Empowering every learner
Effective Literacy Coaching and
Private Tutoring
LIVE online and IN PERSON in North York
At Great Brain Learning, we specialize in literacy, and we deliver mastery for every learner. Metacognitive awareness is the key to sustained growth, and we use research-supported strategies to pave the way for long-term success in reading, writing, and critical thinking.
OUR METHODOLOGY
Growth Through Metacognition
At Great Brain Learning, Dr. June Starkey teaches metacognition—thinking about thinking—to bridge learning gaps and build self-aware learners.
Every session integrates research-validated phonemic awareness skills and literacy development milestones with metacognitive strategies. Students in French immersion often opt to receive instruction in French to support what they are learning in class. Neurodiverse learners, intellectually gifted students, and learners who experience challenges with learning disabilities master how to learn through inclusive and personalized practice.
Dr. June's experience teaching from Kindergarten to Graduate School has supported 1,000+ families in the last 20 years in Ontario’s first evidence-based bilingual literacy clinic, Great Brain Learning. We hear from parents, educators and students that seeing real growth and confidence in reading, writing, thinking, and speaking is life-changing. We agree that learning is indeed life-changing.
Welcome to the place where learning comes alive. We're so glad you've found us!
Youth Literacy Development
Mastering the Sounds
Your child will gain confidence as they learn to connect sounds and letters. This foundation makes reading feel like unlocking a secret code in the world around them. We play games to reinforce and "overlearn" the sounds that build words.
Literary Passion
Once reading words is in your child's repertoire we move beyond simple decoding into narrative engagement to truly enjoy stories. This opens up a world of imagination and discovery, and curiosity for plot, setting and character development.
Critical Thinking
We empower kids to think about their own learning and notice patterns. When learners make connections between what they do and how their learning changes, they gain the confidence to approach new challenges with an open heart and mind.
Habits for Success
By learning to plan, by trying and consistently using strategies that work, students become experts at focusing. As these habits of mind become 'locked in' and known by heart, learning and schoolwork become more manageable.
The Impact of Coaching
The names and identifying details in these case studies have been changed to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of our students and their families, but these learning stories show the real results of actual students across Canada as a result of Dr. June's work.
David
In Grade 3 French immersion, David was (and is) brilliant—but he was listless in class, behind in reading and writing, and homework was a daily battle. With weak letter–sound knowledge in both English and French, he saw literacy as an impossible wall. After structured literacy teaching and metacognitive coaching, David caught up and excelled beyond grade level. He stayed in French immersion, and began finishing work more independently. His teachers and parents saw a calmer, more confident child who could finally say, ‘I can learn this.’ David was invited to participate in his district's gifted program. Fast forward almost 20 years: David has earned advanced degrees in Engineering, works in his chosen field, loves reading, and still uses the metacognitive tools he learned as a child.
Whitney
My journey with Whitney began at the start of her 5th-grade year. (Updates following on Tuesday, April 14, 2026)
Gabriel
I first met Gabriel as he was concluding his 1st-grade studies. (Updates following on Tuesday, April 14, 2026)
Matteo
Matteo joined our program at the beginning of 5th grade. (Updates following on Tuesday, April 14, 2026