Our Mission

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The core purpose of The Dyslexia Initiative is to support families, and their dyslexic children.

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Dyslexia is complex, it’s more than a struggle to read, it is a language processing challenge, and that is so poorly understood.  Our mission is to have dyslexia be understood as a norm, so normal that its recognition is automatic, the provision of accommodations and services is automatic, acknowledging every class will have Dyslexia students, and that these students are automatically given what is needed, what is proven by science and a path without struggle.

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Until we get there, identification is key.  While numerous efforts are underway for universal screening in grades 1-3, it is critical that we also find and support the lost children, those from grades 4-12 who went undiagnosed, neglected and denied social equality through reading, education and success.  First, dyslexia is a language processing disorder, it’s not just related to a struggle to read.  There is so much more to dyslexia, including the co-morbid conditions.  There is also no cure and it’s not just our children who need support but our adults in college and beyond.  They deserve answers and support.

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Our educational system is broken.  It has strayed away from science based reading methodologies in favor of reading programs that fail, not just our dyslexic children, but all children.  Our country is in a literacy crisis with more than our dyslexic children suffering under poor reading methodologies.  The statistics are real and terrifying, and to fix dyslexia, we must fix our nation’s approach to how we teach reading to all children.

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But, while the fight is an enormous one, our heart is with dyslexia.  While we work to change the educational landscape for literacy, we will also work to educate and empower as many parents as we can, to celebrate the strengths and creativity of our dyslexic community, and to prove to the world, that our community is filled with highly intelligent, creative thinkers, contributors, and world changers.

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So, what does empowerment mean?

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Empowerment is a buzz word embraced by many as it is an appealing word, but without a definition of what empowerment means, it is just a word.

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The Dyslexia Initiative’s goal of parent empowerment means:

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• Helping to build the circle of support and trust, the go to people who will aid in finding answers to questions and who can offer support and provide answers in times of need.

• Demystify the path to accommodations and services so that parents have a clear road to travel to be a parent advocate.

• Illuminate the pathway to education about dyslexia and the co-morbid conditions.

• Illuminate the pathway to advocacy skills.

• Illuminate the pathway to diagnosticians, advocates, lawyers, etc.

 

After all, dyslexia isn’t a disability, dyslexia is a learning difference, and more importantly, an amazing gift.

 

Let’s celebrate it!  Let’s make this journey a simple one for families!  Let’s change the world!

 

We are by parents, for parents, for our children.

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Values

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1. We value the dyslexic mind and all that it has to offer in every form.

2. We value the science of reading as the only way to teach reading.  The science of reading helps all, harms none and benefits our dyslexic children most of all.

3. We value our teachers, they are the guardians of our future and key to educating our children in the Science of Reading.

4. We value each other.  It is through compassion, understanding and a united front that we will change education.