Vera's Services

Parent / Child Consults

You will never think the same way about words and how to make sense of language again!

Vera has spent her professional life on a mission to provide parents and teachers with the knowledge and the special tools she has discovered over her 30 years of research and experience. She brings this expertise to her writing, speaking and family consults.

She has a special gift – the ability to communicate simply and clearly. Vera has spoken to thousands of educators, parents, reading volunteers, woman’s groups and conferences on education and motivational topics.

The basis of her philosophy is that one must take a holistic approach to reading vs focusing strictly on phonics. The trend towards pure phonics is, in her educated opinion, the root cause of much of the dysfunction present in non-readers today. Vera explains this in her consultations with parents and in her workshops with parents and educators.

Parents are often surprised when they come to a whole new understanding of their own reading process. Many times a light bulb goes on about why they don’t read well themselves!

Usually, a few sessions together are all that’s required for a family to understand how they can work together to make reading fun and exciting. The child begins to read fluently and with understanding. It is an amazing process in its simple complexity.

Vera is a writing tutor with children of any age. Her unique techniques make it fun and interesting. Students blossom in their creative approach to the writing process.

Speaking / Presentations

Vera is vibrant, humorous, easy to understand and very approachable.

Vera’s rare gift of being able to take highly intellectual concepts and bring them down-to-earth in a practical and useful way is both refreshing and rewarding to her audiences.

She has spent her adult life on a quest to understand how humans learn and especially how they learn to read. Her fascination has not only been with formal learning at university and attending lectures and seminars, but with conducting innovative classroom research during her teaching career.

An examination of human nature through reading and studying in a variety of fields including philosophy, personal development, science, educational theory and practice, future trends and many others, yielded metaphors that Vera uses to explain the nature of reading.

She has simplified the process by which people can become effective readers.

Learning to read and write should be just as natural as learning to speak and, in fact, shares many of the same qualities.

In 1995 Vera published and marketed her book Reading is More Than Phonics and it became a Canadian best seller within one year. As a speaker, she presented enough paid speeches in 1997 to qualify her as a Professional member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.

Vera’s work as a speaker is another significant way in which she contributes to advancing the education of teachers, students, parents and the public at large in her reading techniques and uncommon insights. Engaging Vera as a speaker for your event is a real treat.

You will love her – guaranteed!
Ask Vera to tailor a presentation to your needs today!

The Many Ways to use Vera’s Expertise

  • Reading workshops for trustees and administrators.
  • Professional development for teachers & principals in areas of reading, writing, spelling, and speaking.
  • Reading and writing workshops for teaching assistants.
  • Entertaining, informative parent workshops.
  • Speaker to parents who homeschool their children.
  • Training volunteers as mentors to students of all ability levels.
  • Teaching and facilitating a unique approach to Novel Study.
  • Training teachers and parents in daycare and pre-school programs.
  • Consultant support for individual teachers and parents.

References and Reviews

“I attended one of your seminars in Calgary AB in the spring. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! Keep up the good work!”

“Vera has enlightened our parents with her knowledge and expertise. Her humorous approach and genuine awareness make learning fun and give parents new confidence in themselves and in their children.” - Gloria Deehan, Parent Coordinator

Comments from Participants:

    • Very hands-on, practical information.
    • Honest, open discussion of issues and very informative.
    • Please have her back – many parents could benefit.
    • Excellent speaker. I really learned new ideas.
    • Vera Goodman’s wisdom, unique insights and ability to engage the audience guarantees a great learning experience for everyone.

“Vera informed and entertained our audience consistently.” - Margaret Reid, Principal

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