Listen to Renée read this article aloud.

We’ve come a long way over the last 25 years. Back then, parents did not always speak openly about their child’s learning challenges, and many students went without a proper diagnosis. Dyslexia Awareness Month hadn’t fully taken hold. There were no bumper stickers or t-shirts normalizing dyslexia. And enrolling in a school like Carroll was often accompanied by an undercurrent of negativity — the need to “fix” a child so they could return to their “other” school.

Today, a major mindset shift has transformed how we think about and educate students with learning differences. In part, we can thank advances in neuroscience. We now have a much better understanding of how the brains of students with dyslexia function and learn best.

But the other big reason for this mindset shift is that we’re talking about learning differences more. It’s a pretty simple idea, but talking — making the words “dyslexia” and “learning differences” part of everyday conversation — has a tremendous impact on our kids.

Why does talking about learning differences positively impact kids?

I’ll share two main reasons. 

First, I hear over and over again from students that — contrary to their experience at Carroll — they knew they weren’t quite fitting into their old schools, but they didn’t understand why. The more kids wonder, the more anxious they become. When you start a conversation and give them the information they seek — “This is how your brain learns and this is what we’re going to do about it.” — they suddenly feel seen and supported. Acknowledging their concern and naming it is a powerful antidote to their worry and isolation. 

Second, a beautiful opportunity for connectivity awaits families who are willing to talk about their child’s learning differences. After a diagnosis, some parents come to realize that they, too, experienced similar struggles in school, though they were never diagnosed. Anger, guilt, and shame may follow. But as we unpack our own learning histories — and share our own challenges— we’re better able to understand, support, and connect with our children in meaningful ways. 

These conversations also produce a ripple effect: They begin in families, then trickle out to extended family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Before you know it, you are educating others about learning differences and normalizing it for your child. What’s more, you are contributing to a culture in which all children with dyslexia benefit.

Tips for Talking to Kids about Dyslexia

At Carroll, we don’t only observe Dyslexia Awareness Month in October. We celebrate it every single day of the year. Like any other content area, we explicitly teach students about their learning profiles in developmentally appropriate ways. 

First/Second Grade

We intentionally use the word “dyslexia” so students understand and are comfortable with the word. 

Third Grade

We begin more explicit lessons that teach students about their identity, how they learn, and how to ask for what they need. These early advocacy skills are introduced gradually and woven throughout the curriculum, across all grades and divisions.

Fourth/Fifth Grade

We talk about the neurobiological makeup of the brain. Using clay, students build maps of their brains, identifying the different lobes and their functions. They learn that having dyslexia means that the problem-solving and reasoning parts of their brain are their superpower. Other parts, like those that process words, sounds, symbols, and memory, have to work a bit harder. 

Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Grade

Self-advocacy skills — understanding and asking for what they need to succeed — are emphasized in the middle school years. These skills are highly interconnected with confidence, and are a leading variable in a child’s success when they leave Carroll.

Just ask Joe Looney ’21 and Gabi Raymond ’21, now seniors in high school. As an ultimate example of the advocacy skills and confidence they learned at Carroll, they recently launched the Dyslexia Mentorship Initiative. It pairs kids with dyslexia with older student mentors who can share their own experiences and help them feel supported. 

We want kids with dyslexia to know, ‘You’re not different. Nothing is wrong with you. I understand what you’re going through.'

Gabi Raymond, as told to a Channel 5 reporter in a segment about the initiative

We couldn’t agree more. We applaud Joe and Gabi for taking action and being on the front lines of this important conversation.

By using the word “dyslexia” in our hallways, emphasizing strengths over deficits, and crafting lessons that give students agency and voice while setting high expectations, we are equally energized to propel the conversation forward.

My Amazing Brain: A Film about Dyslexia and the Power of Thinking Differently

In partnership with award-winning children’s book author Peter H. Reynolds, Carroll is excited to announce the release of a student-inspired animated film about dyslexia, called My Amazing Brain. Check it out!