Literacy Untangled Podcast

Moving out of state with a child who has an IEP can feel like starting from scratch, but federal law says otherwise. The problem is that while IDEA travels with you, the procedures, criteria, and even the language used to classify your child's disability can shift dramatically depending on where you land. Today, I'm breaking down what actually happens to your child's IEP when you cross state lines...

You’ve finally reached a place of peace with your child's IEP, only to have a school move throw everything back into question. In the middle of a transition meeting, a new team member uses the word "comparable," and while it sounds like a promise of continuity, it often acts as a trapdoor for the very services you fought so hard to secure. Today, I am exposing the "comparable services" trap and ex...

You’re sitting in your child’s spring IEP meeting, and the team moves through the Extended School Year (ESY) section in about 30 seconds. They mention that regression isn't a concern, check a box, and move on. You might not have pushed back in the moment, but that’s usually because you didn’t realize there was anything to push back on, and that is exactly what we are fixing today. In this episode,...

When you open your child’s most recent IEP and read through the goals, does it actually sound like your kid? Or does it feel a little generic, like it could have been written about any student with a reading difficulty? If something feels off, you might be right!  There’s a quiet shift happening in special education classrooms, and today we’re talking about the two main reasons why IEPs are l...

You’re sitting in an IEP meeting and someone says, "We need to consider LRE," and everyone around the table nods like they just shared a deep universal truth. Meanwhile, you're wondering if you missed a memo, or worse, you’re realizing that this one little acronym is being used to make a massive decision about where your child spends their day. Today, I’m stripping away the jargon to talk about wh...

When you’re in an IEP meeting, it’s easy to focus solely on the "30 minutes twice a week" and nod along as the school lists off terms like resource room , push-in , or consultation . But here is the hard truth: those aren't just administrative logistics, they are the exact mechanisms that dictate whether your child’s intervention will actually move the needle or just fade into the background. In t...

Have you ever left an IEP meeting feeling stuck? Maybe you asked for a specific service or accommodation, and the team said no? Or worse, they gave you a vague "let’s table that for now?” You’re often left feeling like the conversation is over, but I’m here to tell you that’s actually not how the law works. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on Prior Written Notice (PWN), the most power...

You know that sinking feeling in your stomach when you walk out of an IEP meeting, drive home, and realize you aren't actually sure what you just agreed to? You aren't imagining it, you aren’t being paranoid, and you definitely aren’t alone. For years, I’ve watched smart, capable parents get talked into "waiting" or backing down. Why?  It’s because the system has a very specific playbook desi...

Does it feel like your child has read the same Dog Man book three times, and you’re secretly panicked they’ve hit a plateau? Are you worried that their obsession with a specific series is just a way to avoid a "real" challenge? Today, we’re flipping the script on "series addiction" and looking at why that repetitive reading is actually a dyslexic superpower in disguise. In this episode, I dive int...

Does it feel like you’re constantly defending your child’s reading choices to a well-meaning teacher who insists graphic novels "don’t count"? Are you worried that letting them "just look at the pictures" is actually holding them back? Today, we’re busting the biggest myth in the dyslexia community and looking at why the graphic novel revolution is the breakthrough your struggling reader has been...

Do you ever find yourself dreading the "well-meaning" advice from relatives who just don’t get it? Are you worried that the chaos of school breaks will lead to more meltdowns than magic for your struggling reader? Today, we’re getting real about the sensory overload and academic pressure that often hide behind the festive lights as I bring you your survival guide for family gatherings and school b...

December is here, and are you dreading the holiday season because of the stress of thank-you notes, letters to Santa, and required reading? Have you ever watched your dyslexic child struggle with a cherished family tradition and wondered how to make it genuinely joyful? This episode is your essential guide to transforming high-stress, reading-heavy Christmas and holiday activities into meaningful...

Your teenager just told you they don't care if they fail because they're ditching their accommodations. Sound familiar? If you're watching your child choose struggle over support, you are absolutely not alone. This episode tackles the toughest part of the dyslexia journey: when adolescents flat-out refuse the services that help them succeed.  We peel back the layers to understand why this hap...

Your dyslexic child can finally decode words, but are they still struggling to understand what they read? Have you taught the phonics, but you’re now wondering where is the comprehension? For decades, reading instruction focused almost exclusively on decoding, but the latest research is forcing a massive shift. In this episode, we dive into the Simple View of Reading and explain why decoding is on...

Are you living through the BIGGEST change in dyslexia identification in decades? For years, parents have fought exhausting battles just to get their child evaluated, but new state legislation is finally shifting that burden from your shoulders to the schools. Today, I break down the universal dyslexia screening laws sweeping the nation, from California to Texas and reveal what you need to know.&nb...

The cost of a school evaluation might be zero, but what about the years that follow? Are you prepared for the financial reality of raising a dyslexic child? Whether you're just starting your journey and trying to budget for that first private evaluation, or you're years into it and wondering if you're spending your money on the right things, this is for you. Today, we pull back the curtain on the...

Has your family life been taken over by one child's learning differences? Do you worry about the invisible impact on your other children who seem to be "the easy ones"? We often pour so much energy into supporting our dyslexic children that we forget about their siblings. Today, we're talking about the overlooked family members in the dyslexia journey: the brothers and sisters who might feel invis...

Ever found yourself down a late-night research rabbit hole about dyslexia while your partner is sound asleep, completely unbothered? Do you feel like you're fighting this battle alone, trying to advocate for your child's reading struggles while your partner says, "Just give it time"? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and this episode is for you. I want to show you why this divide happens...

Summer has arrived, and I’m taking a moment to look back at some of the most impactful episodes to date! I know this season brings a mix of relaxation and planning, especially for families navigating dyslexia. That's why I wanted to bring you our "Summer Rewind" series, a curated selection of previously aired episodes packed with valuable insights, practical strategies, and empowering advice to he...

Summer has arrived, and I’m taking a moment to look back at some of the most impactful episodes to date! I know this season brings a mix of relaxation and planning, especially for families navigating dyslexia. That's why I wanted to bring you our "Summer Rewind" series, a curated selection of previously aired episodes packed with valuable insights, practical strategies, and empowering advice to he...

Summer has arrived, and I’m taking a moment to look back at some of the most impactful episodes to date! I know this season brings a mix of relaxation and planning, especially for families navigating dyslexia. That's why I wanted to bring you our "Summer Rewind" series, a curated selection of previously aired episodes packed with valuable insights, practical strategies, and empowering advice to he...

Summer has arrived, and I’m taking a moment to look back at some of the most impactful episodes to date! I know this season brings a mix of relaxation and planning, especially for families navigating dyslexia. That's why I wanted to bring you our "Summer Rewind" series, a curated selection of previously aired episodes packed with valuable insights, practical strategies, and empowering advice to he...

As summer approaches, I’m taking a moment to look back at some of the most impactful episodes to date! I know this season brings a mix of relaxation and planning, especially for families navigating dyslexia. That's why I wanted to bring you our "Summer Rewind" series, a curated selection of previously aired episodes packed with valuable insights, practical strategies, and empowering advice to help...

As summer approaches, I’m taking a moment to look back at some of the most impactful episodes to-date! I know this season brings a mix of relaxation and planning, especially for families navigating dyslexia. That's why I wanted to bring you our "Summer Rewind" series, a curated selection of previously aired episodes packed with valuable insights, practical strategies, and empowering advice to help...

Have you ever wondered why your incredibly bright child, the one with the astonishing vocabulary and mind-bending problem-solving skills, struggles so much with reading and writing? If so, this episode will be an eye-opener as I share what you need to know about spotting dyslexia in gifted kids and what you need to do moving forward.   I realize this process can be tricky as these kids c...