October Is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Let’s Make It an ACTION Month.

I’m going to say something a little unpopular: I hate awareness months.

I understand the intention.  Getting people talking matters. But every October, I find myself thinking about the children who are still struggling to read, the parents searching for answers, and the families being told to give it more time.

As a mama of children with learning differences and an educator who works with struggling learners, I want awareness to lead somewhere. Our children need something to change.

Being aware doesn’t teach a child to read. Sharing a ribbon doesn’t provide effective instruction. Children need adults to take what they learn and do something with it.

At My Learning Farm every child is capable

To better instruction. To provide answers for families. To give a child the support they need.

What we do with that awareness matters-take action.

Write down your concerns. What are you noticing during reading, spelling, and homework? Write down specific examples, how long the struggles have continued, and how much help your child needs. Save dated work samples. Include your child’s strengths and their own words about what feels difficult.

Meet with your child’s teacher. Share your observations and ask what the teacher sees at school. Bring your questions and request current reading data. Before you leave, agree on next steps and a date to check progress together.

Find out how literacy is taught at your child’s school. Ask which curriculum is used and how children are taught to connect sounds with letters, read unfamiliar words, and spell. Ask whether instruction includes explicit, systematic teaching—and what additional instruction happens when a child struggles.

Ask specific questions. You deserve explanations you can understand:

• Which reading skills are difficult for my child?

• What do the assessment results show?

• What instruction are they receiving, how often, and in what size group?

• What training does the person providing intervention have?

• How will we know the instruction is working?

• When will we review progress, and what will change if progress is limited?

Learning should feel calm, joyful successful and at My Learning Farm-it is!

Learn about dyslexia and its signs. Persistent difficulty learning letter sounds, reading words accurately or fluently, and spelling can warrant further investigation. Dyslexia does not reflect a lack of intelligence or effort. These signs alone do not establish a diagnosis, but they are reasons to ask questions and seek assessment.

Research effective instruction. Learn about structured literacy: direct, carefully sequenced instruction in sounds, spelling patterns, syllables, and other parts of language. Ask providers how their instruction follows these principles and responds to your child’s progress.

Follow through. Send a brief email after your teacher meeting summarizing the plan. Schedule the assessment conversation. Take a parent training. Explore formal training or certification if you want to develop your own teaching skills. Choose a step you can take this week.

And if you need help turning all those questions into a plan, that is where My Learning Farm can help.

Celebrating success daily at My Learning Farm

Educational consultations: Bring your concerns, questions, and information about current instruction. I can help you organize what you’re noticing, discuss learning needs, and identify practical next steps—including questions to bring back to school. If you're a homeschool parent, let's sit down together to choose effctive curricula and methodoligies.

Academic assessments: I assess reading skills such as phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, and comprehension to identify strengths and areas needing instruction. Families receive a report and a parent meeting to discuss results and recommendations. These are educational assessments, not formal dyslexia diagnoses. Learn about academic assessments.

Special education advocacy preparation: I help parents organize records, understand educational information, prepare individualized questions, and get ready for IEP/504 conversations. My role is to help you participate with greater understanding and preparation; I do not attend school meetings or provide legal advice. Explore advocacy support.

Individualized instruction is more than teaching it is developing connections through laughter, games, activities and trust!

Individualized academic instruction: I use Orton-Gillingham structured literacy to support reading, writing, and spelling through explicit teaching and guided practice. Learn about reading support and contact me about the waitlist.

Here are two resources to help you begin:

• Dyslexia Basics — International Dyslexia Association: Learn about dyslexia, common signs, evaluation, and support.

• Structured Literacy — International Dyslexia Association: Understand the instruction to look for and ask about.

Ready to take action? Contact My Learning Farm to arrange an educational consultation. Tell me what you’re noticing and what you’re hoping to understand. We can discuss whether a consultation, academic assessment, or advocacy support is the right next step.

I know how much courage it can take to say, “Something isn’t working, and we need help.” I’ve been that mama, too.

I LOVE celebrating student success EVERYDAY at My Learning Farm

This October, write it down. Ask the questions. Meet with the teacher. Learn about the instruction. Reach out for support.

Let’s give our children something that lasts beyond an awareness month's ribbon: informed adults taking action on their behalf. ❤️