PDX Dyslexia Intervention

Tip Tuesday 🌻

The headlines say national reading scores are sliding — but here's what you can actually control at home.

New PISA data (reported by AP): students whose families asked them at least weekly what they did in school scored about 35 points higher on the science test — roughly a year and a half of learning, even after adjusting for background.

So here's my tip: don't ask "How was school?" Ask something small and specific. "What did you read today?" "What was the trickiest part of your morning?" One real question, every day. For our kids especially, being heard at home builds the confidence reading takes. 💙

TODAY at 3 PM ET: Learning Ally's "Beyond Screen Time: Navigating the K-12 Device Dilemma" panel webinar with Dr. Terrie Noland. Details + more October events: https://learningally.org/dam/

What's your go-to after-school question? Tell me below!

— Miranda, PDX Dyslexia Intervention

Motivation Monday 🌻

When the kid who plays Spider-Man tells a podcast he's "heavily dyslexic" — and has turned down hosting SNL because live cue cards terrify him — my tutor heart listens up.

Tom Holland put it so honestly: "I can read fine. But when I have to read out loud, it just becomes a kind of mental block. And I can freeze." He highlights scripts and learns his lines ahead, so he's skimming, not reading.

Here's what I want my students and parents to hear: this man leads Marvel movies, and reading out loud still rattles him. Dyslexia doesn't limit how far you go — successful people build strategies, and that's exactly what intervention gives kids.

To every kid who dreads reading aloud in class: you're in great company. 💙

Does reading aloud make your child freeze up too? DM me — or save this for the next tough homework night. ✨

— Miranda, PDX Dyslexia Intervention

Weekend 🌻 | Dyslexia Awareness Month

Big news to kick off the weekend: this week a bipartisan Senate resolution officially recognized October 2026 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month — and it named early screening as the priority.

This is the part I want every parent to hear: children with dyslexia are bright; they just learn differently. And the earlier we identify what's going on, the sooner they get the right instruction and the support they need to reach their full potential. 💙

Early screening + the right support change everything.

Since it's Dyslexia Awareness Month, here are three upcoming learning opportunities I want you to know about:

📚 Oct 7, 1:00 pm EDT — "Dyslexia and Its Profiles," an edWebinar for teachers and school leaders on how dyslexia looks different in every learner (and why that matters for instruction). FREE.

🌻 Oct 8, 1:00–2:00 pm — Windward Institute's "Dyslexia 101 Webinar," a practical starting point for parents and teachers on the signs to watch for and what actually helps. Virtual and FREE.

🧠 Oct 27, 6:30 pm Pacific — "Dyslexia for a Day v2," an immersive dyslexia simulation on Zoom with Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley. Walk in your child's shoes for an evening.

I'll pop links in bio so they're easy to find. And note: I checked IDA Oregon's events calendar and there are no October events listed right now — so these national virtual ones are the best bets.

If you've been wondering about your child's reading, don't wait for the system to notice. Trust your gut and ask questions — early screening is everything. DM me SCREENING and I'll share info about how early screening works.

Have you ever been to a dyslexia event or webinar? Tell me about it in the comments! 👇

— Miranda, PDX Dyslexia Intervention

Weekend 🌻 | 3 days to go

This week is packed with learning opportunities for dyslexia parents and teachers — and I don't want you to miss them. Countdown starts now:

📅 TOMORROW — Monday, Oct 6, 4:00 pm ET
IMSE's "Demystifying Dyslexia: From Screening to Instructional Action" with Dr. Brennan Chandler — how to turn screening and diagnostic data into real instructional decisions (and know when to refer). Note: IMSE hasn't stated a cost for this one, so I'm not calling it free — check IMSE's October sessions page for the details.

📅 Wednesday, Oct 7, 1:00–2:00 pm ET
edWebinar "Dyslexia and Its Profiles" — how dyslexia looks different in every learner, for teachers and school leaders. FREE.

📅 Thursday, Oct 8, 1:00–2:00 pm
Windward Institute "Dyslexia 101 Webinar" — the signs to watch for and what actually helps. Virtual, FREE, made for parents and teachers.

📌 One more for your radar: IMSE's "Beyond Dyslexia: Recognizing Developmental Language Disorder in the Classroom" with MaryKate DeSantis — Oct 15, 4:00 pm ET. DLD is more common than dyslexia and missed far more often.

The Oct 7 and Oct 8 links are already waiting in my bio under "Digital Dyslexia Events! October" (linktr.ee/pdx_dyslexia_intervention) 🌻

Which one are you most excited about? Tell me below — and tag a parent or teacher who needs to see this. 💙

— Miranda, PDX Dyslexia Intervention

Tutor Thursday 💙 | Dyslexia Awareness Month

“Tutoring is kinda a hassle for me because of my ADHD, luckily you make it fun!”
— 13-year-old online student

I love learning each of my students’ individual needs: how they learn best, when they’re feeling frustrated and need a break, and how I can help them feel seen and respected for the kind of learner they are.

I remind myself often: a listening body looks different for everybody. 🧠✨

Fidgeting hands, moving around, standing or sitting, little eye contact, even doodling can all be signs that this student is learning!

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and this is a great reminder that every learner deserves to be met where they are. 💙

— Miranda, PDX Dyslexia Intervention

📚 Meet Kristen Palomares! 💛
Kristen is one of our newest tutor to the team, and she believes every child deserves to feel the confidence and joy of becoming a successful reader.
She’s spent years volunteering with kids of all ages, from infants through high schoolers, and she has a special passion for helping elementary students build a strong reading foundation. In her sessions, students find a patient, encouraging space where every win gets celebrated. 🎉
When she’s not tutoring, you’ll find Kristen with her family, lost in a good book, or sharing her love of reading with her young son. 📖
Kristen offers both in-person and remote tutoring. Want to work with her? Reach out through the link in our bio!

📣 TOMORROW! The 3rd Annual Student Advocacy Workshop is happening Saturday, September 26 at Park Academy in Lake Oswego! 💙💚

This workshop is for students with dyslexia AND the parents, teachers, and tutors who support them. It’s a day all about helping kids understand their strengths and speak up for what they need.

🌟 Don’t miss speakers Dr.Cynthia Arnold and Alison Craker. They are truly amazing, and their sessions alone are worth the trip!

Presented by Park Academy and . There’s still time to register. The link is in our bio PDX Dyslexia Intervention!

We hope to see you there! 👋

Let’s talk about learning differences beyond reading. 💙

Dyscalculia is a real and often overlooked learning difference that impacts understanding numbers, math facts, time, money, sequencing, and problem-solving.

A child can be bright, capable, and hardworking. In addition, still need support with math. Awareness is key. Early identification can be imperative. Compassion around all of this is vital.

It’s also important to know that Dyscalculia and Dyslexia can occur together. Many individuals experience challenges with both math and reading-based processing, which is more common than people realize. Learning differences often overlap, which is why comprehensive screening and individualized support are so important.

We’re growing with intention Portland, we’re hiring. And this work actually matters.💛

Pdxdyslexia is starting a new journey - we’re looking for people who care deeply about literacy, neurodiversity, and supporting dyslexic learners of all types!

✨ Now hiring: Dyslexia Tutors
📍 Portland, OR
⏰ [Part-time / Full-time]

If you believe every brain learns differently and deserves support that will honor that, We want to meet you!

What you’ll bring:
• Compassion + patience
• Strong communication
• Passion for inclusive learning

What you’ll gain:
• Purpose-driven work
• Training in dyslexia-informed instruction
• A team that truly cares

Bonus Points:
+ Have experience Tutoring/Teaching
+ Experience the superpowers of Dyslexia yourself
+ Are a neurodivergent person

📩 Apply on Indeed! Just search PDX Dyslexia

Tag someone who would be perfect for this 👇