The Reading Brain: Understanding Structured Literacy with Tara Giddings

About this episode

Tara Giddings discusses the importance of structured literacy and how parents can support their children's reading development.

Crazy time is here! Schools across the country have a LOT happening in these final days of the school year. For parents, there is a sense of relief, along with the panic of realizing that summer is about to begin and that they need to plan what their kids will do. Having a structured literacy plan is key, but it doesn’t have to be complex. Don’t be confused by the plethora of reading programs that are advertised as a “must-have” resource. Today’s guest helps us understand what’s most important for parents to know as they help their children hone their reading skills. Join us! Tara Giddings is from LearnUp Centers , a non-profit with the mission to reach and teach struggling readers in every community to read with confidence. Her passion for helping kids learn to love reading is the heart of her work. She has a master’s degree in educational therapy. She loves raising awareness about the right ways to teach kids to read, including helping parents understand the best resources and supports to cultivate good readers. Show Highlights: The evolution of reading programs over the past few decades Understanding” structured literacy” Keep an open mind about how reading is taught today vs…

People in this episode

Guest: Tara Giddings

Topics covered

• structured literacy
• reading skills
• educational therapy
• parenting
• literacy programs

Keywords

• reading brain
• structured literacy
• literacy skills
• phonemic awareness
• reading programs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: LearnUp Centers

More episodes of Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast

• A Parent’s Guide to Transition IEP Meetings · June 9, 2026 · 21 min
• 369: The Power of Real Inclusion with Andrew Goff, Ed.D. · May 12, 2026 · 30 min
• IEP Meetings & Beyond: Advocate for Services, Placement & Success · April 28, 2026 · 23 min
• Don’t Wait: The Critical Window for TK & Kindergarten IEPs (And Why Early Intervention Matters) · April 14, 2026 · 27 min
• Analyzing School Non-Attendance Data: Where Do We Go From Here? with Dr. Dennis Lefevre · March 31, 2026 · 23 min
• Exploring the School Attendance Crisis: School Refusal or Truancy? · March 17, 2026 · 32 min