Together in Literacy

This is part two of our episode with Dr. Nancy Young. You can listen to part one, here.  In this episode, we’re once again joined by Dr. Nancy Young for a conversation about differentiation, meeting students where they are, and understanding students' learning profiles to determine instructional needs. Dr. Nancy Young is a Canadian educational consultant providing profession

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Nancy Young for a conversation about differentiation, meeting students where they are, and understanding students' learning profiles to determine instructional needs. Dr. Nancy Young is a Canadian educational consultant providing professional development in reading and writing instruction for an international audience. Nancy’s literacy focus

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Cathleen Killeen-Pittman for a conversation about setting up our learning spaces for success! Dr. Cathleen Killeen-Pittman, founder of Our Learning Studio, is an academic support specialist and literacy coach. She works with parents, teachers, tutors, and students in her private practice based in North Carolina.  Cathleen’s career as an

In this exciting episode, we’re joined by Katie Larew for a conversation about using assistive technology to empower students with dyslexia! Katie began her journey in the field of education in 2007 as a classroom Special Education Teacher in New Jersey. In 2014, she moved to San Diego, California, and worked as an Assistive Technology Specialist for a K-12 School District for ei

In this special episode, we’re joined by Michelle Breitenbach, founder of Read to Rewire, for a conversation about tutoring online. Michelle Breitenbach is an enthusiastic and dynamic tutor and coach. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, she is a certified dyslexia practitioner. After 7 years as a special educator, she founded Read to Rewire in Miami, Florida. Michelle provides on

Imagine being a learner who is new to English. Someone says to you, "Can you lend me a hand?” Imagine what that learner is processing. First, it’s a question. Second, think about the word lend. Do I know what that means? Third, lend a hand. Does that mean they literally want one of my hands?  In just one sentence, we’ve highlighted the essentials of language acquisition.

In previous episodes, we’ve discussed how decodable texts can support social-emotional learning for our students and how they have a specific purpose within our lessons. Yet, we continue to hear questions and conversations surrounding the use of decodable text for early readers. Join us for a discussion of the purpose of decodable texts, the stages of use, and how we use them to

There’s quite a conversation happening around double dosing of curriculums or lessons as instruction for our struggling students. And we wanted to speak about what works and doesn’t for our children through the lens of appropriate interventions.  In this episode, we will: Share some reasons why we need to be cautious about how we provide interventions  Discuss what a

Have you ever had a student who struggles with blending words or over-emphasizes the strategy of letter-by-letter decoding? Or a student who segments, or pulls apart, individual sounds in words but cannot blend them to read the word? What can you do to move a student forward?  In this episode, we discuss the importance of using diagnostic and prescriptive teaching measures whe

In this special episode, we’re joined by Jennifer Bernheim, founder of Right To Read Advocacy for a conversation about advocacy and the family vision for student success. As the mom of a dyslexic learner, Jennifer knows how challenging it can be to navigate the special education process in a public school district, and she helps parents demystify this overwhelming process and emp