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...

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,...

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...

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 rea...

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 crac...

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 foundat...

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...

  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 tackl...

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...

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 ref...

In this episode, we’re speaking to Dr. Jacob Santhouse , a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, dyslexic learner, and passionate advocate who you may recognize from TikTok and Instagram. We talk about the importance of addressing both the academic and emotional aspects of dyslexia, including the need for self-acceptance and resilience, the necessity of understanding the whole learner, creatin...

In this episode, we’re continuing our wonderful conversation with Dr. Melissa Orkin and Sarah Gannon, authors of The Structured Literacy Playbook: Preplanned Lessons for Building Phonics and Fluency Skills . We discuss strategies for empowering teachers to support all learners, particularly older students and those with double deficit dyslexia. We touch on topics including backward design, using s...

We had such a great conversation with our guests Dr. Melissa Orkin, an expert in literacy development and dyslexia research, and Sarah Gannon, a seasoned educator and curriculum designer, that we’re breaking up our conversation into two episodes! For this episode, 5.6, we discuss their new book, The Structured Literacy Playbook: Preplanned Lessons for Building Phonics and Fluency Skills . The book...

For this episode we welcome an inspiring guest: Aliah Banchik, a marine naturalist, shark advocate, underwater photographer, Netflix breakout star of All the Sharks , and a powerful voice for neurodiversity. In our community she may be best known for her TEDx talk on reframing dyslexia as a “different ability.” Aliah shares her journey from struggling elementary student to becoming one of the worl...

In this episode of Together In Literacy, we dig into spelling to get at the deeper concepts that interventionists need to know. Spelling is often where our students’ struggles show up the most. It’s where gaps in phonology, orthography, and morphology all converge. Today we’re sharing five deeper truths about spelling instruction that will strengthen your teaching and, more importantly, your stude...

This week in Together in Literacy we continue our discussion on supporting older students with dyslexia. Last episode we talked about the why , and now we want to talk about the how . We explore practical, research-based strategies that help middle and high school students move from struggle to success, including explicit decoding routines, morphology instruction, and scaffolded writing supports....

This week on Together in Literacy we’re starting off Dyslexia Awareness Month by discussing the needs of a demographic that can get left behind – older students with dyslexia in middle school, high school, and beyond. We talk about the social emotional side of working with older students who can struggle with internalized shame, frustration with services, or lack of trust in educators and the...

Welcome to Season 5 of Together in Literacy! We’re thrilled to be back and thank you for joining us.  In this episode we’re kicking off our new season by setting the scene for the overarching topic that will inform our conversations: What do students with dyslexia really need? The answer may sound familiar: more than just phonics! Our students need a comprehensive approach that sees the whole...

Please enjoy our last re-release of favorite episodes before we launch season five! This one looks at the Science of Reading: The recent movement to look deeply into the Science of Reading (SOR) has shifted the training we seek for teachers, the training and programs endorsed at the state level, and the curriculum school districts purchase. So, why are our students still not reading and writing pr...

Today we continue with our re-release of favorite episodes -- this one goes all the way back to season 1!  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 to keep in mind when planning what games...

We're excited to be rereleasing some of our favorite episodes this summer! Before we jump into Season 5, join us to review some of the most popular episodes that you may have missed. We're starting today with 2.12. 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 automatic...

This is the last episode of season FOUR! Whenever we wrap up a season, we like to look back and chat about each episode, provide some important takeaways, and share information about actionable steps you can take this summer to keep growing your knowledge base.  Resources mentioned in this episode: All episodes of the Together in Literacy podcast Towards a dynamic, comprehensive conceptualiza...

In this episode, we’re joined by Nicky Humphreys and Ally Lewis, the founding members of Dyslexia Awareness Northern Ireland, for a transatlantic talk on dyslexia. Nicky Humphreys did her PGCE Primary in 2004/05; in 2016, she commenced a postgraduate diploma in teaching literacy to learners with dyslexia/SpLD through the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Centre. She worked as a tutor for the Centre in Bel...

In this episode, Casey Welsh, of Savannah Dyslexia , joins us to answer the most important questions about morphology. Casey Welsh is an Accredited Training Fellow with OGA and has her M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction, focusing on Dyslexia Studies & Language-Based Learning Disabilities. She is the CEO of Savannah Dyslexia, a private practice in Savannah, GA, focused on providing OG interv...

Have you ever had a student who knows a concept in the first moments of the lesson, but the next time it pops up, it’s as if they had never seen it before? You may wonder what is happening and what you can do to help. This may happen for several reasons, but it should cause us to pause and think - and that is what this episode is all about! We’re discussing the transfer of learning or knowledge.&n...