Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
Dr Susan Whittaker is currently a professor in the Early Childhood- Special Education department at Niagara University in Lewiston, NY. Susan recently retired from her role as Principal at Summit Academy, a school in Western New York that supports students with Autism, early intervention to age 21. She resides in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Susan was previously the Manager and Literacy Curriculum Coordinator at Arbourvale School in Slough, England. Susan works primarily with children with Autism where she uses Jolly Phonics to secure the reading skills of both verbal and non-verbal children. Susan has previously taught, for 17 years, kindergarten and early childhood special education in the US and Canada where she used Jolly Phonics as her foundation phonics program. As part of her doctoral dissertation (Ed.D), through Aurora University, Susan researched the use of Jolly Phonics as a whole-group curriculum and its use in small group reading intervention, with remarkable results. Susan continues to conduct ongoing research in the use of Jolly Phonics and offers support in the USA and Canada through her business, Jolly Reading Consulting, based in Niagara Falls, New York. Susan is eager to support school districts and teaches the full Jolly Phonics and Grammar program.