Apricot Tree AcademyUnderstanding DyslexiaLesson 1 · One-page guide
What Is Dyslexia?
A language-based difference in how the brain connects sounds and letters — not eyesight, not intelligence, not effort.
The three things to remember
- It's about sounds, not sight. Dyslexia is a language-based difference in how the brain connects sounds and letters.
- It runs in families. Over half of children with dyslexia have a parent or close relative who struggled with reading too.
- Early help changes the trajectory. Support helps at every age, but the early school years matter most — which is exactly why you're doing this.
Signs of Dyslexia — check what you've seen
- Late talking
- Learns new words slowly
- Reversing sounds in words
- Confusing words that sound alike
- Stuttering
- Difficulty learning the alphabet
- Difficulty rhyming words
- Trouble learning nursery rhymes
- Family history of dyslexia
- Reading below grade or intelligence
- Letter reversals past 3rd grade
- Trouble finding the right word
- Trouble learning sight words
- Not hearing that words come apart
- Not linking letters with sounds
- Difficulty spelling
- Slower at reading and writing than peers
- Messy handwriting
- Low self-esteem
- Avoiding reading, especially aloud
No child has every sign — several together is the typical picture, and not all signs are evident in every child.
Tonight's five minutes
Watch your child read or talk for five minutes. Check any sign above you notice. Naming it is the first step to helping.
Apricot Tree AcademyUnderstanding Dyslexia
Lesson 2 · One-page guide
The Strengths of Dyslexia
A different way of processing information — and that difference comes with a real set of strengths.
Five strengths that come with the package
- Big-picture thinking — seeing patterns and connections others miss
- Exceptional creativity — higher scores on tests of imagination and original thinking
- Spatial & visual reasoning — maps, puzzles, building, engineering
- Resilience & determination — built by working harder than everyone else, every day
- Empathy & people skills — they know what struggling feels like
How to use this
Say this — be specific, not generic
Not “you're so smart,” but: “The way you figured out that Lego build without instructions? That's real problem-solving. That's your brain's strong suit.”
Kids with dyslexia collect evidence all day that they're bad at reading. Your job is to make the counter-evidence — their real strengths — impossible to miss. One in five people share this brain wiring: inventors, athletes, artists, entrepreneurs. Your child is in good company.
Tonight's five minutes
Pick one strength you've seen in your child this week and name it out loud, with the specific example. Watch their face.
Apricot Tree AcademyUnderstanding Dyslexia
Lesson 3 · One-page guide
The Myths of Dyslexia
You will hear all five of these — from relatives, sometimes from teachers, sometimes from your own inner voice. Have the truth ready.
Myth → truth, at a glance
- “It's just reversing letters” → It's a language-processing difference, not a vision problem. Some letter confusion is normal in young readers.
- “They aren't smart” → Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence. Full stop.
- “They just need to try harder” → It's about the right tools, not more effort. Structured, multisensory instruction is what works.
- “It can be outgrown” → It's lifelong — but with the right support, children become strong, confident readers.
- “It only affects reading” → It can touch spelling, writing, memory, sequencing, and organization too.
Why this page matters
A one-sentence answer, delivered calmly, protects two people: your child, and your own resolve on the hard days. Pick your sentence before you need it.
Tonight's five minutes
Pick the myth you've heard most. Write your one-sentence answer to it and stick this page on the fridge.
Apricot Tree AcademyUnderstanding Dyslexia
Lesson 4 · One-page guide
Talking to Your Child About Dyslexia
Your child already knows something is different. The conversation you're dreading is usually a relief to them.
The conversation, scripted
Opening the door
“You know how reading feels harder for you than it looks for other kids? There's a name for that, and it's not ‘trying harder.’ It's called dyslexia — and it's the reason we're going to practice differently, not more.”
“Is something wrong with me?”
“Nothing is wrong with your brain. It's wired to be great at some things and to need a different route for reading. We found the route.”
“Will it go away?”
“It's part of how you're built, like your eye color. Reading will get easier and easier — the dyslexia stays, the struggle doesn't have to.”
“Am I the only one?”
“One in five people — inventors, athletes, artists, people who started companies. You're in good company.”
Around the talk — from our parent guide
- 1
Prepare yourself
Understand dyslexia first so you can explain it simply and answer their questions.
- 2
Choose the right time and place
Calm, comfortable, unhurried — never right after a hard homework session.
- 3
Use simple language & share stories
Not a reflection of intelligence or effort. Family stories and famous names help them feel less alone.
- 4
Encourage questions and emotions
It's okay to feel frustrated. Validate it, and leave the door open for round two.
- 5
Focus on strengths & involve their school
Have specific strengths ready to name. Make sure teachers and child know they're one team with a plan.
Keep it an open topic
Discussing dyslexia with your child is an ongoing process, not an announcement. Weave the word in lightly — “that's your dyslexia making ‘b’ and ‘d’ wrestle” — until it carries no charge.
Tonight's five minutes
Have the conversation — or if you've had it, ask: “What do you wish other people understood about how you read?” Write the answer down word-for-word.