Rebecca McAllister — Turning Playtime into Phonics Power

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Active Reader co-founder and former classroom teacher Rebecca McAllister to unpack why so many complex kids (and even their teachers!) still struggle with reading—and how a multi-sensory, five-minute-a-day routine can rewrite that story long before first grade.

Rebecca shares:

• From “good student” to secret struggler. Undiagnosed dyslexia left Rebecca memorizing textbooks and dodging eye-contact with contracts—until Orton-Gillingham training finally “turned the world to color” at age 36.
• Why most classrooms miss the mark. Whole-word cueing relies on memorization; structured literacy rewires the brain by fusing sight, sound, touch, and movement.
• The active-learning blueprint. How her flash-card “equations” (C—cat—/k/) + tracing + play turn toddlers’ Hot Wheels laps into letter-sound mastery.
• Red-flag behaviors to spot early. Avoidance, echo-answers, symbol confusion—signs your pre-K child might be heading for the same hurdles.
• A 30-week plug-and-play curriculum. For parents, daycares, and special-ed teams: five to ten minutes a day, zero guesswork, scripts included.
• Success without burnout. Why mixing story time, movement games, and even movie characters with a target sound cements learning for ADHD and dyslexic brains.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“If they can feel it, hear it, and giggle while they say it, the brain keeps it forever.”

Whether your child is handwriting their first “B” at 11 or devouring chapter books at five, Rebecca’s message is simple: build a sensory-rich foundation now, and reading roadblocks vanish before they start.

👤 About Rebecca McAllister

A certified teacher, literacy specialist, and co-founder of The Active Reader, Rebecca turned her own late-identified dyslexia into a mission: give every family the tools schools often skip. She leads one-to-one Orton-Gillingham tutoring across North America and designs play-based curricula that fit into real-life parent schedules.

🔗 Connect with Rebecca & The Active Reader

Website: theactivereader.com
Instagram: @the_active_reader
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebeccalmcallister
Email: [email protected]

#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #EarlyLiteracy #OrtonGillingham #DyslexiaSupport #PlayBasedLearning

Listen to this episode and more at
https://wisdom4complexkids.com/complexkidssimplesolutions

🎧 Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.wisdom4complexkids.com
Instagram: @michellechoairy
Join the community: Wisdom 4 Complex Kids Facebook Group

💌 Have a question or want to share your story? Email Michelle at [email protected]

🧠 Want simple tools that actually work?
Download the free advocacy toolkit: wisdom4complexkids.com/the-ultimate-advocacy-toolkit-pdf