There is a debate in the Structured Literacy world about whether Print-to-speech or Speech-to-print is the more effective approach. Both approaches rely on phonics - matching sounds to their corresponding letter/letter patterns. They differ in that Print-to-speech starts with a letter/letter...

The Orton-Gillingham (OG) Approach is known as the "Gold Standard" for teaching dyslexics how to read and write. Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Samuel Orton and gifted educator and psychologist, Anna Gillingham, developed a multi-sensory approach to improve reading and writing skills in children with...

Traditionally, the majority of the annual IEP meetings take place between mid-January through mid-March. In this episode, I share 12 questions that you want to make sure you cover during these meetings and give examples of what good answers should include. 

I explain what a...

One of the most common questions I hear from parents after they hire a specialist is, how long will it take to get my child up to grade level? Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to give a clear, guaranteed timeline of your child’s progress.

In this episode, I explore the...

Many students with dyslexia can benefit from having extra support outside of their individualized learning plan. If you’re unhappy with the quality or quantity of services your child is receiving at school, it might be time to look into a private dyslexia instructor. 

In this...

In this episode, we explore how your child's evaluation informs the structure of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the educational decisions you make for them. I explain the two requirements that must be met for your child to qualify for an IEP, share examples of learning goals...

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and I’m celebrating by highlighting the successful dyslexics in my life and those around us. One of the biggest inspirations behind my career and this podcast has been my dad, Arne Sjursen. He was diagnosed with dyslexia almost two decades ago at...