Dyslexia is a brain-based difference that makes learning the connection between letters and sounds less efficient. People with dyslexia need a different approach to reading so that their brains can achieve automatic recognition of these letter-sound connections.

In everyday life, dyslexia can look like:

• Difficulty sounding out new words

• Tendency to guess words

• Skipping words while reading aloud

• Mixing up sounds within words

• Struggling with spelling

• Avoiding reading aloud

Dyslexia is not related to intelligence. It is not untreatable. It cannot be fixed by “trying harder” or memorizing sight words.

How is dyslexia addressed?
It is best remediated with a systematic, explicit, and direct teaching approach, focusing on the building blocks of reading. This involves:

1. Practice at the point of mastery – enough successful repetitions to create overlearned mastery

2. Teaching the language code – a clear, logical system of letters and sounds that can be applied across words

3. Multisensory instruction – engaging letters and sounds in a tangible, interactive way

Reading doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all timeline. For children with dyslexia, progress may look different—and that’s okay. This month, let’s focus on meeting children where they are to unlock both skills and confidence.

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Real Experiences from Parents

Parent of an 8-year-old being evaluated:

“He loves being read to. He does not show any interest in learning how to read.”

Observations while reading aloud:

• Often guesses or memorizes words

• Works very hard to sound out words

• Can decode words when focused with support

• Skips small words like the or a/an

• Sometimes reads words that aren’t even close to the printed word

Parent of a 10-year-old being evaluated:

“It was really important to get her diagnosed because her struggles were hurting her self-esteem and confidence. She doesn’t like to feel incapable and can shut down when frustrated. We wanted her to feel empowered.”

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This Week’s Focus: The Starting Point

If your child is struggling with reading, the first step is a solid, objective assessment to understand their skills and challenges.

Parents are often told children “should” be reading at a certain level for their grade. When reality doesn’t match expectations, it creates stress for both parent and child. Real progress begins when we let go of the “should” and acknowledge what is.

The structured literacy approach succeeds because it meets the learner exactly where they are—no judgment, no shame.

Lev Vygotsky reminds us that all learning requires time in the zone of mastery. For kids with dyslexia, rushing ahead can lead to lost confidence, learned helplessness, and frustration.

The key: create consistent opportunities for easy success.

• Home practice should be short, easy, and perfect

• For reading aloud, choose content that allows your child to read with no guesses, no stretches,  no errors during home reading practice

• Introducing new skills and challenges should happen in tutoring

• Home practice is about maintaining skills and rebuilding confidence

When children experience real, tangible success, their motivation and curiosity return, and they begin to see themselves as capable learners. 

Temporarily lowering expectations to ensure success is not a step backward—it’s the fastest way to move forward.

Remember: Your support at home matters. Every small, successful reading moment reinforces skills and rebuilds your child’s confidence. Reading progress is a journey—and your calm, steady encouragement makes all the difference.

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Link to MPR interview