Dyslexia is one of the most well-known—and misunderstood—learning disabilities. For families trying to make sense of what it means, the mix of myths, partial truths, and well-meaning advice can be overwhelming.
Here’s what we want families to know: dyslexia is real, it’s common, and with the right support, students with dyslexia can thrive academically and emotionally.
What Dyslexia Is
Dyslexia is a brain-based learning disability that primarily affects a person’s ability to read and spell. It often involves difficulties with:
-Phonological awareness (recognizing and manipulating sounds in spoken language)
-Decoding (sounding out words)
-Spelling
-Reading fluency
-Rapid word retrieval
Importantly, dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence, effort, or vision. In fact, many students with dyslexia are highly verbal, creative, and insightful—but their brains process written language differently.
What Dyslexia Is Not
-It’s not caused by laziness, poor teaching, or bad parenting.
-It’s not something kids “outgrow.”
-It’s not a visual problem (though some kids with dyslexia may also experience visual stress).
Dyslexia is a language-based difference. That’s why reading, writing, and spelling tasks can feel so difficult—even for a student who can explain complex ideas aloud with ease.
What It Looks Like in School
Dyslexia can show up differently depending on the child’s age, environment, and co-occurring strengths and challenges.
Some signs include:
-Difficulty remembering letter sounds
-Struggles to sound out simple words, even after practice
-Slow, effortful reading
-Spelling that doesn’t match what a child knows about language
-Avoidance of reading or writing assignments
-Strong verbal skills that aren’t reflected in written work
What Helps
The most effective intervention for dyslexia is structured literacy—a teaching approach that is:
-Explicit
-Systematic
-Cumulative
-Multisensory
-Diagnostic and responsive to student needs Orton-Gillingham is one well-known approach to structured literacy, and many Churchill teachers are trained and certified in it.
A Final Thought
When students with dyslexia get the right kind of instruction in a supportive environment, they don’t just learn to read—they rediscover confidence, joy, and the belief that school is a place where they can succeed.
