Episode #95: Overcoming the Odds for Struggling Learners with Lois Letchford

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What do you do if your child fails first grade? The system can label your child. That label then defines your child. That happened to Lois Letchford’s son, Nicholas, and Lois decided to change the label and his mindset to overcome the odds so he believed in himself. I asked Lois if she could share this story in my book. I was so moved that I asked Lois to have a conversation with me about her journey as a literacy spokesperson for struggling learners.

Lois Letchford has been a literacy problem solver. She specializes in teaching children who struggle with learning to read, her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Lois’s non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students equip her with a unique skillset and perspective.

“The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds hard to answer.”  –– Alice Wellington Rollins

Lois and her family

Lois Letchford has been a literacy problem solver. She specializes in teaching children who struggle with learning to read, her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Lois’s non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students equip her with a unique skillset and perspective.

Reversed Memoir Book Trailer

Originally a physical education teacher, she later completed a Master’s in Literacy and Reading from the State University of New York at Albany. Lois has presented her work at SPELD in Australia, the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children, the Spring Festival of Children’s Literature in Maryland, and the Ireland International Conference on Education. She is a member of the Australian College of Education.

Reversed: A Memoir (Acorn Publishing), the story of her son’s—and her own—learning disability, is her first book.

Nicholas talking about his learning:

Lois mentioned these books in our conversation that she uses to teach pronouns: 

 “Ahhh,” Said Stork  by Gerald Rose  

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Lois Letchford
@LetchfordLois

Website: https://www.loisletchford.com/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/loisletchfordauthor/

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”
––Babe Ruth

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