Megan Gierka

I aspire to eradicate illiteracy. My work lives in the messy middle between evidence and execution. I began my journey in Pennsylvania public schools, where I spent over a decade as a teacher, reading specialist, and instructional coach. Since then, I have guided statewide structured literacy implementation across five states, developing professional learning courses and coaching frameworks. Effective evidence must integrate with teachers' existing practices. Today, my days are focused on translational research, specifically accelerated word learning strategies, improved instructional design, and the integration of artificial intelligence tools.

Check out my new books on integration & dyslexia
See what I'm building, thinking, and studying on my latest projects
Read our latest research study about sentence repetition and DLD
Or just say hello via email/X. I love meeting people. 😊

Integrating instruction // Connecting reading and writing. Learn more in my book Integrating Structured Literacy Instruction: From Sound to Sentence (Routledge, 2026).

Dyslexia // Ongoing study on policy and implementation: reframing dyslexia around linguistic complexity & developmental risk (Annals of Dyslexia, 2025), and Dyslexia for Dummies (Wiley, 2026), a science-backed guide written for families.

Artificial intelligence // Aligning AI to amplify learning outcomes. I led the IDA's AI guidelines, serve on an independent board (EVAL, Boston University) that evaluates the AI tools reaching classrooms, and build learning apps and data blueprints.

Sentence repetition // Studying how a simple repetition task can support MTSS screening for reading comprehension (Annals of Dyslexia pilot study, 2026).

Currently, I'm a research affilitate in two labs at Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Maryland focused on accelerated word learning strategies.

Selected Work

In the classroom // Educator, reading specialist, coach, and curriculum developer for over a decade in Title I public schools.
Statewide implementation // Brought structured literacy to scale across several states including Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Ohio.
Professional learning // Authored several courses that turn research into practice teachers can use. I'm most proud of The Animated Alphabet, an embedded-mnemonics supplemental program with Dr. Linnea Ehri.
Building what's next // Learning science and AI integration, creating guidelines, data blueprints, and tools to build the future of education