A lot of bright kids are still stuck on the basics of reading, and too many parents are told to wait—or sold cures that don’t work. We sit down with dyslexia therapist Faye Bankler Cressell to unpack what actually helps struggling readers and how families can start real progress at home without losing years to red tape.
Faye shares her path from special Education to structured literacy, sparked by helping her own child during lockdown. She explains why the science of reading matters, what structured literacy looks like in daily practice, and how to tell evidence-based intervention from high-priced “brain training” that promises big results but delivers little. We get specific about foundational skills—phonemic awareness, sound-symbol mapping, CVC decoding, early syllable work—and how systematic, cumulative lessons rewire reading pathways across phonology, orthography, and morphology.
We also talk about the power of telling kids their diagnosis in clear, respectful language. When children know what dyslexia means, shame fades and self-advocacy begins. That confidence scales into high school, college, and the workplace, where naming strengths and supports becomes a strategy for excellence. Faye introduces her Home Reading Coach program, a 13‑week, parent-led course designed to be affordable, practical, and aligned with what research says works. Think printable materials, guided videos, and Coaching that help families move from ABC to CVC and into early two-syllable patterns—with measurable wins that build momentum.
If you’re navigating testing, IEEs, IEP meetings, or just wondering where to begin, you’ll find a clear roadmap plus vetted resources and communities like Decoding Dyslexia. You don’t need to wait for formal labels to take action; explicit instruction has no downside and a massive upside. Subscribe, share with a caregiver who needs this Clarity, and leave a review telling us the one reading question you want answered next.
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