October 31.
Thatās the last day of October.
News flash: happens every year like all the other days of the year (except that weird Leap Year thing.)
For those who may or may not know, October is Dyslexia Awareness Month.
Awareness factoid #1: 1 in 5 people have dyslexia. Yes, really.
Awareness factoid #2: The vast majority of Americaās schools, including Massachusetts, are using teaching methods that have been scientifically proven ineffective.
In other words, there is an incredibly high probability that 1 in 5 students in the schools near you are not learning to read in a way thatās aligned to their potential.
As this Boston Globe article recently said, āBeing the Birthplace of Educationā means every little if āoutmoded teaching methods leave thousands of students struggling to gain this critical skill.ā Read the article via the link above. Itās incredibly thorough ā yet also scary. I mean, how did we get here? How are we still here? How the hell are we getting out of it?
Reading is key to many day-to-day moments many of us take for granted.
Without it, you canāt decipher a mathematical word problem.
You canāt read a menu.
You canāt read directions.
You canāt read your own birthday card.
You might be unable to spell your own name, especially if itās not a simple one.
You may be told to try harder when you are trying your hardest.
You can get called slow, lazy, or inattentive.
āJust buckle down.ā
āConcentrate.ā
Itās no wonder many children struggling would do anything other than put a spotlight on their inability to read.
Reading aloud in front of people? That is terror-inducing. The absolute worst nightmare. Jason and Freddy in comparison? Kittens.
So many children out there would likely prefer to be someone else, anyone else. Except for the kid who cannot read.
So here, on the last day of Dyslexia Awareness Month, struggling kids with dyslexia quite literally get that wish for a night. Plus, candy.
Come November, the #dyslexiaawarenessmonth campaigns quiet and the libraries take down their month-long display (if they had one in the first place.) And too many schools will continue to use their ineffective teaching methods for the rest of the year.
Dyslexic children and your caregivers, when the mask comes off, itāll take bravery to keep going and keep your momentum positive.
You are not alone.