Together in Literacy

By Emily Gibbons & Casey Harrison

Education

What's Together in Literacy about?

Join us as we connect the science behind reading to the social-emotional connections for our students.

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Together in Literacy episodes:

06.03.2024
3.17 Season 3 Wrap-Up
The Together in Literacy podcast now has over 50 episodes and we’ve had over 200,000 downloads! We are floored by the amount of people our message has reached and the impact it’s had on students, their families, and the educators...
05.06.2024
3.16 Top 5 Things Teachers and Parents Can Do if They Suspect Dyslexia
Even with the wave of SOR at the Tier I level, we still have students who won’t be making effective progress, leading teachers and parents to ask questions about how to help all students meet their potential. You may be...
04.22.2024
3.15 Understanding and Embracing The Ladder of Reading & Writing (Part 2) with Dr. Nancy Young
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...
04.08.2024
3.14 Understanding and Embracing The Ladder of Reading & Writing (Part 1) with Dr. Nancy Young
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...
03.25.2024
3.13 Setting Your Learning Spaces Up for Success with Dr. Cathleen Killeen-Pittman
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,...
03.04.2024
3.12 Harnessing the Power of Assistive Technology with Katie Larew
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....
02.19.2024
3.11 Exploring Intervention in a Virtual Setting with Michelle Breitenbach
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...
02.05.2024
3.10 Effective Vocabulary Strategies in Literacy Intervention
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...
01.22.2024
3.9 The Purpose & Goals of Decodable Text
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...
01.08.2024
3.8 Alternatives to Double-Dosing in Dyslexia Intervention
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...
12.18.2023
3.7 The Importance of Scaffolding in Decoding
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...
12.04.2023
3.6 Supporting Families Through Advocacy with Jennifer Bernheim
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...
11.20.2023
3.5 Using Your Gifts in Your Own Way to Make an Impact in this World with Erika Lopez
In this special episode, we’re joined by Erika Lopez for a conversation about using our gifts in our own way to make an impact in this world! Erika was raised in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. by her mother, an...
11.06.2023
3.4 Supporting Classroom Teachers & Parents of Students with Learning Challenges with Heather O’Donnell
In this special episode, we’re joined by Heather O’Donnell for a conversation about shifting from the classroom to private practice and how we can support parents and classroom teachers. Heather O’Donnell MS.Ed and Ed.M began her career as a classroom teacher....
10.23.2023
3.3 The Connection Between Language and Literacy
We know that language is a vehicle for learning. Everything we do in education is connected to language. Whether it is instructions in math and science, ELA classes, literacy learning, and intervention, language plays an important role in learning about...
10.09.2023
3.2 How to Talk About Dyslexia
For us here at the Together in Literacy podcast, dyslexia is an everyday thing. We also want to highlight that October is dedicated to dyslexia awareness. With this in mind, in this episode, we’re sharing tips for talking to parents about...
09.18.2023
3.1 Taking a Closer Look at Structured Literacy
We’re back with season 3 of the Literacy Project Podcast! This first episode of season three is a continued invitation to look deeply at what structured literacy really is. When we left off last season, we discussed the Knowledge and Practice...
05.29.2023
2.18 Season Two Wrap-Up
We’re wrapping up season 2 of the Together in Literacy podcast! And what a season it’s been! This podcast was built upon a commitment to spreading factual information about dyslexia awareness, structured literacy, social-emotional learning, and the science of learning. As...
05.15.2023
2.17 Using Challenges to Cultivate Success with Ryan Pool
In this episode, we’re joined by Ryan Pool. Ryan is a high schooler who is taking on the world! Ryan is an entrepreneur and nationally ranked tennis player. In May, he secured funding from Orange County investors for his most recent...
05.01.2023
2.16 Taking a Multisensory Approach to Teaching Math with Adrianne Meldrum
In this episode, we’re joined by Adrianne Meldrum. Adrianne Meldrum is the founder and owner of Made for Math (MFM), an all-online math center focused on serving students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and math learning disabilities. She is a certified Multisensory Math...
04.17.2023
2.15 Looking at Neurodiversity with a Fresh Perspective
In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at neurodiversity. We’re seeing the term neurodiversity come up in a lot of different places from social media, to newspapers, to articles, and more. It is a global conversation that we should...
04.03.2023
2.14 Using Evaluations to Better Understand Our Learners with Katy Vassar
In this episode, we’re joined by Katy Vassar. Katy is a Dyslexia and Reading Consultant, Licensed Dyslexia Therapist, Qualified Instructor of therapists, and Educational Diagnostician with over 20 years of experience in the field of education. Her history includes roles...
03.20.2023
2.13 The Science of Learning
At the heart of the Science of Reading, we look deeply at how we learn, not just how we read. Studying how we learn has been a dynamic field of research in education for years. In this episode, we are...
03.06.2023
2.12 Bringing Handwriting Into Our Literacy Instruction
In this episode, we’re diving into handwriting. Even for those who do not have difficulty, handwriting in the early years is essential. When students have not yet reached automaticity or legibility in letter formation, it taxes their working memory and...
02.20.2023
2.11 How to Keep Your Eye on the Goal in Intervention
Learning to read proficiently is not an easy task for most students without explicit, systematic instruction. Current US reading scores indicate that 67% of all 4th graders are reading at basic or below basic levels. This fact is leading to...
02.06.2023
2.10 The Science of Reading: More Than Just a Buzzword
The Science of Reading is so much more than just a buzzword! In this episode, we’re talking about The Science of Reading or SOR. We’ll cover what it is and what it isn’t. And, how it is becoming more mainstream! Tune in...
01.23.2023
2.9 The Power in Saying Dyslexia
In this episode, we continue the conversation around the power in saying dyslexia and we cover what that means for helping move our students toward self-advocacy. We’ll discuss how we can, as educators, speak to parents and students about dyslexia...
01.09.2023
2.8 Incorporating Writing in Structured Literacy Lessons
Structured Literacy is not just about phonics! In this episode, we get into the subject of writing. Mainly, the cognitive demands of writing and how you can thoughtfully incorporate writing into your structured literacy lessons. We will share about writing from...
12.19.2022
2.7 Supporting Families on Their Journey with Dyslexia with Dr. Lauren McClenney-Rosenstein
In this episode, we’re joined by a fantastic change agent for families of children with dyslexia, Dr. Lauren McClenney-Rosenstein. Dr. Lauren is the CEO and founder of Think Dyslexia, LLC. She delivers training and professional development for teachers and administrators at...
12.05.2022
2.6 Q&A About OG
You may have heard of Orton-Gillingham, but you may have questions about the principles and approach. We are both, Emily and Casey, structured literacy specialists trained in Orton-Gillingham and Orton-Gillingham-based programs. In this episode, we’re addressing some common questions we see and...
11.21.2022
2.5 Word Attack Strategies for Older Students with Dyslexia
In this episode, we continue our conversation about helping older dyslexic students. In season 2, episode 4, we broke down what struggles we see in our older students and the areas we notice are needed to help them. Here, we...
11.07.2022
2.4 How to Effectively Work with Older Students with Dyslexia
One of those topics we get asked about all the time is how to work with older students who are challenged by reading and writing. How can we work with them effectively? How can we give them what they need...
10.17.2022
2.3 Why Students with Dyslexia Struggle with Homework with Cindy Hall
In this episode, we’re joined by the incredible Cindy Hall. Mrs. Cindy Hall is the founder and director of Cindy Hall Consulting and Mustard Seed Tutoring and the author of Dyslexia Friendly Classroom professional development. It is her passion to help...
10.03.2022
2.2 The Contradictory Signs of Dyslexia
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. So, we’re kicking off October with a discussion of the Contradictory Signs of Dyslexia. In this episode, we take a closer look at the importance of recognizing the common signs of dyslexia, the often contradictory signs...
09.19.2022
2.1: Going Deeper With the Science of Reading
We’re back for season 2 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! We took the summer off from recording so that we could spend some time with our families and now we’re back and ready to dive even deeper into The...
06.20.2022
Season 1, Episode 18: Season One Wrap-Up
We’re wrapping up season 1 of the Together in Literacy podcast! When we started this podcast, our mission was to create a pathway to learning for educators and families, share our own expertise with you, create a dialogue around SEL and...
06.06.2022
Season 1, Episode 17: Finish the School Year Strong
The end of the school year is rapidly approaching here in the United States. For many children, the end of the school year can bring about stress and uncertainty. Many of our students have feelings of anxiety - they may...
05.16.2022
Season 1, Episode 16: The Legal Aspect of Dyslexia Advocacy with Sabrina Axt
Join us in welcoming our special guest, Sabrina Axt. Sabrina is a practicing attorney based out of the San Francisco Bay area, and she has been for over fifteen years. Her career and personal journey have led her to leave civil...
05.02.2022
Season 1, Episode 15: All About Accommodations for Dyslexia
In this episode, we are covering all things accommodations for dyslexia. We’ll answer the following questions: What are accommodations? Why do we need accommodations? What’s the purpose of accommodations? What are the benefits of having accommodations? Tune in to this episode for...
04.18.2022
Season 1, Episode 14: The Link Between Speech-Language and Literacy with Sydney Bassard
In this episode, we’re joined by a very special guest, Sydney Bassard. Sydney is is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. She received both her B.S. in Public Health and her Master of Speech Pathology from the University of South Carolina. Sydney is...
04.04.2022
Season 1, Episode 13: The Matthew Effect and Literacy Development in Children
In our last episode, we went deep into the Peter Effect and the importance of knowledge for educators. In this episode, we look at the Matthew Effect as it pertains to reading development in children. What is the Matthew Effect? The...
03.21.2022
Season 1, Episode 12: The Importance of Building Teacher Knowledge and The Peter Effect
Have you heard of the Peter Effect? The Peter Effect comes from a Bible story in which Peter states, “I can not give what I do not have.” Applied to the classroom, we cannot help our students without the knowledge,...
03.07.2022
Season 1, Episode 11: The Importance and Benefits of Playing Games with Your Students
Everyone loves to play games, right? Are you using games and learning activities in your lessons with your students? In this episode, we talk about the benefits of playing games with our students, the different purposes these games serve, and tips...
02.21.2022
Season 1, Episode 10: The Gradual Release of Responsibility
Have you ever heard of the I Do, You Do, We Do model and wondered what it was? Or maybe, you’ve heard of the Gradual Release of Responsibility Framework? In this episode, we break down the framework we use in our...
02.07.2022
Season 1, Episode 9: Working Memory with Dr. Erica Warren
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Erica Warren as we discuss working memory! Dr. Erica Warren is an educational therapist, executive function coach, writer, artist, podcaster, and the brain behind Good Sensory Learning. She’s presented at Building Readers for Life,...
01.24.2022
Season 1, Episode 8: How Decodable Texts Support Social-Emotional Learning
What are decodable texts? They are the reading stepping stones necessary for reading authentic text. When we’re talking about decodable texts, we are referring to passages, readers, and chapter books. And that’s exactly what we’re talking about in this episode,...
01.10.2022
Season 1, Episode 7: Hope's Journey featuring Hope McNabb
In this special episode, we’re joined by Hope McNabb, our first-ever guest on the podcast! Hope is a brilliant college freshman and an amazing artist, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of eight. Tune in as Hope shares with...
12.20.2021
Season 1. Episode 6: The Orton Prescription and the Connection to Social-Emotional Learning
This episode is part two of our previous episode, Season 1. Episode 5: How Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham’s Work Support Social-Emotional Learning. In episode five, we did a deep dive into the history of Dr. Samuel Orton and...
12.06.2021
Season 1, Episode 5: How Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham’s Work Support Social-Emotional Learning
Come along with us as we explore the incredible work of Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham! We’ve got a lot to say, so this will be a two-part episode. In this first part, we give a brief biography of Dr....
11.22.2021
Season 1, Episode 4: Books That Connect Social Emotional Learning and Dyslexia
Get ready to talk about the best books that you can use to connect social-emotional learning with your students! In this episode, we share our most favorite books to connect with our students, both younger and older, as well as...

What's Together in Literacy about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Together in Literacy episodes:

3.17 Season 3 Wrap-Up

3.16 Top 5 Things Teachers and Parents Can Do if They Suspect Dyslexia

3.15 Understanding and Embracing The Ladder of Reading & Writing (Part 2) with Dr. Nancy Young

3.14 Understanding and Embracing The Ladder of Reading & Writing (Part 1) with Dr. Nancy Young

3.13 Setting Your Learning Spaces Up for Success with Dr. Cathleen Killeen-Pittman

3.12 Harnessing the Power of Assistive Technology with Katie Larew

3.11 Exploring Intervention in a Virtual Setting with Michelle Breitenbach

3.10 Effective Vocabulary Strategies in Literacy Intervention

3.9 The Purpose & Goals of Decodable Text

3.8 Alternatives to Double-Dosing in Dyslexia Intervention

3.7 The Importance of Scaffolding in Decoding

3.6 Supporting Families Through Advocacy with Jennifer Bernheim

3.5 Using Your Gifts in Your Own Way to Make an Impact in this World with Erika Lopez

3.4 Supporting Classroom Teachers & Parents of Students with Learning Challenges with Heather O’Donnell

3.3 The Connection Between Language and Literacy

3.2 How to Talk About Dyslexia

3.1 Taking a Closer Look at Structured Literacy

2.18 Season Two Wrap-Up

2.17 Using Challenges to Cultivate Success with Ryan Pool

2.16 Taking a Multisensory Approach to Teaching Math with Adrianne Meldrum

2.15 Looking at Neurodiversity with a Fresh Perspective

2.14 Using Evaluations to Better Understand Our Learners with Katy Vassar

2.13 The Science of Learning

2.12 Bringing Handwriting Into Our Literacy Instruction

2.11 How to Keep Your Eye on the Goal in Intervention

2.10 The Science of Reading: More Than Just a Buzzword

2.9 The Power in Saying Dyslexia

2.8 Incorporating Writing in Structured Literacy Lessons

2.7 Supporting Families on Their Journey with Dyslexia with Dr. Lauren McClenney-Rosenstein

2.6 Q&A About OG

2.5 Word Attack Strategies for Older Students with Dyslexia

2.4 How to Effectively Work with Older Students with Dyslexia

2.3 Why Students with Dyslexia Struggle with Homework with Cindy Hall

2.2 The Contradictory Signs of Dyslexia

2.1: Going Deeper With the Science of Reading

Season 1, Episode 18: Season One Wrap-Up

Season 1, Episode 17: Finish the School Year Strong

Season 1, Episode 16: The Legal Aspect of Dyslexia Advocacy with Sabrina Axt

Season 1, Episode 15: All About Accommodations for Dyslexia

Season 1, Episode 14: The Link Between Speech-Language and Literacy with Sydney Bassard

Season 1, Episode 13: The Matthew Effect and Literacy Development in Children

Season 1, Episode 12: The Importance of Building Teacher Knowledge and The Peter Effect

Season 1, Episode 11: The Importance and Benefits of Playing Games with Your Students

Season 1, Episode 10: The Gradual Release of Responsibility

Season 1, Episode 9: Working Memory with Dr. Erica Warren

Season 1, Episode 8: How Decodable Texts Support Social-Emotional Learning

Season 1, Episode 7: Hope's Journey featuring Hope McNabb

Season 1. Episode 6: The Orton Prescription and the Connection to Social-Emotional Learning

Season 1, Episode 5: How Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham’s Work Support Social-Emotional Learning

Season 1, Episode 4: Books That Connect Social Emotional Learning and Dyslexia

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