AIR Fliers

Who are the AIR Fliers

We are an international team of highly experienced educators currently working in various roles within schools, districts,  universities, and the general literacy community. Some team members are the parents and grandparents of early advanced readers whose needs are not currently being served (or were not served in past years) by the public education system.  

Our work is grounded in the decades of findings supporting the “continuous distribution”, the wide range of ease in acquisition of literacy skills as represented by the coloured continuum of Nancy Young’s Ladder of Reading & Writing©. Our collaboration aims to raise awareness of students in the dark green area of the continuum, students who are advanced in reading (AIR). This includes: 

• Reaching out to literacy organizations to draw their attention to the neglect of these students and the need to ensure these students are on their radar
• The development of presentations/courses that focus on the needs of AIR students 
• Ongoing support of educators, whatever their role in the system, so to more effectively meet the current needs of these students 
• Writing on current issues to build knowledge of the needs of of AIR students
• Regular engagement in team discussions as we collaborate on ways we see the field might increase educational opportunities for AIR students
• Ongoing interaction with parents of AIR students who are not educators, yet who provide examples of “happening now”
• Reaching out to reading scientists to draw their attention to these students and to advocate for research on AIR 

We fully recognize the importance of continuing to be on the learning journey ourselves during our efforts to best serve AIR students.

Air Fliers:

Our Mission

AIR Fliers are committed to respectfully raising awareness of the wide range of ease in literacy skill acquisition, so to ensure children who are advanced in reading (AIR) are served with appropriate learning opportunities, enableing them to FLY! 

We are grounded in the research findings indicating that literacy programming for AIR students must reflect: 

• The ease of AIR students in learning to read and, for many, learning to write 

• The ability of AIR students to learn literacy skills more implicitly and at a faster pace than typical 

• The need for programming for an AIR student systematically designed to reflect their already advanced skills offer deeper learning and greater complexity whilst bringing joyful engagement to the process 

• The individual right of each AIR student to be provided with learning opportunities appropriate for students with advanced skills and abilities (recognizing many AIR students are likely to have above-average cognitive abilities)  

We recognize that implementation of such programming requires that educators themselves receive training in ways to recognize and appropriately serve AIR students, and we advocate for such professional learning. 

Members of the AIR Fliers Team

Canada 🇨🇦

Nancy Young, Ed.D. British Columbia. Independent international consultant. Founder of the AIR Fliers. Creator of the translational framework The Ladder of Reading & Writing© (2012/2023),
Co-editor of the book Climbing the LADDER OF READING & WRITING: Meeting the Needs of ALL Learners, 2024) *

United States 🇺🇸 

Julie Brehmer, Ph.D. Michigan. Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, Saginaw Valley State University 

Dawn Brookhart, M.Ed., M.A.T. Pennsylvania. Instructional leader, consultant. Co-author of Instructional Leadership in Student-Focused Coaching: Creating Effective Systems to Cultivate Student Success (2026)* 

Christi Corbin, M.Ed., Washington. Learning specialist for students in grades 3–5 

Shannon Heisserer, M.Ed., Missouri. Educational Consultant at Southeast MO State University 

Kirsten Kelley, M.Ed., Doctoral student at Gordon College. California. K-2 ELA Specialist, IMSE Trainer  

Summer Kline, M.Ed.(Curriculum & Instruction), Ohio. First Grade Teacher, Adjunct Instructor at Ohio University,
Principal’s License in progress

Caroline Lacksen, M.Ed. Georgia. Professional Development Specialist, Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy,
Georgia College & State University 

Rebecca Miles, M.A., Michigan. Early Literacy Consultant/Coach Coordinator, Berrien RESA / Owner, 3E Reading * 

Maria Morris, B. Ed. in Child Development, Washington. Reading Interventionist for K-2, Special Education Support Staff 

Sarah Phillips, M.Ed., C-SLDI. Arizona. Elementary Education Faculty,
Teacher Education Department, Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus 

Amy Thompson, Ph.D., Arkansas. CALT; C-SLDS; QI-in-Training; Associate Professor UCA; Consultant; Program Director * 

Jennifer Wright, M.S.Ed. (Reading), M.A.Ed. (Curriculum & Instruction), Missouri. Reading Interventionist, Literacy Consultant,
OG Trainer and Tutor, Admin of MO SoR Facebook group, Reading Advisory Board at NWMSU 

New Zealand 🇳🇿 

Ingrid Hillgrove, Picton, South Island. Intervention Specialist 

Emma Newton, B.Mus., Diploma of Teaching, Wellington, North Island. Teacher, Intervention Teacher 

Briarne Oldham, M.Ed., Christchurch, South Island. Ph.D. student at University of Canterbury, Lecturer in initial teacher education for primary (Years 0-8). Teaching in literacy, inclusive education and behaviour, curriculum, professional practice * 

Australia 🇦🇺 

Tessa Daffern, Ph.D. Sydney, Victoria. Co-director & Principal Consultant, Literacy Education Solutions, Adjunct Associate Professor, SOLAR Lab School of Education, La Trobe University www.tessadaffern.com * 

*Represents AIR Flier team members whose services encompass various forms of consulting. More specific information can be obtained directly from these individuals.

AIR Fliers Team Membership:
Our wonderful team continues to grow! If you are interested in joining us or want to know more about our activities, please reach out to Nancy Young via the contact form on this website. Membership entails agreement to our team’s protocol and a commitment to playing an active role to serve AIR students in this capacity.