Structured Literacy Saved Me- Why I Now Teach it to Others

When I think back to where my journey with reading began, I can still see myself in kindergarten. One day my teacher cheerfully told me, “Great job, Hailee! Go put your name on the smiley face list.” What should have been a moment of pride quickly turned into a moment of panic.

I didn’t know how to write my name. My cheeks burned as I walked to the front of the room and shakily wrote just the letter “H.” Instead of feeling celebrated, I wanted to crawl into a hole. That moment marked my earliest memory of struggling with reading and writing. 

Things changed in second grade when I was pulled out for a structured literacy intervention called Zoo Phonics. For the first time, reading instruction made sense to me. It was explicit, systematic, and multisensory, and it worked. I can still remember parts of the phonics song and the motions we used to match letters and sounds. By the end of the school year, I was reading. 

In third grade, I had a teacher named Ms. Van Lew who inspired me in ways I’ll never forget. She made reading come alive with a year-long book challenge, and I poured myself into it. Even though I finished in second place, I discovered something far more important: I loved reading for its own sake. From then on, books became my constant companions. By middle school, I’d rather read outside the classroom than play at recess. 

As I got older, I began babysitting and unknowingly practicing what I had once been taught. I read books aloud, helped kids put sounds together, and celebrated their first attempts at decoding. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was building the foundations of phonemic awareness and phonics instruction. What I did know was that I loved watching those lightbulb moments when reading began to click. 

My own struggles drew me toward special education. I understood firsthand the shame and frustration that can come with not being able to read, and I also knew the power of the right intervention at the right time. Research shows that children who aren’t reading proficiently by the end of second grade are much less likely to catch up. I was one of the lucky ones who caught up just in time, and I never forgot it. That knowledge pushed me to become a compassionate, determined teacher who believed every child could succeed with the right instruction. 

Fast forward to today, and that same belief is the reason I founded The Reader’s Lab. There is an enormous need for highly trained reading instructors. Too often, teachers are not adequately prepared in the science of reading, even though literacy is the foundation for every other subject 

a child will encounter. Many schools operate on a “wait-to-fail” system, providing intervention only after students have fallen far behind. Meanwhile, the national statistics are grim. Far too many children are not reading at a proficient level.

I started The Reader’s Lab to change that story. My mission is simple: to ensure that children who struggle with reading don’t slip through the cracks the way I almost did. With structured literacy, research-based methods, and compassion, I believe we can help every child unlock the joy and confidence that comes with learning to read. 

Because every child deserves that chance. Just like I once did. 

If you’re worried that your child is falling behind in reading, you don’t have to navigate it alone. I offer free 20-minute consultations for parents who want clarity and a clear next step.

Reach out for a consultation here → https://www.thereaderslab.com/contact-me