Literacy Now

Literacy Now

By Parents For Reading JusticeEducation
Download on the App Store

Literacy Now episodes

  • Beyond Poverty: Learning to Read in Mississippi

    Parents for Reading Justice has teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to bring you “Literacy Now, Together,” a podcast mini-series that takes a closer look at the reading crisis and explores real solutions with literacy leaders and families across the country. In this enlightening episode, Kareem Weaver (FULCRUM) and Brett Tingley (Parents for Reading Justice) talk with three leaders from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) about the steady, years-long work behind the state’s dramatic reading gains. Far from a "Mississippi miracle," they describe a "Mississippi marathon" driven by clear policies, science of reading training for every educator, a robust statewide coaching model, high-quality instructional materials, universal screening, and ongoing assessment. The discussion shows how Mississippi built a sustainable system of support for teachers and students, with a relentless focus on prevention and continuous improvement. MDE’s story offers powerful lessons and a roadmap for any state committed to ensuring every child learns to read.GUESTSKelli Crain, Assistant State Literacy DirectorJill Hoda, Assistant State Literacy DirectorKatie Williamson, Regional Literacy Coordinator RESOURCESMDE Coaching GuidelinesMDE List of 10 Things All Literacy Leaders Need to Know MDE Blueprint for Improving Literacy OutcomesMDE Literacy Professional Development and ResourcesLiteracy Based Promotion Act (2013)Mississippi Literacy-Based Promotion Act Implementation Guide (2016) AIM Institute: Pathways for MississippiHigh Quality Instruction Materials (HQIM)Guidance on Selection and Implementation of HQIMUniversal Screener Companion Guide Evidence Advocacy Center: States with Strong Literacy PoliciesNational Council on Teacher Quality: Reading Foundations GradesMDE Backstory and Key TakeawaysSOCIALSMDE’s Website: https://mdek12.orgMDE’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mdek12MDE’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mississippi-department-of-education/ MDE’s Facebook: @MissDeptEdMDE’s X: @MissDeptEd_____________________________________Parents for Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so all children learn to read.About Brett Tingley: https://parentsforreadingjustice.org/brett-tingley-bioAbout Kareem Weaver: https://www.fulcrumliteracy.org/kareem-weaverAbout Parents for Reading Justice: https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjusticeAbout FULCRUM:https://linktr.ee/fulcrumliteracy Join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE!DISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, with the intention of helping others to understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice pertaining to their individual circumstances. Thank you for your continued support!

    1 hr 30 min
  • How I Survived Until 32 Years Without Being Able to Read

    In this moving episode of “Literacy Now, Together,” co-hosts Kareem Weaver of FULCRUM and Brett Tingley of Parents for Reading Justice sit down with Oliver James, a man who taught himself to read at 32 following a lifetime of hiding his illiteracy. During the COVID lockdown, Oliver set himself a personal challenge: learn to read. What began as a private goal became a transformative journey he now shares with hundreds of thousands online, rebuilding his confidence, deepening his relationships, and changing the course of his life. He speaks candidly about the decades he spent concealing his struggle—through incarceration, school expulsions, and personal hardship—before discovering that literacy can unlock freedom, choice, and self-respect. From embracing text-to-voice technology to working one-on-one with a reading specialist, Oliver’s story shows how literacy can open doors to opportunity and restore self-worth. His honesty inspires others to remove their own masks and seize the life-changing gift of reading.


    Resources:

    Oliver’s TikTok: @oliverspeaks1

    Oliver’s Instagram: @oliverspeaks1

    Oliver’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@oliverspeaks1

    ___________________________________________________________


    Parents for Reading Justice has teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to bring you "Literacy Now, Together" — a podcast mini-series that takes a closer look at the reading crisis and explores real solutions with literacy leaders and families across the country. Parents for Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.

    About Brett Tingley: https://parentsforreadingjustice.org/brett-tingley-bio

    About Kareem Weaver: https://tinyurl.com/KareemWeaverBio

    About Parents for Reading Justice: https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjustice

    About FULCRUM:https://linktr.ee/fulcrumliteracy


    Join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE!


    DISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, to help others understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice for their circumstances. We welcome you to share your experiences with us on all matters relating to dyslexia as we are continuously learning new information to help push our cause to help as many people with dyslexia as possible. Thank you for your continued support!


    #literacynow #readinginstruction #education #awareness #teacher #teaching #fyp #change

    1 hr 8 min
  • Mental Health & Literacy in Childhood

    Why Basic Needs, like Literacy, Must Come Before Resilience Training — and What Schools Get Wrong

    Psychologist, educator, and Raising Moxie® founder Dr. Karin Hodges joins FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver and Parents for Reading Justice’s Brett Tingley in a thought-provoking episode, uncovering how failure to meet children's literacy needs is driving stress and anxiety. Dr. Hodges warns that as schools increasingly invest in social-emotional learning (SEL) curricula, many of these programs miss the mark by focusing on student characteristics rather than addressing systemic issues like illiteracy. She offers a stark critique of a system that too often shifts the burden to parents while absolving schools of their core obligation to teach literacy and calls for equipping adults with relational tools that foster resilience and confidence—what Dr. Hodges calls “skilling-up” the grown-ups. This episode tackles the harmful belief that some children are “hard to teach” based on their home life or community background and unpacks the dangers of coddling, the ethics of emotional regulation practices, and how “calm-down” strategies can backfire when they dismiss a child’s lived emotional experience.


    Resources:

    Raising Moxie Website:

    https://www.raisingmoxie.com/

    Dr. Hodge’s Resources List:

    https://www.raisingmoxie.com/references

    Dr. Hodge’s Facebook:

    @Raising Moxie

    Dr. Hodge’s X:

    @RaisingMoxie

    Dr. Hodge’s Instagram:

    @raising_moxie

    Dr. Hodge’s YouTube:

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIGQrrt1ffZ0i0zdZDVo2Pw

    Dr. Hodge’s LinkedIn:

    @Karin Maria Hodges

    ____________________


    Parents for Reading Justice has teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to bring you "Literacy Now, Together" — a podcast mini-series that takes a closer look at the reading crisis and explores real solutions with literacy leaders and families across the country.


    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading.


    About Brett Tingley:

    ⁠https://parentsforreadingjustice.org/brett-tingley-bio⁠


    About Kareem Weaver: ⁠

    https://tinyurl.com/KareemWeaverBio⁠


    About Parents for Reading Justice:

    ⁠https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjustice⁠


    About FULCRUM:⁠

    https://linktr.ee/fulcrumliteracy ⁠


    Join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE!


    DISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, with the intention of helping others to understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice pertaining to their individual circumstances. We welcome you to share your experiences with us on all matters relating to dyslexia as we are continuously learning new information to help push our cause to help as many people with dyslexia as possible. Thank you for your continued support!

    1 hr 4 min
  • Is Poor Instruction Creating Our Struggling Reading Crisis?

    We are so excited to bring you this powerful episode with Sonya Thomas, the passionate founder and Executive Director of Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L. Sonya shares her deeply personal journey into advocacy, beginning as a mother of four who was determined to secure a better future for her children. When she saw that her younger son was struggling to learn to read in his earliest years of school, advocating for him became a full-time job. But by 7th grade despite years of meetings and interventions with his school, he was reading only at the 2nd grade level. She knew something had to change — not just for her family, but for every family in her community.


    Sonya’s story illustrates how poor instruction creates struggling readers, and how one mother’s anger can transform into a movement empowering thousands of parents to demand the education their children deserve. She reveals how she draws on her background as a nurse, researcher, and community leader to inform parents and train them to question the system, organize campaigns, and push for real policy change. Through Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L., Sonya has organized over 8,000 parents and has led successful campaigns for legislation requiring personalized learning plans and data transparency in every school in Tennessee. Her message is clear: parents deserve the truth about how their children are doing in school — and they have the power to hold the system accountable. Tune in to hear how Sonya inspires parents to lead fearlessly, build lasting community strength, and fight for every child’s right to learn to read.


    RESOURCESNashville P.R.O.P.E.L. ROAR @HomeBETAWhat the Words Say, by Emily HanfordSold a Story Podcast The Truth about ReadingDisrupt and Dismantle, by Soledad O'Brien

    SOCIALSFacebook - @NashvillePROPELX - @NashvillePropelInstagram - @nashvillepropel‐-------------------------------------------------------------------Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.Host Brett Tingley is the president of OH-KID, a grassroots parent group dedicated to ensuring all children in Ohio learn to read. She is also an advisory board member of the International Dyslexia Association Central Ohio. She is the founder and president of Parents for Reading Justice.Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE on our website!FOLLOW US:Check out our LinkTree to find us on all social media platforms: https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjusticeDISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, with the intention of helping others to understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice pertaining to their individual circumstances. We welcome you to share your experiences with us on all matters relating to dyslexia as we are continuously learning new information to help push our cause to help as many people with dyslexia as possible. Thank you for your continued support!#education #reading #dyslexia #behavior #motivation #awareness #change #podcast #school #readingskills #schoollife #scienceofreading #readmorebooks #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexiasupport #readingcommunity #fypyoutube

    58 min
  • How Do We Hire Teachers?

    We are thrilled to bring you this interview with Dr. Heather Peske. Heather is the President of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) and a former elementary school teacher. She shares how her early experiences teaching reading, combined with her experience as a parent of a struggling reader, fuel her commitment to improve teacher preparation nationwide. In addition, her work as a state policymaker transformed her understanding of effective literacy instruction.


    In our conversation, Brett and Heather discuss how parents and school districts can leverage NCTQ’s research to influence market forces and push Colleges of Education toward evidence-based practices. Heather explains how NCTQ evaluates teacher preparation programs, revealing that most fall short in training future educators in evidence-based reading instruction—particularly for English Learners and students with learning differences such as dyslexia. She also highlights the role of state-level policy reforms and how parent advocacy is driving meaningful improvements. Heather offers valuable insights on addressing teacher shortages, the power of parent-led efforts, and leaves listeners with a powerful message: stay optimistic, stay engaged, and know that change is possible—together.


    ⁠NCTQ website⁠


    ⁠NCTQ Teacher Prep Review- Reading Foundations⁠


    ⁠NCTQ Teacher Prep Review State Data Profiles⁠


    ⁠NCTQ Five Policy Actions to Srengthen Implementation of the Science of Reading⁠


    ⁠NCTQ State Data Profiles⁠


    ⁠NCTQ False Assurances report⁠


    ⁠NCTQ Reimagining Teaching⁠


    Socials

    Facebook: @NationalCouncilOnTeacherQuality

    LinkedIn: @NationalCouncilOnTeacherQuality

    X: @NCTQ

    ‐-------------------------------------------------------------------

    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.Host Brett Tingley is the president of OH-KID, a grassroots parent group dedicated to ensuring all children in Ohio learn to read. She is also an advisory board member of the International Dyslexia Association Central Ohio. She is the founder and president of Parents for Reading Justice.


    Join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE on our website!


    FOLLOW US:

    Check out our LinkTree to find us on all social media platforms:

    ⁠https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjustice⁠


    DISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, with the intention of helping others to understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice pertaining to their individual circumstances. We welcome you to share your experiences with us on all matters relating to dyslexia as we are continuously learning new information to help push our cause to help as many people with dyslexia as possible. Thank you for your continued support!

    #education #reading #dyslexia #behavior #motivation #awareness #change #podcast #school #readingskills #schoollife #scienceofreading #readmorebooks #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexiasupport #readingcommunity #fypyoutube

    1 hr 5 min
  • Why Are Teachers So Quick to Claim Dyslexia is Bad Behavior

    We are thrilled to bring you this conversation with Missy Purcell, a former teacher and Mom of a son with dyslexia. Missy is also the co-Founder of the Facebook page, The Science of Reading for Advocates and Gwinnette County Advocates for Dyslexia. Missy's initial professional training and practice was steeped in a 'balanced literacy' approach, and in particular, the Reading and Writing Workshop model developed by Lucy Calkins. Her 5th grade classroom was even the observational classroom for her school, and she led Workshop training for other schools in the county and beyond. But there were frustrations along the way as well as significant questioning of K-5 reading instruction, as too many students were arriving in her classroom with poor word reading and comprehension skills, and moving on to the next grade with little to no improvement. It wasn't until Missy started to explore why her youngest child was struggling so much with learning to read, including struggling in the Reading Recovery intervention program, and developing anxiety and behavior issues, that it all started to make sense. What was missing in the instruction in the earliest years set them up poorly for reading and comprehension in the later years. She describes it as a "colliding of my two worlds- the teacher Missy and the Mama Missy". Knowing that she couldn't change the past, she decided to focus on the future and work to change the system that is continuing to fail children. This is her WHY. Don't miss this amazing journey from Mom and teacher to powerhouse advocate!

    SOCIALS

    Facebook /

    @MissPurcell

    @Missy Palmer Purcell

    @The Science of Reading for Advocates

    X/Twitter /

    @MissyPurcell

    Instagram /

    @misspurcelladvocates

    @missy_purcell

    Bluesky /

    @missypurcell.bsky.social

    ______________________________


    Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Dyslexic Children - Documentary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Masterclass⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parent Group Directory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ParentsForReadingJustice.org⁠⁠⁠


    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.Host Brett Tingley is the President of OH-KID, a grassroots parent group dedicated to ensuring all children in Ohio learn to read. She is also an advisory board member of the International Dyslexia Association Central Ohio. She is the founder and President of Parents for Reading Justice. Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!


    #education #reading #dyslexia #behavior #motivation #awareness #change #podcast #school #readingskills #schoollife #scienceofreading #readmorebooks #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexiasupport #readingcommunity #fypyoutube

    1 hr 7 min
  • Literacy Betrayal - Could Greed Harm Children's Futures?

    We are excited to bring you a new mini-series called "Literacy Now, Together." We've teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to interview parents, literacy experts, and thought leaders to examine the literacy crisis and highlight the steps people are taking to improve literacy rates across the county. In this episode, we meet Jackie and Lawrence from Niagara Falls, New York, who have two children with IEPs. Although their eight-year-old daughter, who has dyslexia and dysgraphia, showed signs of reading difficulties in kindergarten, these were initially misinterpreted as behavioral issues. The school offered intervention in first grade through the Reading Recovery program, a program broadly criticized for using debunked instructional methods and having poor reading outcomes. The approach proved detrimental, leading to heightened anxiety and emotional distress for their daughter. Despite the parents' requests to stop the program, the school insisted on continuing, which left their daughter in a challenging emotional and psychological state. Jackie and Lawrence describe how their advocacy journey began with their daughter’s struggles but expanded into broader community action. They formed a PTA and built connections with other parents facing similar challenges, creating a support network to push for better literacy instruction. They share their frustration with a school system that blames children and parents for poor performance, despite the district being the lowest-performing in the county. When asked why it is essential for their daughter to learn to read, Jackie and Lawrence give a heart-wrenching answer about the incredibly difficult choices they have to make to support their children's educational needs, forcing them to figure out themselves what the school should have done but failed to do. The couple underscores the far-reaching consequences of inadequate reading instruction, linking it to poverty, limited job opportunities, crime, teen pregnancy, and systemic inequities. Their advice to other parents is practical and empowering: trust your instincts, educate yourself on learning disabilities and dyslexia, and connect with organizations and resources in your community. Their story is a call to action, demonstrating the importance of persistence, self-education, and community advocacy in navigating a flawed educational system.


    Resources:

    Child Find MandateCox Campus courses

    Cox Campus- Dyslexia Quick Facts

    William A vs Clarksville-Montgomery County School System

    Endrew F case (Understood.org)Reading Rockets, A Guide for Parents

    Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children

    Open Source Phonics

    Right to Read filmOur Dyslexic ChildrenWNY Literacy Initiative

    Niagara Community Information Group


    _____________________


    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading.


    About Brett Tingley: https://parentsforreadingjustice.org/brett-tingley-bio


    About Kareem Weaver: https://tinyurl.com/KareemWeaverBio


    About Parents for Reading Justice: https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjustice


    About FULCRUM:https://linktr.ee/fulcrumliteracy


    Join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE!


    DISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, with the intention of helping others to understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice pertaining to their individual circumstances. We welcome you to share your experiences with us on all matters relating to dyslexia as we are continuously learning new information to help push our cause to help as many people with dyslexia as possible. Thank you for your continued support!

    1 hr 6 min
  • Why are so Many Teachers Graduating Without Knowing How to Teach Reading?

    For our 18th episode, and 2nd international episode!, we are excited to bring you Kim Lockhart. Kim is a French bilingual immersion teacher and special education teacher in Canada. Despite attending a top-tier undergraduate teaching program and earning a master's degree, Kim didn't learn anything about how to teach children to read. That didn't come until she went through an Orton-Gillingham training program. Join us for this insightful and engaging conversation where Kim talks frankly about how preservice teacher preparation programs are not setting up teachers for success in the classroom, how the lack of knowledge in evidence-based instruction leaves teachers floundering and too many students failing, and how this model is deeply inequitable.


    In the last part of our conversation, Kim talks about teaching multilingual learners including the importance of building their language skills along with their decoding skills, and how structured literacy is essential in the bilingual classroom. We hope you will come away from this conversation inspired to encourage your school district leadership to talk with the teacher preparation programs they hire from about ending the teaching of disproven methods of reading instruction, and ensuring their graduates learn about literacy science and evidence-based instructional practices. These programs are at the root of the literacy crisis and they need to know that their customers, local school districts, are dissatisfied at having to provide training that should have been provided in college! And if you are a teacher, you can give your feedback directly to your degree program!


    Social Media Handles:

    X: @MmeLockhartLDSB

    Instagram: @mmelockhartlds

    LinkedIn: @Kim Lockhart


    Resources:

    Our Dyslexic Children Documentary

    The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading, by Christopher Such

    Ontario Human Rights Commission Right to Read Report

    The Reading League Science of Reading: Defining Guide

    Literacy How Reading Wheel, Margie Gillis

    ______________________________


    Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Dyslexic Children - Documentary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Masterclass⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parent Group Directory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ParentsForReadingJustice.org⁠⁠


    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.Host Brett Tingley is the President of OH-KID, a grassroots parent group dedicated to ensuring all children in Ohio learn to read. She is also an advisory board member of the International Dyslexia Association Central Ohio. She is the founder and President of Parents for Reading Justice. Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    1 hr 3 min
  • Literacy Now Ep.017 - Rebecca Tolson

    Summary:

    In this episode of Literacy Now, we talk with Rebecca Tolson.  Rebecca is the Director of the Center for Structured Literacy at the University of Akron.  Previously, she was the Vice President of Literacy Initiatives at Neuhaus Education Center and an adjunct professor in the master's of dyslexia therapy program at Walsh University.  Rebecca started her career as a 5th grade general education teacher, trained in the 'whole language' approach to reading instruction.  She saw many students who reached 5th grade unable to read.  Much as she loved teaching reading, she quickly found that she didn't have the tools in her toolbox to help her struggling students.  It wasn't until a mentor at her school, Lori Josephson, encouraged her to take coursework in the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction, where she learned terminology and instructional approaches that had been absent in her undergraduate degree program, that Rebecca developed the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively teach all children to read.Join us as we hear about working with teachers who have had little to no exposure to reading science, considerations in shifting from a balanced literacy approach to a structured literacy approach, what to look for in a strong MTSS system, and thoughts on what can be done to encourage colleges of education to better prepare our future teachers in reading science and evidence-based instructional practices.  Enjoy our conversation- you're in for a treat!


    Resources:

     The Center for Effective Reading Instruction

    International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC)

    Neuhaus Education Center

    Colorado DoE: Advisory List of Instructional Programming

    International Dyslexia Association: Accredited University Programs

    International Dyslexia Association: Fact Sheets

    NCTQ: 2020 Teacher Prep Review

    Mount St. Joseph University, Reading Science programs


    Book: 

    Annual Growth for All Students, Catch Up Growth for Those Who Are Behind


    Facebook Socials:

    Rebecca Tolson

    @RebeccaTolson

    Kareem Weaver

    @KareemJabbarWeaver

    NCTQ

    @National CouncilonTeacherQuality

    University of Akron

    @TheUniversityofAkron

    Mount St. Joseph University

    @MountStJosephUniversity

    Governor Mike DeWine

    @MikeDeWine

    X:

    @RebeccaTolson1

    @KJWinEducation

    @NCTQ@GovMikeDeWine

    ______________________________


    Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Dyslexic Children - Documentary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Masterclass⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parent Group Directory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ParentsForReadingJustice.org⁠⁠


    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.Host Brett Tingley is the President of OH-KID, a grassroots parent group dedicated to ensuring all children in Ohio learn to read. She is also an advisory board member of the International Dyslexia Association Central Ohio. She is the founder and President of Parents for Reading Justice.Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    1 hr 5 min
  • Robin Zikmund - A worried mother does better research than the FBI!

    'A worried mother does better research than the FBI!'

    We are so excited to bring you this inspiring conversation with Robin Zikmund! Robin is the founder of Decoding Dyslexia Idaho, a dyslexia advocate for the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, and the parent of a child with dyslexia. Robin shares with us the history of missed opportunities and delays by many experts including the educational system to identify her son's struggles at school. It wasn't until she did her own research and put the puzzle together by herself, that she was able to become an effective advocate for her son. But it was a long, uphill battle with the school district. Eventually, Robin became an advocate at the state-level, using the legislative process and connecting with national experts to help bring in policy changes to support effective literacy instruction in Idaho. Listen in and get inspired!

    Resources:

    Decoding Dyslexia

    Idaho Dyslexia

    Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Plan

    Dr. Louisa Moats

    Dr. Deb Glaser

    Institute for Multisensory Education (IMSE)

    IMSE Foundation

    Center for Effective Reading Instruction

    Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI exam)

    Social Media:

    Facebook -

    @Decoding Dyslexia - ID Discussion Board

    @Orton-Gillingham

    @Robin Zikmund

    X -

    @DDIDchange

    @IMSEOG

    @RobinZikmund

    Instagram -

    @ddidaho

    @imse_og

    ______________________________


    Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Dyslexic Children - Documentary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Masterclass⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parent Group Directory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ParentsForReadingJustice.org⁠


    Parents For Reading Justice is a nonprofit grassroots movement dedicated to ensuring every child learns to read by engaging parents and educators in adopting the science of teaching reading. Our mission is to activate, train, and guide parent groups to flip their school districts to evidence-based reading instruction. Our vision is to speed the nationwide shift to evidence-based literacy instruction so that 95% of students read proficiently.Host Brett Tingley is the President of OH-KID, a grassroots parent group dedicated to ensuring all children in Ohio learn to read. She is also an advisory board member of the International Dyslexia Association Central Ohio. She is the founder and President of Parents for Reading Justice.Please join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward and DONATE on our website!

    1 hr 6 min

About Literacy Now

From the publisher's feed

Our podcast will feature parents, literacy experts, and thought leaders discussing current topics centered in the Science of Reading and parent advocacy. Our social media centered community is built from the ground up from all political and socioeconomic levels, and is laser focused on bringing evidence-based reading instruction to all our children, acknowledging the fact that scientifically based reading instruction helps every child learn to read.

More shows like Literacy Now

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,855 Listeners

Dana K White: A Slob Comes Clean by Dana K. White: A Slob Comes Clean

Dana K White: A Slob Comes Clean

2,480 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,384 Listeners

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel by Esther Perel Global Media

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

14,903 Listeners

On Purpose with Jay Shetty by Perfect Strangers

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

27,840 Listeners

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers by Supported by Great Minds

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers

437 Listeners

Science of Reading: The Podcast by Amplify Education

Science of Reading: The Podcast

648 Listeners

Reach All Readers by Anna Geiger

Reach All Readers

207 Listeners

The Megyn Kelly Show by SiriusXM

The Megyn Kelly Show

39,379 Listeners

Together in Literacy by Emily Gibbons & Casey Harrison

Together in Literacy

134 Listeners

Sold a Story by APM Reports

Sold a Story

7,897 Listeners

The Literacy View by Judy Boksner

The Literacy View

82 Listeners

Educational Diagnosticians by Nazzie Pater-Rov

Educational Diagnosticians

6 Listeners

Chalk & Talk by Anna Stokke

Chalk & Talk

82 Listeners