lines between decoding difficulties and speech challenges.
Listen as she unpacks strategies for fair and accurate assessment, discusses collaboration with speech-language pat...
"Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher with Dr. Gina Pepin"—the podcast created by educators, for educators!
Join Dr. Gina Pepin each week as she shares practical tips, creative strategies, and real classroom stories designed to inspire and support teachers at every stage. From hands-on literacy tools like Wikki Stix to classroom management ideas and everything in between, Dr. Pepin breaks down relevant topics in a ...
Join Dr. Gina Pepin as she tackles one of the most common confusions in the literacy world: the difference between nonfiction and informational text. In this episode, you’ll learn why not all nonfiction serves the same purpose and how understanding these distinctions can help you choose the best resources for your students.
Dr. Pepin breaks down the features, purposes, and examples of each type, giving practical tips ...
In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores the critical role of authentic texts in early reading development. Rather than relying solely on scripted or predictable practice readers, authentic texts—such as storybooks, poems, and real-world materials—offer young learners meaningful language experiences, richer vocabulary, and deeper comprehension.
Join Dr. Pepin as she discusses how incorporating real books and materials...
What happens when students have the freedom to browse and interact with a wide variety of texts—no matter the level, genre, or format? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores the transformative power of book exploration in the classroom. From recipe cards and sports trading cards to comic books, graphic novels, and beyond, discover how letting students preview, hold, and truly experience different forms of text foste...
How can your classroom design help students develop both strong literacy skills and healthy motor development? Join Dr. Pepin in this eye-opening episode as she explores the power of vertical and horizontal reading and writing spaces—and how simple occupational therapy (OT) strategies can boost student engagement, fine motor skills, and overall learning!
Discover creative ways to use interactive word walls, writing sta...
Why do young learners flip or reverse letters when they start reading and writing? In this bite-sized episode Dr. Gina Pepin sheds light on one of the most common concerns in early literacy—letter transpositions! Discover why these mix-ups happen, when they're simply a normal part of development, and how to patiently support students as they learn the differences between “b” and “d” or “was” and “saw.”
Dr. Pepin b...
Welcome to Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher with Dr. Gina Pepin! In this inspiring episode, “Learning to Read Should Not Just Be Taught – It Should Be Experienced and Celebrated!”, Dr. Gina Pepin invites educators to see reading instruction in a whole new light. Instead of simply teaching reading as a set of mechanical skills, Dr. Pepin shares practical strategies for transforming your classroom into a celebration of rea...
Did you know that 20/20 eyesight isn’t enough for reading success? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores the critical difference between being able to see the page and truly being able to read it. You’ll learn about functional vision (how well eyes track and coordinate as you read) and visual efficiency (how smoothly your eyes and brain work together for comfortable, fluent reading).
Discover the hidden signs that a...
Can a student have perfect eyesight and still struggle to read? Absolutely! In this eye-opening episode of “Let’s Talk Teacher to Teacher,” Dr. Gina Pepin unpacks the difference between simply seeing letters and truly reading them. Explore why strong visual perception skills—like tracking, spacing, and visual-motor integration—are just as important as 20/20 vision in the reading process.
Discover how teachers and speci...
How can we as educators help students not only overcome adversity but truly flourish? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores the powerful impact of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and how shifting our focus from challenges to strengths can transform classroom culture and student development.
You’ll learn the key difference between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and PCEs—and why fostering positive, nurturi...
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