Changing Typefaces Doesn’t Help People With Dyslexia. Here’s What Actually Does

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The State Department’s recent reversal of a 2023 decision to switch from Times New Roman to Calibri revived a decades-old debate over whether certain typefaces improve accessibility, particularly for people with dyslexia. The idea is simple and appealing: Choose the right font, and reading becomes easier.

That idea is comforting. It is also wrong.

Dyslexia is not a visual disorder. It is a language‑based learning disability rooted in how the brain processes speech sounds and connects them to print. People with dyslexia struggle with foundational skills such as phonics and with reading fluency not because letters look confusing, but because written language does not come automatically.

Read more about it HERE

UH Study Unveils New Targets for Dyslexia Solutions

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A University of Houston psychology professor is challenging the notion that dyslexia, or specific reading disorder, stems from a single faulty gene in the brain, suggesting instead that it is caused by an overall brain network vulnerability. The insight reshapes understanding of one of the world’s most common learning disorders, which affects up to 20% of the world’s population—nearly 780 million people who face lifelong challenges with reading.

Read all about it HERE

Hold your tongue: study shows numbing the mouth may speed up silent reading

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Parents often tell their children to sound out the words as they are learning to read. It makes sense: Since they already know how to speak, the sound of a word might serve as a clue to its meaning.

It turns out there’s a surprising and deep connection between what’s going on in your mouth and how your brain handles reading, and a University of Alberta research team hopes to use it to help people with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. 

In a new study with the alliterative title Perturbing the pathway: The impact of lollipops and lidocaine on supramarginal gyrus activity during silent reading tasks, the team found that numbing the mouth can help people read faster. 

Read all about it HERE

Why Sound, Laughter, and Play Are Essential for Learning

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Creative Sound Play recognizes what science and caregivers have long observed: humans communicate, bond, and learn through sound before words, symbols, or formal music. From giggles and coos to call-and-response vocal play, sound is a child’s first language—and one of the most accessible, inclusive educational tools available to educators today.

Dr. Mireault’s research highlights laughter as a mechanism for social bonding and emotional regulation, particularly in moments of surprise, play, and shared attention. Creative Sound Play extends this understanding into classrooms by intentionally using vocal sounds, clapping, stomping, silence, rhythm, and playful listening to strengthen relationships, support self-regulation, and transform everyday moments—especially transition times—into meaningful learning experiences.

Read the article HERE

School-Reported Reading Assessments Show Atypical Gains for Students With Dyslexia

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Across multiple cases and school-administered reports, students who participated in NOW! Programs®, an evidence- and research-based approach grounded in developmental brain science, demonstrated:

  • Significant percentile gains in reading and language performance
  • Growth exceeding typical annual expectations, rate of growth as high as 91st percentile
  • Sustained progress across multiple school testing windows

In several reports, students’ reading was previously below the 10th percentile and later they scored in the 50th to 80th percentile ranks, as documented by independent school assessments. The school-reported assessment outcomes align with federal and state expectations for evidence-based instruction under ESSA and IDEA, demonstrating measurable gains rather than reliance on compensatory strategies.

Read more about it HERE