Dyslexic thinking is a constant companion in my life. It’s part of who I am, and it runs in my family.
As the founder of The Reading Switch and a parent of children with dyslexia, it’s probably not surprising that reading, literacy and learning is something that’s very close to my heart. My passion to help young dyslexic learners was lit when my children were in primary school.
It wasn’t until we were faced with the very real possibility our child may never learn to read that the potential consequences of our situation really hit home.
It was so much more than a difficulty with learning to read. This was just the tip of the iceberg as anyone with a struggling dyslexic child will know.
I knew I had to make a choice – do nothing and accept this as part of their future or do as much as I could to change it.
I thought long and hard about it. It was clear that they were unable to learn to read in same way their peers did. The dyslexic brain simple worked in a different way and perhaps, they needed to learn in a different way too. It made me question a lot of things like what was missing for the dyslexic child in the way we teach reading? How does a dyslexic child learn and process information? It made me think about how I learn as a dyslexic thinker and it got me thinking “Have I done enough?”
And so, I made a promise to my child that I would do everything in my power to help them learn to read. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, I just knew that I would.
I went on to create a new learn to read system that was compatible with the learning needs and processing style of a dyslexic child and this was the key to my children’s reading success. It needed to be different from any other system or methodology that had existed before to overcome the usual barriers to learning.
As a parent, I can tell you there was no greater joy in watching my child’s reading abilities enthusiastically grow week by week. Best of all, this was something I could do each day to help from the comfort of my own home.
This was the breakthrough we desperately needed. The progress was incredible. My child went on to reach the expected reading standard for their grade level within a 6 month period and have never looked back. All that was needed was a learn to read system that was compatible with their learning needs and processing style and of course a supportive adult to guide them through the process.
And now, a few years down the track, I look at my child each day and the young adult they’re becoming, and I smile.
I smile because I know they’re going to be just fine.
Learning to read is the gateway to life long learning and independence.
The Reading Switch is my answer to overcoming reading difficulties for dyslexic learners.
As for dyslexia, it will always be a part of who we are and how we experience the world.
