Michael Heggerty, Ed.D. is a veteran elementary educator of 30+ years. He served as a classroom teacher for 28 years, including 24 years as a first grade teacher. Dr. Heggerty, whose vitae includes two master degrees and a doctorate, has always seen himself as a life-long learner and teacher.

As a first grade classroom teacher, Dr. Heggerty worked on an action research project on the importance of phonemic awareness in acquiring and mastering sound reading skills. He has continued to research and develop phonemic awareness curriculum materials in the succeeding years. In 2003, Dr. Heggerty wrote and published his phonemic awareness curriculum, Phonemic Awareness: The Skills That They Need to Help Them Succeed!, which is the product of his research and classroom work. He has presented this research and instructional design at many conferences.

Dr. Heggerty also provides inservices for teachers throughout the country on phonemic awareness, as well as other literacy-based instructional designs, including Word Identification Skills and K-6 Scaffolded Writing Strategies. He is available to work with schools and districts on all areas of Comprehensive Literacy, including phonemic awareness. In addition to instructing teachers, Dr. Heggerty works with administrators to help them better understand how to build a solid comprehensive literacy curriculum, including a sound assessment program to assure student achievement. Dr. Heggerty also provides site visits for districts interested in literacy audits and/or model teaching, as his schedule permits.

Dr. Heggerty is currently working as an Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services for a district in the western Chicago suburbs.