When School Isn’t Enough: How Dyslexia Therapists Help Struggling Readers Thrive
Many smart, curious kids are slipping through the cracks in reading—not because they aren’t capable, but because most classrooms aren’t built for the way dyslexic learners acquire literacy. General reading instruction tends to move fast, assume “typical” progress, and rely on strategies that don’t explicitly connect sounds to letters in a structured sequence. That mismatch leaves dyslexic students working twice as hard for half the results. A dyslexia therapist can change that trajectory.
Why traditional school supports often fall short
School-based help is valuable, but it’s usually designed to reinforce what’s already being taught in class. For a child with dyslexia, simply getting “more of the same” rarely fixes the root issue—difficulty mapping sounds to symbols and applying those patterns automatically in reading and spelling. What’s missing is targeted, diagnostic, step-by-step instruction that builds each skill in order and at the student’s pace.
What a dyslexia therapist does differently
A dyslexia therapist creates (and continually adapts) an individualized plan to improve reading and writing skills, not just homework performance. Therapy is prescriptive and diagnostic—each lesson is informed by what the student can do today and what must come next tomorrow. It’s multisensory, structured, sequential, cumulative, and explicit, so students learn the building blocks of language in a way that sticks.
The Orton–Gillingham foundation
ClearPath Dyslexia grounds therapy in the Orton–Gillingham (OG) approach—proven, personalized instruction that explicitly teaches the relationship between sounds and letters and gives students repeated, hands-on practice until each skill is secure. OG’s essential elements (multisensory, structured, sequential, cumulative, diagnostic, and prescriptive) are the backbone of effective intervention for dyslexia.
Evidence-based programs that build real skills
At ClearPath Dyslexia, students work in OG-based, structured literacy programs that match their age and needs:
BUILD – early intervention (around ages 5–6) with 100 lessons to catch issues before they compound.
Take Flight – an intensive two-year intervention for roughly ages 7 through middle school.
Wilson Reading System – a comprehensive program for ages 7 to adult.
Each program is designed to systematically teach decoding, spelling, and language structure—so gains transfer beyond the tutoring table into everyday reading and writing.
How therapy starts—and how progress is measured
Therapy begins with targeted assessments of decoding, encoding, phonological awareness, fluency, comprehension, and written expression. Those results shape clear goals and a plan you can see. Families receive periodic progress reports that show what’s improving and what’s next. Most students meet 3 times per week in 45–60 minute sessions (shorter for early grades) to build momentum.
Virtual, in-person, and always multisensory
ClearPath delivers most sessions virtually—and it works. With interactive, multisensory lesson design and a touch-screen device, students engage actively and retain more. Local families in Central Florida can also meet in person.
School + therapist = the strongest team
When school and therapy stay in sync—using the same structured-literacy principles—students progress faster. A therapist can fill gaps that classroom pacing can’t address, while teachers reinforce new skills across the day. It’s a win-win built on clarity, coordination, and an evidence-based approach. ClearPath Dyslexia
A guide who’s walked the path
ClearPath’s dyslexia therapist, Kathleen, is CALT-certified and brings both professional training and lived experience as a dyslexic learner. That perspective matters: instruction is not only research-driven, it’s compassionate and practical for real school demands.
What this means for your child—starting now
If your child is “behind” in reading, they don’t need to work harder—they need instruction that works differently:
Get a clear picture. Start with targeted assessments to understand strengths and needs.
Choose structured literacy. Ensure therapy is OG-based and explicitly teaches sound-symbol relationships.
Commit to frequency. Short, regular sessions (ideally 3x/week) create momentum and measurable growth.
Coordinate with school. Align strategies so new skills are reinforced in classwork and homework.
When the instruction fits the learner, confidence returns, and reading stops being a daily battle. That’s the promise—and the practice—of dyslexia therapy.
