Overcoming Dyslexia
A comprehensive guide to understanding dyslexia, recognizing the signs, and helping struggling readers.
View BookRecommended by Reading & Spelling SOS
Resources
Books I Recommend to Parents
Books for Children
Books to Help Children Understand Dyslexia
A gentle, age-guided list of books that can help children feel understood and start conversations about dyslexia.
Explore the Book ListListen & Learn
A True Good Beautiful Life – Episode 37: Spotting Dyslexia
A conversation about recognizing dyslexia and helping struggling readers.
Listen to the EpisodeLearn About Dyslexia
Made By Dyslexia
Explore free dyslexia resources for parents, teachers, and children, including factsheets, videos, and educational materials.
Visit Made By DyslexiaUnderstood.org
Understood.org provides trusted, practical information for families navigating dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning and thinking differences.
Visit Understood.orgWebMD – Celebrities With Dyslexia
Meet 10 successful people who have dyslexia.
View the SlideshowHelpful Websites
Audiobooks & Reading Support
Learning Ally
Learning Ally provides human-narrated audiobooks that help students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties access books more independently.
As a Master’s Level Certified Barton tutor, I can help verify eligible students for Learning Ally. Families can complete our free Dyslexia Risk Screener and schedule a complimentary phone consultation so I can review their child’s needs and discuss whether they may qualify. Eligible families can also receive my referral code for 20% off a Learning Ally membership.
A Learning Ally family membership is currently $135 per year and can include up to four eligible family members. Families who qualify through Reading & Spelling SOS can receive a 20% referral discount, reducing the cost to $108 for the year.
Games & Practice
Spelling Success Games
Fun, engaging games that align with Barton levels for extra practice.
Explore Spelling Success GamesFree Interactive Reading Practice
Decodable Silly Story Generator
Create a short, playful decodable story for extra practice with one short vowel at a time.
Create a Silly StoryFor parents and children
Helping Your Child Understand Dyslexia
A simple explanation to share
Learning that you have dyslexia can help you understand why reading and spelling may feel harder than other things. Dyslexia means your brain processes written language differently. It does not mean you are not smart, lazy, or incapable of becoming a good reader. With the right kind of teaching, practice, and support, you can continue building your reading and spelling skills. You also have many individual strengths and talents that deserve to be recognized and celebrated.
A Simple Way to Explain Dyslexia to Your Child
- Explain dyslexia during a calm, comfortable moment.
- Use the word “dyslexia” so the child understands that their difficulty has a name.
- Reassure the child that dyslexia is not caused by laziness or a lack of intelligence.
- Explain that reading and spelling may require more direct teaching and practice.
- Remind the child that everyone has different strengths and challenges.
- Invite the child to ask questions and talk about how reading and school make them feel.
- Avoid promising that dyslexia will disappear or suggesting that every dyslexic child has the same strengths.
Watch together
What Is Dyslexia?
TED-Ed video by educator Kelli Sandman-Hurley
A short animated video explaining how dyslexia affects reading and how the dyslexic brain processes language. Parents can watch it with their child and use it to begin a reassuring conversation about dyslexia.
Watch the Video on YouTubeFor younger learners
Child-Friendly Resources
Made By Dyslexia: Kids
Child-friendly videos and activities that explain dyslexia, its challenges, and the importance of recognizing each child’s strengths.
Visit Made By Dyslexia KidsUnderstood: 8 Tips for Introducing Dyslexia to Your Child
Practical, expert-reviewed guidance to help parents talk with their child about dyslexia in a supportive and reassuring way.
Read the 8 TipsConcerned About Your Child’s Reading?
Book a Free ConsultationReading & Dyslexia Data
Reading and Dyslexia Statistics
Current U.S. reading and learning-disability data, with sources for families, educators, and writers.
View the Statistics