Questions for a Reading Expert

In this episode of Backwards and Forwards, Josephine reflects on classes she did not enjoy and what those experiences taught her about how she learns. Rather than focusing on frustration or outcomes, she explores how teaching style, structure, and engagement shape the learning experience. This episode considers the difference between a class being difficult and a class being unengaging, and how moments of disengagement can still lead to insight and growth over time.

In this episode of Backwards and Forwards, Josephine reflects on what helped her stay engaged in class. Rather than focusing on study tips or productivity strategies, she explores the environments, teaching styles, and small classroom details that made it easier to stay present and involved. Drawing from personal experience, this episode considers how engagement is shaped by structure, pacing, and clarity, and why feeling engaged is often less about effort and more about fit.

In our episode of Backwards and Forwards, Josephine reflects on a small selection of children’s books that make reading feel more accessible for early dyslexic readers. Rather than reviewing or ranking titles, the episode focuses on how these books create space, build confidence, and help readers stay connected to the story when reading feels challenging.

In our ninth episode of Backwards and Forwards, Josephine reflects on the experience of navigating a 504 plan in high school. She talks through what a 504 plan is designed to do, who qualifies, and the types of accommodations it can include. Speaking from personal experience, she shares how these supports have helped her learning and how she has learned to advocate for herself. This episode is a personal reflection on what it means to access support and create systems that help learning feel more manageable.

In our eighth episode of Backwards and Forwards, Josephine reflects on how she organizes her own learning, notes, and ideas to support thinking and memory. Speaking solo, she shares the systems, strategies, and small habits that have worked for her, from organizing for retrieval rather than storage, to noticing what messiness can reveal, to building flexible routines that adapt to changing needs. This episode is a personal reflection on how an organization can be a tool for thinking, not just a task to complete.

Our seventh episode of Backwards and Forwards features guest Paia, a high school student with ADHD. She shares with us about the technologies that support her learning, the tools that fall short, and what she wishes existed to make studying and staying organized easier. Together, Paia and Josephine explore how technology can be both a helpful ally and a source of frustration for students navigating ADHD, and they reflect on what it means to create systems that genuinely support every kind of learner.

Our sixth episode of Backwards and Forwards is with guest Rodda Leonardi. Mrs. Leonardi is the librarian at Peabody Charter School in Santa Barbara, CA. Mrs. Leonardi works to foster a love of reading among her students by curating engaging books and programs, including creative initiatives like a school-wide bookmark design contest that encouraged hundreds of students to connect art with literacy. In this episode, Mrs. Leonardi discusses the role of libraries in supporting young readers and the ways librarians can spark imagination and build strong literacy foundations, and Josephine discusses the technology tools that have helped her as she developed her own reading skills.

Our fifth episode of Backwards and Forwards is with guest Nicole Williams, a licensed marriage and family therapist. Nicole brings a unique perspective on the emotional side of learning. Nicole discusses how stress, self-esteem, and family relationships can shape a child’s experience with reading and learning, and how supporting a student’s emotional well-being can be just as important as teaching academic skills. In this episode, Nicole explores the connection between emotional health and literacy development, and Josephine shares her own experience dealing with anxiety related to schoolwork and how it has shaped her journey as a learner.

Our fourth episode of Backwards and Forwards is with Romy Greenwald. Romy is a sophomore at Duke University studying political science and government. She discusses her tips and tricks about succeeding academically in college and talks about her transition from high school to college.

Our third episode of Backwards and Forwards is with guest Dr. Phyllis Myers. Dr. Myers is the founder and president of Superior Chicago Tutoring, a program that provides supplemental educational services to schools that are performing below the 50th percentile nationally. Dr. Myers discusses in this episode the differing styles when teaching reading, and Josephine discusses how she learned to read and the skills she used before becoming a fluent reader.