![The Importance of “Unexpectedness” in Dyslexia [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ogie-vJG0I2woCmg-unsplash-400x250.jpg)
At a recent U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the “Science of Reading,” witnesses emphasized the value of early, explicit decoding instruction. They also underscored a point that should be noncontroversial: intelligence scores should never be used to deny a struggling reader access to evidence-based instruction and support.
![What will Happen if the Department of Education is Eliminated? [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Department-of-Education-400x228.png)
The short answer is – we don’t know, but the laws that govern protection for individuals with disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia are grouped under this category) were passed by Congress and that protections cannot be removed by executive order unchanged. Of more concern are impacts on fundings for schools – that may already struggling to make ends meet.
IEPs and 504s SHOULD STILL EXIST Programs that should still be in place include IEP or Individualized Education Program under the ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act. An IEP is usually required for the highest levels of support for dyslexic students in the public school system – usually meaning pull-outs, resource room, specific and individualized educational goals for a student, and accommodations and […]
Krista’s 3-book series, Everyday Adventures with Molly and Dyslexia is now available in bookstores and online shops! These books are a wonderful way to talk to young children about dyslexia, the importance of self-advocacy, self-acceptance, and discovery of dyslexic strengths. REGISTER FOR KRISTA’S BOOK GIVEAWAY HERE These books can also be a wonderful addition to the classroom. Krista’s first book, Molly’s Great Discovery, follows Molly as she learns about her learning difference and trouble she is having with reading aloud or spelling tests and getting her ideas down on paper. At first, worried to ask for help, she gains confidence, then comes to understand her unique differences as well as that other children may have differences on the outside and inside as well. […]
Last week, Brock and I gave a presentation on the Strengths of Dyslexia at the Randall Library in Stow, Massachusetts via Zoom. Tina McAndrew, director of the Randall Library, got the idea to apply for a grant from the American Libraries Association after speaking to Scott Cummings, a library patron who was amazed by the audio and other resources available after he contacted her. One of the first audiobooks he listened to with the Libby App was our book, The Dyslexic Advantage. Imagine how positive dyslexia awareness could be transformed if every library had a strengths-focused dyslexia event! Although libraries in many ways are an ideal place to spread dyslexia awareness (they have many free educational and community resources, many have free tutoring programs), many […]
"Just knowing the reason why you're having these issues makes a difference psychologically...that alone was kind of refreshing..." — Sophia, 16 Energized by her own recent identification of dyslexia, homeschooled teen Sophia decided to spread positive awareness of...
![Q: What If My Professor Rejects My Accommodations Request? [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dyslexia-college-professor-400x250.png)
Q: WHAT IF MY PROFESSOR REJECTS MY ACCOMMODATION REQUEST? A: You haven’t said what accommodation you are seeking, but the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA requires that postsecondary institutions must provide “reasonable accommodations” to participate in courses, programs, and activities. From the American Psychological Association: “These accommodations can be in the form of academic adjustments or modifications such as extended time for test taking or completing course work; substitution of specific courses to meet degree requirements; modification of test taking or performance evaluations so as not to discriminate against a person’s sensory, speaking or motor impairments, unless that is what is being tested. Accommodations can also take the shape of auxiliary aids and services such as qualified sign language interpreters, note takers, […]
![Understanding Dyslexia as an Adult [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dyslexic-advantage-cambridge-400x250.png)
When I listened to music, I used to get really frustrated because I could never understand the words of a song that I had just heard for the first time… then I reread my report: “Isla struggles with auditory processing.” Now, I understand…that makes a lot of sense, something that I hadn’t thought about, which is why I think it’s so important.” – Isla McDade-Brown When Dr. Brock Eide was in England, he met up with young filmmaker Isla McDade-Brown from the University of York who was filming a documentary for her final Film and Television dissertation. Isla was identified with dyslexia at the age of eight, but now as a final year college student, she was reading her assessment as an adult and reflecting […]
"A GradNation report recently released by Civic Enterprises and the Everyone Graduates Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education shamefully found that “… students with disabilities graduate at a rate nearly 20 points lower than the average...
Any student who applies to college or graduate school knows that the burden to re-test can be costly for students pursuing higher education. For decades, families have had to navigate a minefield of proof to be granted much-needed accommodations for high stakes exams. The cost may really add up. We have posted on the Department of Justice’s regulations regarding the ADA at work and at school here. Although these guidelines clearly stated re-testing for accommodations should not be burdensome and that generally outside testing should be accepted, families have had to fight battles on an individual basis if their particular request for accommodations was denied. Well, the recent good news is that the Department of Justice has announced at settlement with the Education Testing […]
