The Reading Project

I hope you're ready for a super fun episode! I have my husband, Sam DiMercurio here with me and we're talking about video games! 

I'm so excited to have Sam join me on this episode. Sam and I work together in our business, Your Reading Tutor, and we also work together on homeschooling our kids and on this podcast! Sam also runs SD Tech Marketing and Consulting from our home. We're together quite a lot, probably more than most other married couples. We've recorded an episode together before in season one, all about storytelling with your children (you can check that episode out right here.)

Today we're going to talk about video games and their connection to education and literacy, and how they can actually be really beneficial to kids. Tune in to find out how video games can help motivate reluctant readers and encourage executive function skills.

If you'd like more from Sam, you can check out SD Tech Marketing and Consulting on Instagram and Facebook. 

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

In today's episode, I'm joined by teacher Noelle. Noelle is a former certified classical educator turned homeschooling mama and online Outschool teacher. She teaches Latin, geography, and literacy with the Orton-Gillingham approach to elementary students as well as her own kiddos.

Tune in to this episode for some really awesome homeschooling tips and info about using Outschool in your homeschool. 

Curriculums mentioned in this episode:

Spell to Write and Read

All About Reading

You can find out more about Noelle by following her on Instagram and checking out her YourTube channel where she shares content about Outschool, homeschooling, and being an edupreneur. 

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

Parent-teacher conferences are right around the corner for many of us. In this episode, I have Emily Gilbert with me to talk about making sure these conferences are successful for parents, teachers, and students.

Ashley is a full-time kindergarten teacher, as well as the founder of Keep It Up Tutoring, where she helps K-5 students achieve success and build confidence in reading, writing, and math through systematic, individualized lessons.

She knew her passion was to help students find a love of learning and make academic progress but felt disheartened at the lack of time available in a school day to meet every student’s needs. So, she decided to start tutoring one-on-one or in small groups after school, in order to give every student what they deserve. Since starting her business, Ashley has worked with countless students, working toward her mission to empower students and engage families.

Listen to this episode if you want to head into your next parent-teacher conference feeling prepared and empowered!

Learn more about Ashley Gilbert and Keep It Up Tutoring!

Follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

I'm so excited to introduce you to my guest, Veronica Reid. Veronica is from Northern Virginia and ever since she was a little girl, she always wanted to create stories that would help to empower and inspire others in their own lives. 

Veronica is the founder and owner of Reach Scholars Tutoring and Natural 4U, which sells handmade hair and body products. She is a true entrepreneur! Her goal is to continue on her journey of entrepreneurship and help others along the way. 

In this episode, we talk about all things parent/teacher communication! 

Learn more about Veronica!

Check out her book, How to Fire Your 9 to 5

Follow Reach Scholars Tutoring on Facebook and Instagram

Schedule a FREE Online Reading Assessment for your child!

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

In this episode, I have a special guest Michelle Breitenbach. Michelle is an energetic and motivating Wilson Certified Dyslexia Practitioner, and early literacy specialist. After working as a special educator for seven years she established her own company in Miami, Florida called Read to Rewire. She supports students online as a private educator and coaches teachers globally. 

Michelle is passionate about teaching others how to teach a structured literacy lesson online with limited technology and engaging students through independent, online activities that involve movement and games. Michelle was teaching online for over a year before the pandemic and during the pandemic, she supported the transition to online teaching with free resources and webinars for educators. 

Michelle loves creating unique resources to support teachers and maintain student interests. Michelle's webinars focus on elevating student engagement, maintaining multi-sensory methods, minimizing technology online in order to have successful lessons for students with dyslexia and other learning challenges. She knows how to weave quick and motivating activities into her lessons in order to maintain excitement and engagement with online learning. Michelle loves to share the positive side of online teaching and how it has really been a silver lining during this global pandemic. 

I can't wait for you to meet Michelle Breitenbach! You probably already know that we have lots of things in common. In this episode, we'll talk about low-tech ideas for teaching online and the many benefits of online learning.

If you want more from Michelle, check out her website, Read to Rewire.

You can also find her on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram!

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

I'm so excited to introduce you to Caitlin Herkenrath! Caitlin is doing such amazing things in the online education space! 

She's a certified teacher and Orton-Gillingham trained literacy tutor from Toronto, Ontario. She's the founder of Sunrise Reading Solutions, which she began during the Covid 19 pandemic to support struggling readers and spellers. Caitlin is fascinated by the perks of online instruction and believes it will continue to play a key role in effective education for years to come. And, I couldn't agree more! 

Caitlin shares with us her insights into online education, including her recommended platforms for parents and educators, best practices, and top support tips! 

In this episode, Caitlin suggests some online learning tools. Her favorites are:

Koala

Word Wall

Kahoot

Check out more on Catilin at her website, here. 

And follow along with her on Facebook and Instagram!

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

I am super excited to bring you, Diane Talbott, as a guest to the podcast. She is the owner of Spiral Skills Tutoring in Boulder, Colorado, and Metamorphic Word Study which provides Orton Gillingham aligned word study, training, and products. She's a frequent speaker and has all kinds of amazing certifications in the field of education. 

Today, she's going to talk to us about word study! Specifically, what it is, what it means, and why it's important to include in reading and literacy instruction. 

Diane has offered a special Word Study freebie JUST for our podcast listeners. You can grab it right here!

If you'd like to reach out to Diane, you can contact her at [email protected]

Follow along with her on Facebook - Spiral Skills Tutoring, Metamorphic Word, or join her Facebook Community for learners studying and sharing insights about the structure and meaning of the English language.

You can also find Diane on - Spiral Skills Tutoring and Metamorphic Word.

And, check out her websites for Spiral Skills Tutoring and Metamorphic Word. 

Diane mentioned a helpful app she loves using with her family: EtymOnline!

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

If you've got middle and/or high school-aged kids, this episode is for you!

Let me introduce you to Christine Ducz. Christine has taught in public and charter schools as a middle school English teacher for five years and has spent time as a literacy coach in a K-8 school district. 

After she had her daughter in 2016, she transitioned to a virtual educator working with students in grades 6-12 and serving as a reading specialist for students with learning differences. And later in 2019, Christina launched her own online tutoring business serving students in grades 6-12. She tutors students who need support with reading, writing, and home-based learning. 

She also has a literacy blog with resources for parents and teachers, along with book reviews. In 2019, she launched two monthly membership programs, Little Reading Coach Academy School of Literacy for students in grades 4-8, and an educator series for teachers working with students in grades 4 through 8. 

I'm super excited to interview Christine in this episode. We talk more about her membership program and how she supports parents/caregivers and educators with students in middle/high school grades. She has so many great ideas and so much passion for reading aloud!

If you'd like to follow Christine, you can! 

Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out Christine's membership and resources at her site, Little Reading Coach.

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

In this episode, we have a great interview with Heather O'Donnell from New Paltz Multisensory and we're talking about writing and dysgraphia. Heather was determined to find a way to provide instruction and intervention rooted in the science of how the brain works. She feels strongly that kids struggling with academic skills need this kind of support, so she opened her own practice. New Paltz Multisensory has grown to now include a talented staff to reach even more students.

Heather is a certified dyslexia practitioner through the Wilson Reading Program, as well as structured literacy, dyslexia interventionists certified by the Center of Effective Reading Instruction. She's passionate about reading and writing instruction and loves watching kids develop confidence in these important literacy skills when given the right instruction. 

Tune in to this episode, as we're going deep on all things writing!

If you'd like to follow Heather, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram.

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on social media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.

It's August so many of us are getting into the Back-to-School groove. One thing that comes along with back-to-school is homework. In today's episode, I'm joined by Elizabeth Keenan of Keenan Education Consulting and we're talking all about homework. We'll cover how Elizabeth supports families with homework, setting up a great homework space for your kids, routines, and what to do if homework isn't going so well in your home. 

Elizabeth is a good friend of mine and a former neighbor! She's been in the classroom as a student or a teacher for the past 30 years. She's worked as a professional educator for 12 of those years and her experience has ranged from teaching kindergarten students through seniors in high school. She has worked in a Therapeutic Day School, a residential treatment center, an independent College Preparatory School, and is currently at an independent school for pre-k through eighth grade. She holds a master's degree in special education and is a licensed special educator in Massachusetts for students with mild to moderate disabilities, as well as in Vermont for students in kindergarten through age 21. She also has a bachelor's degree in psychology. She has her own business called Kenan Education Consulting LLC formed in 2017, and she works to support students with a variety of learning needs. In addition to providing in-class support to students in independent schools around Vermont. Elizabeth works with faculty and staff to teach how to support diverse learning needs. She is amazing. I have always learned from her and the ideas she's shared with me.

Tune in to this episode to find out how you can help your children through any and all homework tasks!

Check out Elizabeth Keenan at her website Terrific Tips for Teachers or follow her on Facebook!

If you'd like to support this podcast in a small way, you can do so right here. Please know that any support you can offer is so very appreciated!

If you want to follow me on Social Media I can be found at the following links:

Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Or check out my website at Your Reading Tutor for more reading resources and support!

And don't forget to get my FREE Reading Rewards System and get your kids excited about reading today!

Music from this podcast was used with permission from Epidemic Sound.