Radio host Andrew McKay interviews  UWF College of Education and Professional Studies faculty member Dr. Kathleen Heubach and Escambia County teacher Mercedes Musto about how parents and guardians can address barriers to literacy for high school aged students. Special attention is dedicated to incarcerated youth, foster children, and at-risk youth in general who have not previously had access to the literacy development they need. Heubach and Musto answer questions related to the following:

• Fostering receptiveness to literature for struggling teens
• Out-of-habit reading students versus students who lack skills
• Improving mental skills associated with reading

Dr. Kathleen Heubach is an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Educational Leadership. Dr. Heubach’s research has focused on ways to develop reading skills. She has examined fluency-oriented reading instruction, basal reading programs, school-wide reading reform, online preparation of highly skilled reading teachers, and strategies to help struggling readers. 

Mercedes Musto is a teacher in the Escambia County School District. Ms. Musto has taught English, Reading, and Journalism. She works with at-risk youth in a drop-out prevention program at a Juvenile Detention Center. Mercedes is currently pursuing her doctorate of education at the UWF College of Education and Professional Studies. After earning her terminal degree, she plans to continue supporting drop-out prevention programs by writing socio-emotional books for at-risk youth.

This podcast series is a joint partnership between the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation and the College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of West Florida. 

Funding for this project was provided by Wells Fargo.

This podcast was recorded in the Pickens Multimedia Studio at the UWF College of Education and Professional Studies, Pensacola Campus.