Mission:
All students deserve to reach their full potential and become confident independent readers.
Research over the last 30 years has indicated that most reading difficulties can be prevented, and among those that cannot be prevented, poor readers can make far greater progress than we have been experiencing in our schools. Equipped for Reading Success; David Kilpatrick, PhD 2020
About the Founder
About The Founder
Julie Dinan has been licensed to teach since 1993. She holds a Bachelor's of Arts Degree from John Carroll University in 1987 and a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Madonna University in 1992. She completed her Masters of Education Learning Disabilities at Wayne State University in 2001. She is currently in Cohort 1 of The Michigan Department of Education LETRS Training and will complete the training Winter 2023.
Ms. Dinan is an expert in teaching students with Dyslexia. Since 2004, she has worked with Lakeview Public Schools in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Ms. Dinan has worked to reform and redirect the efforts of the school district’s reading instructional practices with proven results.
In 2019, Ms. Dinan was elevated to the position of Lakeview Public Schools Teacher Consultant where she works with new and experienced teachers to improve classroom delivery and student success.
All of her experience and research led her to launch That's What I Heard, LLC. The mission of That's What I Heard is to train teachers and parents explicit and systematic reading strategies using proven techniques and bringing her drive into the classroom gives all teachers a platform to start their students on a path to easier and faster language mastery.
Ms. Dinan is a masters rower and avid cyclist. She is married with three adult children and lives in the Metro Detroit area.
Click here to meet me and the sound board that will make a change
Teacher Training
Participants will receive:
Code Emphasis Reading Strategies teacher manual that includes approximately twenty step by step lessons in teaching word decoding and the recent Science of Reading Research that will build teachers' pedagogy
Each lesson follows a 5-step systematic, explicit and multisensory approach following the research of Orton Gillingham in phonics instruction. The 5-step lessons include drills for sound and nonsense word practice, phonics concepts, spelling and reading from decodable text. They are engaging and motivational for both teachers and students, and ready for immediate classroom implementation.
Magnetic Sound Board
Trainings are offered in person.
Contact Julie Dinan for more information
One on One Tutoring
Specialty in Dyslexia
Review of existing student information
Initial testing
One one instruction tailored and designed to meet your child's needs using Orton Gillingham based multisensory instruction
Ongoing progress monitoring and feedback.
Contact Julie for more information
Testimonials
"I understand fully what was taught and the research behind it. I was open to new learning, but nervous about the changes it would bring. After the training, I feel ready to dive right in." Teacher
"I like the systematic approach to reading instruction, and find the multisensory approach very useful." Teacher
"Julie was engaging with lots of real life examples and scenarios, this was a BIG training." Teacher
"Mrs. Dinan taught my son how to read, she also gave him the confidence to raise his hand and participate in his classroom." Parent
"I have never heard my son's reading reading described as ability not as a disability. I highly recommend her tutoring services" Parent