The Greatest Gift a Teacher Can Give: The Hidden Toll When Children Can’t Read
Release Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Join us as EDView360 welcomes Brett Tingley—national literacy advocate, parent leader, and one of the most influential voices pushing for evidence‑based reading instruction across the country. Our timely, energizing conversation focuses on why literacy is not just another subject, but the engine that drives deeper learning, critical thinking, and meaningful engagement in every classroom.
As President of UA‑KID, OH‑KID, and Parents for Reading Justice, Brett has mobilized families in more than 20 states to demand better reading instruction, improved identification and intervention for dyslexic students, and systemic reform from school districts to higher education. She is also the producer of the widely viewed documentary Our Dyslexic Children (more than 200,000 views), the creator of a free online literacy course, and host of the podcast Literacy Now.
In this episode, Brett brings her deep experience—and her unmistakable passion—to help educators start the school year with clarity and purpose. She explores how science‑of‑reading–aligned instruction lays the groundwork for deeper learning across all content areas, and why strong decoding, fluency, and language skills unlock richer thinking for every student.
Listeners will learn:
- Why literacy is the foundation for deeper learning across all subjects
- How Structured Literacy supports English Language Learners, dyslexic students, and striving readers
- What teachers can do in the first weeks of school to set students up for success
- Why parents are powerful allies, not adversaries
- How to connect reading instruction to higher‑order thinking
- Practical strategies educators can use immediately to strengthen literacy and deepen learning simultaneously
- Why teaching children to read is the greatest gift a teacher can give
This episode is designed to help educators begin the year with renewed energy, a clear sense of purpose, and actionable steps to ensure every student has the literacy foundation they need to thrive.
