Teachers. Tutors. Fighters.
We spent a decade fighting to fix reading education for all children. Now we’re here just for yours.
Wire up young brains for reading
Your guide through the early reading years
Early reading isn't just about reading words; it's about changing life outcomes. The stakes couldn't be bigger. So we’re glad you’re here.
As reading advocates, we spent a years fighting for systemic change, and achieved some big things here in Ontario. But system-wide change is slow. So now we're going grass roots: Educating and supporting one family at a time.
The Radical Reading Co. is here to help parents understand the early reading risk and opportunity, and offer practical, effective tutoring solutions to help children and families thrive through these early reading years.
“Every child deserves to learn to read to the best of their ability. Not just the best a struggling system can teach them.”
—Lark Barker
Our founder
Lark Barker
Lark is a veteran Spec Ed teacher with a passion for early reading intervention and accessibility, and a long-time leader in the science-of-reading advocacy movement in Ontario.
For years she worked tirelessly applying her passion and leadership to successfully gather momentum for change at the senior management and political levels of public ed, while supporting struggling readers and their families.
Career highlights
- President of Decoding Dyslexia Ontario (2018-24), a leading voice in the landmark Right to Read inquiry report, tirelessly lobbying ed leaders, cabinet ministers and staff
- Member of the EQAO MMM advisory panel (2019-24)
- Curriculum writer for the Ontario Ministry of Education
- Special Education Specialist with 20 years experience
- Completed Orton Gillingham associate-level practicum (OGA)
- Certified Structured Literacy Classroom teacher (CERI)
- School lead on Lexia Core5
Lark began researching and focusing on teaching reading when her youngest son was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 8. This is when her long fight began.
Lark speaking at the launch of the Right to Read inquiry which, over years, culminated in Ontario reading curriculum change.
“The Lexia model is our best strategy to move past wait-to-fail. We need to get there.”
—Lark Barker
