Together in Literacy

In this Season 5 finale, Emily and Casey return to their central question: What do students with dyslexia really need? Drawing on short clips from guests including Dr. Melissa Orkin, Sarah Gannon, Dr. David Kilpatrick, Dr. Rosine Dougherty, Dr. Jacob Santhouse, Aliyah Banchik, Nancy Duggan, and Deon Butler, they explore how effective support reaches beyond reading skills alone. They also talk about themes of explicit, evidence-based instruction, thoughtful use of authentic text, flexible and diagnostic teaching, and the emotional experiences of students with dyslexia, including self-acceptance, confidence, and mental health. The episode looks at how families, schools, and systems share responsibility, and how offering multiple ways for students to show what they know can change their day-to-day experience in school.

Thank you for joining us for the 5th season of Together in Literacy – have a wonderful summer, we’ll see you in September for season 6!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear next season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

You may have heard conflicting messages in the literacy space about whether you should be teaching syllable types—this episode is all about helping you sort it out. We unpack the controversy around syllable type instruction and ground the conversation in research, Orton-Gillingham principles, and real work with students who have dyslexia. We explore where syllable types genuinely support decoding, spelling, and morphology, and where instruction can go wrong or become more of a labeling exercise than a useful tool. We dig into the key questions: for which students? In what context? And how is the instruction actually being implemented? Most importantly, you’ll hear how to make thoughtful decisions about instruction so you can better meet the needs of the students sitting in front of you every day. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

Join us for a rerelease of one of our favorite old episodes you may have missed! 

In 2.14, we were 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 in special education, general education, reading/dyslexia intervention, and coaching at the elementary and secondary levels in both public and independent school systems. 

Katy currently teams with various centers to train teachers as dyslexia therapists, train educators to better work with students with dyslexia in the classroom, provide psychoeducational evaluations, and support individual students and families as they navigate the world of dyslexia. She also contracts with schools, districts, and other state and local organizations to provide consultation services and professional development. 

Katy is passionate about supporting the learning needs of all students as they navigate their journey toward being successful life-long learners.

We’ll talk about how Katy got started on her journey, the role of an educational diagnostician, what tests and assessments are used, what testing can reveal about a child, and so much more!

Join us as we take a deeper look at special education evaluations with a focus on both families and educators.   

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode, we discuss the often-misunderstood world of multisensory or multimodal instruction and why it matters so much for students with dyslexia. We talk about those kids who seem to “have it” one day and then it’s gone the next, and why that’s not laziness, but a sign they need stronger, better-connected pathways for memory and retrieval. We break down what multisensory teaching really is (purposeful, integrated, and grounded in research) and what it definitely isn’t (learning styles, cute activities, or engagement just for show). We’ll also share some practical, classroom-ready ideas you can start using right away to make instruction more efficient, memorable, and truly supportive of what your students with dyslexia need. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode, we’ll dive into the world of twice-exceptional (2e) and 3e learners—students who are intellectually gifted who also have learning differences or disabilities. Our guest is Dr. Rosine Dougherty, author of Strategies for Twice Exceptional Children, who shares both professional expertise and personal experience raising a 2e child. We explore why so many 2e kids fall through the cracks, including how giftedness and disability can mask each other, and what signs might suggest a 2e profile even if they have not been identified as such. Dr. Dougherty offers practical, accessible strategies for parents and educators, from building supportive environments and using technology to designing instruction that honors both strengths and challenges. The episode also addresses dysregulation, meltdowns, and after-school restraint collapse, plus the critical role of self-advocacy in helping students with dyslexia and other learning differences succeed long-term. If you support bright kids who are struggling, this conversation will help you see the whole child and start removing barriers so they can truly thrive.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode, we explore why the National Reading Panel (NRP) still matters for our classrooms and homes in 2026. We look at how the NRP’s review of more than 100,000 studies led to the well-known “Big Five” components of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—and why these elements were never meant to be taught in isolation. We also examine how this foundational research connects directly to structured literacy and the science of reading, especially for students with dyslexia and other struggling readers. We’ll clear up common misconceptions, like the idea that the NRP is outdated or “just about phonics,” and discuss how its findings continue to influence legislation, curriculum decisions, and intervention today. We wrap up with practical reflection questions to help us think about whether our instruction is truly aligned with what decades of research say about how children learn to read.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode, we sit down with Nancy Duggan, co-founder and executive director of Decoding Dyslexia Massachusetts. We talk about how Nancy’s path from parent of a dyslexic child to statewide advocate helped move Massachusetts from “we don’t say dyslexia” to mandated screening and the Right to Read law. Nancy explains how grassroots parent organizing, neuroscience research, and relentless policy work combined to drive real change, and why early identification, evidence-based instruction, and intensive, comprehensive intervention (far beyond phonics alone) are non-negotiable for students with dyslexia.

Whether you’re an educator or a family member, you’ll walk away with practical strategies for IEP advocacy and a clear-eyed look at how systems can actually change.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

We are thrilled to welcome David Kilpatrick, Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York at Cortland and one of the most influential voices in reading research, assessment, and instruction, to the podcast. In our chat, Dr. Kilpatrick breaks down decades of research and gets straight to the heart of what really drives reading success—especially for students with dyslexia. He tackles one of the biggest myths in education: that phonemic awareness is just an early skill you “check off” and move past. Instead, you’ll discover why advanced phoneme proficiency is the engine behind orthographic mapping and automatic word recognition, and why it matters far beyond the primary grades.

What we hope you’ll take away from this is a clarity about which phonemic awareness skills truly move the needle, how to integrate them powerfully with phonics instruction, and how assessment can help you target instruction with precision. If you’ve ever wondered whether going back to phonemic awareness with older students means going backward, this episode will completely reframe that thinking. When you strengthen advanced phonemic awareness, you give students with dyslexia the foundation they need to become confident, capable readers—and that changes everything.

David A. Kilpatrick, PhD is a professor emeritus of psychology for the State University of New York at Cortland and currently serves as Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology. He is a New York State certified school psychologist with 28 years experience in schools. He has been teaching courses in learning disabilities and educational psychology since 1994. David is a reading researcher and the author of two books on reading, Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties, and Equipped for Reading Success, and is a co-editor of a third, Reading Development and Difficulties: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

If your child seems “fine” at school but falls apart the moment they get home, you are so not alone. In this episode of Together In Literacy, we unpack the concept of restraint collapse—what happens when kids use up all their emotional and cognitive energy during the school day and then finally let it all out in their safest place: home.

We talk specifically about why this is especially common for children with dyslexia and other learning differences, what this can look like after school, and how families can respond in ways that are supportive, realistic, and manageable (even on the busiest days).

You’ll walk away with language to better understand what’s happening, practical ideas for creating a softer after-school landing, and simple strategies that support both kids and the adults who love them.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

In this episode we sit down with Deon Butler, former NFL wide receiver, author of The Gift & Curse, and a powerful advocate for people with dyslexia. Deon shares his remarkable journey from growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia to navigating the high-pressure, text-heavy world of the NFL, and finally receiving answers as an adult through a formal diagnosis and Orton-Gillingham tutoring. He reflects on the school experiences that didn’t make sense at the time, the emotional mix of relief and grief that came with his diagnosis, and the unwavering belief of his grandmother that helped shape his resilience. Deon also unpacks the “gift” and the “curse” of dyslexia, offering insight into what students truly need and the importance of systematic change.

Deon's Bio:

Deon Butler is a national speaker, author, and advocate for students who learn differently. A former NFL wide receiver, Deon’s journey defies expectation. He reached the NFL while carrying a hidden struggle: undiagnosed dyslexia. At 27, he sat down with a tutor and began learning what the system never taught him. That turning point became the foundation for his life’s work.

In his book The Gift & Curse: One Man’s Journey with Dyslexia, Deon shares how poverty, trauma, and learning challenges shaped his early life and ultimately cost him a contract with the Detroit Lions. Today, he is a national voice for literacy, resilience, and educational equity. He has helped advance dyslexia legislation, speaks in schools and universities across the country, and inspires audiences to redefine success, build hope, and believe in greatness despite the odds.

Deon is the CEO of Stand Strong Services LLC and continues to mentor, advocate, and speak across the nation. His story resonates deeply with students, educators, and families, leaving a lasting impact long after the event ends.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast!

If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated!

Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. 

Let us know what you want to hear this season!

Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!