Purposeful Point INc.
Bridge Reading & The Birth of Purposeful Point
Our origins
Before we were Purposeful Point, we were known across Montreal’s special needs community as “Bridge Reading” — a name given to us by families long before we had an official title.
Patricia Wright
Patricia Wright, a special education teacher, created the Bridge Reading model after witnessing how gesture-based strategies unlocked literacy for students who had been dismissed as “unteachable.” Her work, inspired by a visionary speech therapist named Nancy Ship, introduced enriching books, gestures for word recognition, and parent-led techniques that defied conventional expectations.
changing lives
It wasn’t just about reading. It was about rebuilding trust in your child’s potential — and in yourself as a parent.
To this day, families still call us “Bridge Reading.” The name stuck — because the work changed lives.
💜 Nancy’s Corner: A Tribute
Nancy Ship: A Seeker to the End
Nancy was more than a speech therapist. She was a connector — of people, ideas, families, and futures. Her living room welcomed countless parents, teachers, and students seeking more than the limits they’d been handed.
In her final weeks, Nancy made one last request of her community:
“Look into spelling. Don’t ignore the silent ones.”
Thanks to her voice, families are calling, professionals are curious, and adult spellers are reconnecting — even decades later — ready to try again. Nancy made sure her legacy included them all.
This corner is for her.
And for everyone who believed before the world did.