Episodes

Today we welcome a young special needs teacher from the U.K. who is actively helping students with dyslexia. Lauren Hazel grew up in Germany in an English/German bilingual household. She herself has dealt successfully with dyslexia. Lauren went to England for university and upon graduating and making it through the Covid pandemic, she became a primary school teacher who then trained as a literacy deficit specialist with the British Dyslexia Association. She is now a Dyslexia Assessor and is curr...

Scarlett Hawkins is a high school student at a local private institution who has put into words in her poem “Dyslexia,” just what it feels like to be dyslexic and how she and others learn to work with it and overcome any challenge. The poem has been read and enjoyed by many. It is inspiring and educational, a testament to Scarlett’s courage and creativity!

John Rinaldo is a passionate writer who shares his love for writing through published books and daily inspirational stories on Substack. John use these platforms to offer insights and experiences about life purpose and intentions. He has dealt with his dyslexia successfully and seen a career as a writer blossom. Here we discuss a personal memoir about growing up with dyslexia, facing the challenges and learning from is experience. The book is entitled, “Dancing Letters: A Boy’s Journey Through W...

Today we welcome author/educator/illustrator Irene Buchine. Her impactful book for children and adults is entitled, “Celia and the Little Boy.” It is the story of two children trapped in the darkness of depression, and what it took to find their way out. From struggling with dyslexia to raising a child with depression, Irene knows what it feels like to be unseen, marginalized and helpless. She hopes her book offers hope and encouragement to children and their families. Judging by the positive re...

Today we welcome Judge Gustavo Gelpi, appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in October, 2021. Our podcast is a personal account of a young college student who received much from one of this country’s pioneers in helping students with learning disabilities. Born in Puerto Rico, Gustavo received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. There he met and spent considerable time with Dr. Gertrude Webb, her husband Chet and their chil...

Today we welcome Dr. Phil Hulbig, who has thirty years of experience teaching students who present with neurological uniqueness. He has developed and designed specialized metacognitive programs for students in various public school settings. He also works as an advocate, crisis intervention specialist, tutor, social skills coach, and skateboarding instructor. He was certified a NCLB highly qualified teacher in the four main subject areas at the middle and elementary levels. Since 2016, he has be...

We’re proud to spotlight John Rinaldo, who as he admits, “has this thing called Dyslexia.” Growing up in Canada, John struggled in school for many years until he finally got the help he needed to move forward in life. One of his ambitions was to write and publish a book, something John and those who knew him once thought to be impossible. But hard work, determination and resilience propelled him forward and his dream has become a reality. The book is now available for sale on Amazon and John is ...

Today we invite you to enjoy a conversation with an expert in the art of communication. Jordan welcomes Rebecca Rolland, EdD to discuss her wonderfully instructive new book The Art of Talking with Children: The Simple Keys to Nurturing Kindness, Creativity, and Confidence in Kids. Rebeca is a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and serves on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. There are significant applications for helping children with dyslexia and other learning challenges ...

Jordan invites a super fun guest to the podcast, sci-fi writer R.S. Mellette. R.S. shares his personal story of coping with dyslexia and overcoming it to successfully work on the hit television show Xena: Warrior Princess. He has taken his experience in the TV and film industries to craft a female-led YA (young adult) sci-fi novel sure to captivate readers of all ages. It is a space opera entitled, Kiya and the Morian Treasure and the reviews from fans and critics have been impressive. R.S. is a...

Today we take the microphones “across the pond” to interview a dynamic creative force whose work is celebrated in England and around the world. Jordan invites you to meet inter-disciplinary artist Michelle Baharier. She recounts enormous challenges as a child trying to read and write and how the kindness of a helpful teacher made such a difference in her life. Art has always been Michelle’s outlet and mode of expression. And she is certainly great at it! She is constantly drawing and sketching, ...

Today Jordan welcomes a remarkable young woman with boundless energy, creativity and a keen business sense. Heidi Williams is an ex-competitive rock climber and parttime ski-patroller who loves the outdoors. She is a highly popular vlogger in the travel space with thousands of international followers. Heidi combines her love for the outdoors with prowess in business. She founded Mona, a successful surf and athletic wear company. Realizing her talent in running her own business she launched a car...

Today Jordan introduces us to sci-fi novelist Andrew Nehring, who is the author of “The Corrupted Light Chronicles” series and his latest entitled “David Massie and the Quantum Flux, Book 1.” Possessing a vivid imagination with a flare for creative writing, Andrew is succeeding as a writer, despite being told by some when he was younger (in a galaxy far, far away) that his dyslexia would hold him back, would burden him the rest of his life. His many readers would strongly disagree. They love his...

Today Jordan welcomes a dynamic teacher and student team to the podcast. Meet Gabriela Diller, special educator, advocate and educational consultant. She recently founded Lotus Advocacy, offering tutoring, advocacy and consulting for special education success. Gabi specializes in executive functioning, coaching, transition skills and college and job readiness. One of her former students is joining us as well. Manny Valmir graduated from Boston Prep High School, then attended Westfield State’s l...

Jordan Rich welcomes Taylor Lowe to our podcast. Taylor is an Emmy Award winning motion graphics designer and video producer currently sharing his many of years of ongoing professional experience with the next generation of content creators at Park Avenue Christian Academy ( PACA) in Florida. His personal story with dyslexia began when he was an young elementary school student. With hard work, determination and a winning attitude, Taylor has become a recognized innovator in the video industry. H...

A conversation between Jordan Rich and Barry Weiner, a true renaissance man who has enjoyed success in movie and documentary production, business and real estate and public service, despite deep struggles with learning during his school years. Things changed in a big way when Barry enrolled in the Program for Assisted Learning at Curry College in Milton. There he met and was mentored by the late Dr. Gertrude Webb and he credits her and the Pal Program for the learning skills, confidence and moti...

A conversation between Jordan Rich and Jessica Minihan, special educator, behavior analyst and author of “The Behavior Code: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Teaching the Most Challenging Students. We discuss Jessica’s systematic approach for deciphering causes and patterns of difficult behaviors and how to match them with proven strategies. It’s all about getting our students back on track to learn! If you have a story worth sharing on this podcast, write to jordan@chartproductions.com. ...

A conversation between Jordan Rich and Phil Newman, licensed social worker on staff at the Carroll School in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Phil discusses the pressures faced by children with learning differences and what’s being done to help them. He is also the co-founder of Next Step Academics, a ground breaking organization that addresses students’ interrelated educational and behavioral needs. Phil and his colleagues are helping young people achieve their goals and enjoy success! If you have a sto...

We are proud to present this very special podcast episode. The Program for Assisted Learning at Curry College in Milton recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Founded by the late Dr Gertrude Webb, a pioneer in teaching children with learning differences, PAL has changed the lives of countless students over the years. This podcast features audio from the virtual reunion where former students and educators reflected on the success of the program and thank Dr. Webb and those she inspired for lea...

On today’s episode, meet the author of a groundbreaking book that is a must-read for parents, educators and anyone concerned with the education of children with dyslexia. Micki Boas has written, “ One in Five: How We’re Fighting for our Dyslexic Kids in a System That’s Failing Them.” Micki talks with Jordan about battling the system that was neglecting her own children and she shares some of what she has learned about cutting through “the invisible red tape” that can be so frustrating. If you ha...

Dyslexics Wanted goes international once again and welcomes Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey, a trailblazing woman from Ghana who was diagnosed as a young adult with dyslexia. Since then she has worked tirelessly to help her country recognize and help those with dyslexia. She recently started the Africa Dyslexia Organization to champion awareness and advocacy in Ghana and across Africa. Hers is a tale of overcoming adversity while offering hope to others. If you have a story worth sharing on this po...

Today’s guest is a dyslexic father of a daughter who also has dyslexia. Jeff never knew he had it until his daughter was diagnosed. Since then he and his wife have lobbied for legislation in California to recognize learning difficulties. He is also a teacher for the state of California and work as a counselor for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Jeff is also a dedicated soccer coach for youth, high school, college and pro teams. He is a great help and inspiration to young player...

Today, Jordan introduces us to Sandra Carter from Birmingham, England. She shares her wonderful story of meeting the challenges of dyslexia during her lifetime, finally being tested and diagnosed at age 40. By age 50 she realizes her dream of becoming a published science fiction novelist. She currently has three books available with more on the way. Sandra also gives back, mentoring others while using many creative arts to explore and maximize her “gift of dyslexia.” If you have a story worth sh...

Today Jordan introduces you to another remarkable young person. Abigail Steeves lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The 14-year old 9th grader has dealt with dyslexia for years, but only recently received her diagnosis. She hasn’t let it stop her or even slow her down. Abigail is a leading climate change and environmental activist who has led large rallies and organized events to bring attention to the causes she is passionate about. Like so many of the students we feature, Abigail focuses on the str...

On this special edition, Jordan welcomes back to the podcast Steve Wilkins, Head of School at the Carroll School in Lincoln, an independent day school for elementary and middle school students in grades 1 – 9 who have been diagnosed with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Steve addresses the quick transition to remote learning, the impact of Covid-19 on the educational and emotional well-being of the students and creative ways the faculty is connecting and helping students. If you ...