Overcoming Dyslexia

I’ve just got to share something that completely made my day!

Last week, I was giving a Discover Reading workshop for learning center owners and directors. They had come from around the country and really wanted to see what it would look like to do the program with a student.

A Dyslexic Student Who Believed in Herself

One of our students, a profoundly dyslexic 11-year-old, agreed to demonstrate a skill she was currently working on in the program. Like many dyslexic students, Isabella is bright, engaging, and outgoing, but for most of her time at Stowell Learning Center, the sight of print could put her into complete shutdown or tears.

When she came into the workshop, Isabella wowed us by visualizing a multisyllable word and spelling it forward and backward. This was great, especially knowing how difficult the journey has been for her, but that wasn’t the thing that touched me so much.

It was when she went on to try another word, and having gotten progressively more nervous, she started to fumble and stumble over the task. She took a breath and said, “I can do this. I can do this.” Then very quietly to herself, she said, “I believe in myself. I believe in myself.” And she did it!

I wanted to break down and cry that this is the work I get to do everyday. What could be better than that? To bring struggling students success in their learning and belief in themselves!

It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way

Dyslexia, learning disabilities, and struggles with attention or academics can chip away at a student’s self esteem and impact nearly every aspect of a child’s and their family’s life. Smart, talented kids can decide that they are dumb.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Most learning and attention challenges can be dramatically improved or completely corrected by addressing the weak underlying processing/learning skills that are causing the problem and then remediating the basic academic skills.

If you or your child are struggling with dyslexia or a learning or attention challenge, and you are ready to make a change, I want to invite you to come to an information meeting to learn about why smart kids (or adults) struggle and what can be done.

Quick Answers

Can a child with dyslexia learn to believe in herself?

Yes. A profoundly dyslexic 11-year-old who was once put into shutdown or tears by the sight of print visualized and spelled a multisyllable word forward and backward, saying to herself, “I believe in myself.”

How can learning and attention challenges be corrected?

Most learning and attention challenges can be dramatically improved or completely corrected by addressing the weak underlying processing/learning skills that are causing the problem and then remediating the basic academic skills.