Dr. June Starkey OCT, PhD
Expert Literacy Coach
Dr. June Starkey, OCT, PhD (OISE/University of Toronto), brings 30+ years as an Ontario-certified educator, designing K-16+ curriculum and facilitation in English and French. After an award-winning 17-year career in French Immersion, she founded Great Brain Learning in 2006—Ontario's first private, evidence-based bilingual learning clinic. Over the last 20 years, Dr. June has served 1,000+ families nationwide with inclusive, transformative learning interventions for ALL, including exceptional and intellectually gifted students, and neurodivergent learners.
Specializing in phonemic awareness, French immersion pedagogy, and literacy development, Dr. June's research-informed practice (International Baccalaureate Program, exceptional education) equips students with metacognitive strategies for deep conceptual understanding, academic integrity, and lifelong achievement.
Dr. June teaches students to build lifelong habits that make learning sustainable, practical, and deeply effective. When learners see proof that they can learn, their confidence—and their learning journey—change forever.
June Starkey's Qualifications
B.A., B.Ed., M.A., and PhD
With 30+ years in education, including recent work as a professor/chargée de cours in the Master of Teaching program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, Dr. June’s expertise spans literacy and numeracy development across the curriculum. With her expert academic coaching, students of all ages achieve proficiency and fluency at the highest levels in reading and writing, in both French and English.
Common European Frame of Reference (CEFR) C1 en français
Informed by multiple perspectives as a second-language speaker of French, educator and scholar, Dr. June has seen how individual differences, goal orientations, and effective feedback shape motivation, performance, and classroom practice in French immersion. She applies what she’s learned to help every learner succeed. In short, Dr. June reconnects learners with their capacity to learn and teaches them to monitor their progress for sustained success.
OCT Teacher Educator
Dr. June is an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) and has mentored beginning and mid-career teachers for 2+ decades, from top-tier teacher education programs across Canada. She works with teachers who want to hone their skills in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and authentic assessment because creating classrooms where neurodiverse and academically vulnerable learners can flourish, is a priority. Building responsive, research-informed classrooms that honour diversity makes the world a safer, kinder, better place.
Awards & Recognition
These honours reflect Dr. June Starkey’s 30-year mission as an evidence-based educator, researcher, and advocate for transformative, multilingual literacy.
ETFO Graduate Fellowship in Education
(2000)
Awarded by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario to support Dr. June Starkey’s M.A. (Master of Arts) in Curriculum and Teacher Development. Through interviews and in‑class observations, she explored how elementary women teachers construct and maintain their authority. Grounded in research on gender, power and agency, democratic teaching, and “teaching against the grain,” this thesis‑based study offers rich insights into classroom relationships and how women teachers understand and exercise authority.
Alan Skeoch Award for Leadership and Dedication to Ontario Teaching (2003)
Awarded to Dr. June Starkey by the Ontario History and Social Science Teachers’ Association. This award recognizes educators who demonstrate exceptional sensitivity, creativity, and community involvement in history and social science teaching. Alan Skeoch was known for his 33‑year teaching career, his books, and his work as a CBC radio commentator. This honour reflects Dr. June’s deep commitment to meaningful, community‑connected learning.
Howard Stern Award for Most Promising Language Teaching Research (2016)
Awarded to Dr. June Starkey by the Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association for her doctoral research on descriptive feedback practices in language teaching at the University of Toronto. Her work emphasizes the importance of formative feedback training and assessment literacy for teachers, especially in French language learning, and supports more responsive, effective instruction for diverse learners.
Client Reviews
What people say about us
"Your teaching is priceless. Thank you for giving me such power to help my sons."
-Mother of 2 middle schoolers
"You gave him everything he needed to succeed."
-Mom of Grade 1 student
"Many, many thanks. We are so appreciative of the extraordinary work you do."
-Parent of 2 high school students
"Thank you very much for meeting with us. We felt it was a very useful feedback and discussion session. We were interested to hear that she felt that if she asked the teacher for help improving her average from the mid 80's to the mid 90's, the teacher would laugh. She sees that there are so many kids who more urgently need help than she does...why would a teacher help her when she doesn't really need helping? Lots to think about here."
-Dad of 2 high schoolers
"My school work in every way has transformed. I know what to do, I have the confidence to do it, and I'm able to work hard, knowing that I'm on the right track. Wow, what a change. Thanks, Dr. June. I feel ready for university now."
-Grade 12 student
"The fact that his SAT score improved from a 1400 to a 1550 because of the feedback and personalized program you designed for him was all the motivation he needed to keep practicing right up to the exam. The success is all his; we just cheered him on. Thank you for showing us the path, Dr. June. Your belief in him helped him believe in himself.