What is Dyslexia?

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The animated short film What is Dyslexia?, directed by Kyra Bartley, kicks off with a little girl named Lola (Hope Day) who is in a library by herself while her parents are having a serious conversation with a teacher or principal. She decides to do a Google search for “what is dyslexia?” As with kids who do the search in real life, the terrifying words “disability” and “lifelong learning disorder” are the first things that she sees.

Her world crumbles, and giant letters fall as she descends down a black hole. The abstract artwork of the film captures the beauty despite the sadness of the search results. Jeremy Irons appears as “The Inventor,” explaining that dyslexic thinkers have brains that work a bit differently, and some of them create masterpieces or become great storytellers.

The director (Liv Tyler) also imparts wisdom. Next thing you know, Lola is knocking out legendary boxer Muhammad Ali (Jaalen Best) while the crowd chants her name.

See more HERE

See the training HERE https://dys4dys.org

Dyslexia in children: Awareness and support crucial for academic success

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Local nurse, Ntokozo Pule is calling for greater awareness and understanding of dyslexia, urging parents to better support children with learning challenges. She explains that dyslexia is a learning difference that affects reading, spelling, and written language processing, even though children have normal intelligence and access to adequate schooling.

“It is not a sign of laziness or lack of ability, but rather a different way the brain processes information.

Read more HERE

Address literacy crisis behind empty desks

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If we want to address absenteeism, we must also address literacy by constructing systems that catch students before they fall further behind and strengthening core instruction. Here’s what that should look like in Arkansas schools:

Build systems that respond early and connect attendance to learning. I developed the Attendance Protocol Stack™ (APSTM), a structured framework that activates within 72 hours of an absence. It includes immediate family contact, student conferences, counseling, and academic alignment so attendance is addressed alongside skill gaps. I’ve seen that when students miss school, whether from disengagement or other circumstances, and someone responds early to understand and support them, attendance begins to shift. 

Read the whole article HERE

Turn Your Library Into a Dyslexic Positive Literacy Hub and Help Kids Learn to Read

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Transform your library into a literacy hub where kids are learning to read, including:

  • Science of Reading in libraries
  • The disconnect between literacy privilege and unmet literacy needs
  • Building empowering, productive relationships with “reluctant readers”
  • Aligning storytime and PK–YA programing with reading development phases
  • Partnering with literacy specialists to build decodable book collections
  • Removing barriers such as spelling bullying
  • Disrupting generational cycles of literacy avoidance and shame
  • Weeding discrimination and ineffective literacy methods (examples: leveled readers, sight words, Fountas & Pinnell)

The DPLI is grounded in literacy expertise, research, and dyslexic lived experience.

Read more about it HERE