Is it possible for a child with dyslexia to succeed? I am often asked this question by concerned parents. Parents often fear that dyslexia is going to severely limit their child’s potential and ability to succeed in life. Sometimes, these fears prevent them from seeking a dyslexia diagnosis or dyslexia tutoring and treatment for their child. To fully understand this issue, it is important to explore why some parents believe that dyslexia will prevent their child from succeeding.
First of all, many parents fear that their dyslexic child will not be able to learn to read, spell, and comprehend what they are reading. Another common concern is that a child with dyslexia will always hate school, and will not pursue educational opportunities for that reason. In particular, parents may fear that a child with dyslexia cannot attend and graduate from college. Finally, parents are often concerned that dyslexia will prevent their child from succeeding in their chosen profession. I would like to address these concerns one by one.
Concerning the fear that a dyslexic child cannot learn to read, spell and comprehend, this is completely false! With the proper method and instruction, children with dyslexia can (and do) learn to read, spell and comprehend. I have seen this proven true again and again during my years working in dyslexia tutoring.
Regarding a dislike for school, many dyslexic children hate school simply because they feel like they fail constantly there, and nobody understands their struggles. If they have not been diagnosed with dyslexia, or discussed it with a knowledgeable adult, they may not know why they are struggling either, and this leads to endless frustration. When a child with dyslexia receives the instruction they need in the form of dyslexia tutoring and treatment, their feelings about school often change dramatically! Instead of dreading every school day, they start to enjoy school and understand that they can succeed there.
Many students with dyslexia attend colleges and universities and excel! Many colleges offer support that dyslexic students can take advantage of, like learning resource centers and private tutoring. Additionally, some universities are flexible on the application process, and will take a student’s dyslexia and various strengths into consideration.
Finally, there are many dyslexics who are tremendously successful in their chosen fields! An internet search can turn up many lists of these individuals. Personally, I have worked with several adult students who were very successful in their careers.
In conclusion, it is important to encourage dyslexic children to have dreams and aspirations. Dyslexia does not limit the opportunity for success!
Peter Groth
CEO
Dyslexia Connect Online Tutoring
Hello,
Excited to see that Mr. Groth has a connection to Wisconsin, as we are also from the great state of Wisconsin! I grew up in Mequon and my husband grew up in Muskego.
We have 13 year old twins we adopted from Guatemala at 7 months old, both have dyslexia, however, our son Jake has a more severe case than his sister Julia. We had done some OG when we lived in Tennessee and both children have IEP’s with accommodations. Do the OG help with homework and assignments? We have an in person tutor two times per week to help with reading and English, however, Jake has not really connected with her, so we are looking for alternative options.
Hi, Georgia. Thanks for your question! Yes, Orton-Gillingham does help with homework and assignments, and here is the way it does that. Children with dyslexia typically struggle with homework and assignments, due to their difficulties with reading and spelling. Orton-Gillingham helps them improve their reading and spelling, and as a result, their homework and assignments become easier as these skills improve. We would be happy to set up a free trial for you, if you are interested. You can request one of these from any of the contact forms on our site. Thanks! – Peter