Right To Read Initiative

Join Dr. Kathryn Garforth and Fran Blackwood as they discuss decades of work & still no change.

In this episode Dr. Kathryn Garforth and Fran Blackwood discuss her journey as a Parent Advocate.

Join Dr. Kathryn Garforth and Linda Rhyne as they discuss her role as a Literacy Consultant.

Join Dr. Kathryn Garforth and Dr. Kelly Grillo the President of International Dyslexia Association Indiana (IDA, Indiana) as they discuss her thoughts about assistive technology.

Dr. Kelly J. Grillo, earned her PhD at the University of Central Florida. Her research focus is the achievement of students within Inclusive STEM Environments, literacy instruction and explicit-systematic domain specific vocabulary instruction. Currently, Dr. Grillo is a Special Education and Student Services Director at North West Hendricks School Corporation. While serving the front lines Dr. Grillo’s Biology End-of-Course Exam outcomes speak to her expertise, despite disabilities, reading/language barriers, 61% of her students earned a 3 or above in the 2016-2019 school years out of over 500 students being assessed.  

Dr. Grillo has served as a member of the IN*SOURCE board, IM-AT-UDL FL State Oversight Committee, on Florida Council for Exceptional Children State board and as the Education Director of Mills Aviation Charities. Currently, Dr. Grillo serves as the president for the International Dyslexia Association, Indiana. She also serves as an ambassador for Marian University Center for Vibrant Schools focused on Literacy outcomes and Orton Gillingham training across Indiana.  

Dr. Grillo also owns a private company focused on Assistive Technology, called TBD Partners. Technology by Design focuses on access technology. She personally uses AT daily to stay productive and helps people to gain access to accommodations and equipment that increases independence.  Dr. Grillo has numerous publications, conference presentations and awards. She was honored as a nominee in Washington as a STEM Champion for Change. She has earned the distinction of Teacher of the Year multiple times, for the International Council of Exceptional Children (CEC), the International Division of Learning Disabilities and the CEC of Florida. Dr. Grillo is a national advocate for persons with Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia so that she herself can accept her own disability. 

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Join Dr. Kathryn Garforth and Andrea Frick as they discuss her role in the phonics companion.  

Andrea Frick is an elementary teacher and research assistant with a passion for evidence-based literacy practices. Under the supervision of Dr. Georgiou at the University of Alberta, Andrea developed over 150+ reading intervention resources to give to 1st grade teachers at multiple school divisions across Alberta. She also assisted with the initial planning and development of the lessons in Pearson Publishing's newest book "The Phonics Companion". Andrea has presented her work to Alberta's Minister of Education, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, and the Greater Edmonton Teachers' Convention. Andrea teaches grade 2 and loves to run, spend time with her husband and (of course) read about the Science of Reading!

Join Catherine Young Morris and Dr. Kathryn Garforth for their discussion about the importance of decodable texts.  

Catherine Young Morris began authoring decodable text during her daughter’s early elementary years in response to the overwhelming abundance of predictable texts for beginning readers, and underwhelming selection in decodable texts. Needless to say, her daughter could guess with the best of them. With two interdisciplinary degrees focused on social policy and an English minor, she was inspired, as per Toni Morrison, to write the book “you want to read, but … hasn’t been written yet.”  

Catherine’s career began in early childhood development research, and eventually led her to a Product Director role with the Confident Learners K-3 literacy program at The Learning Bar. It was her work at The Learning Bar with literacy experts and educators across Canada that deepened her appreciation of the vital role literacy plays across an individual’s lifespan, as well as how solid the evidence-base is on what constitutes high quality reading instruction. She is the founder of Practice Readers Books, and ever curious about the sciences of reading and learning.

Join Dr. Kathryn Garforth as she speaks to Decodable book author Catherine Young Morris about her journey.  

Catherine Young Morris began authoring decodable text during her daughter’s early elementary years in response to the overwhelming abundance of predictable texts for beginning readers, and underwhelming selection in decodable texts. Needless to say, her daughter could guess with the best of them. With two interdisciplinary degrees focused on social policy and an English minor, she was inspired, as per Toni Morrison, to write the book “you want to read, but … hasn’t been written yet.”    

Catherine’s career began in early childhood development research, and eventually led her to a Product Director role with the Confident Learners K-3 literacy program at The Learning Bar. It was her work at The Learning Bar with literacy experts and educators across Canada that deepened her appreciation of the vital role literacy plays across an individual’s lifespan, as well as how solid the evidence-base is on what constitutes high quality reading instruction. She is the founder of Practice Readers Books, and ever curious about the sciences of reading and learning.

Join Andrea Frick as she shows and tells Dr. Kathryn Garforth about how she teaches literacy in her classroom.

Andrea Frick is an elementary teacher and research assistant with a passion for evidence-based literacy practices. Under the supervision of Dr. Georgiou at the University of Alberta, Andrea developed over 150+ reading intervention resources to give to 1st grade teachers at multiple school divisions across Alberta. She also assisted with the initial planning and development of the lessons in Pearson Publishing's newest book "The Phonics Companion". Andrea has presented her work to Alberta's Minister of Education, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, and the Greater Edmonton Teachers' Convention. Andrea teaches grade 2 and loves to run, spend time with her husband and (of course) read about the Science of Reading!

Join Dr. Kathryn Garforth and Andrea Frick as they discuss her journey as a teacher and research assistant at the University of Alberta.

Andrea Frick is an elementary teacher and research assistant with a passion for evidence-based literacy practices. Under the supervision of Dr. Georgiou at the University of Alberta, Andrea developed over 150+ reading intervention resources to give to 1st grade teachers at multiple school divisions across Alberta. She also assisted with the initial planning and development of the lessons in Pearson Publishing's newest book "The Phonics Companion". Andrea has presented her work to Alberta's Minister of Education, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, and the Greater Edmonton Teachers' Convention. Andrea teaches grade 2 and loves to run, spend time with her husband and (of course) read about the Science of Reading!