13 Jun Gavin and Hannah’s Story
First, I would like to mention that one in five children struggle with dyslexia. This means 2-4 students in every classroom in the United States struggle with dyslexia. Our school system does not use accommodating
strategies that can help students with dyslexia. Dyslexia is one of the most common specific learning disabilities in the world but often goes undiagnosed.
When Gavin started kindergarten, I had no doubt that he wouldn’t succeed in school. When his teacher informed me that Gavin was struggling I was a little confused but nonetheless, trusted his teacher. At this point, he started to receive reading intervention to help close the gap in reading.
Reading intervention helped some but not enough to say Gavin was actually improving. His teachers used all kinds of instruction over the next two and half years and I was reassured that “he will catch on.” His dad and I watched as he started falling further behind. I began praying for answers and one day in October, God began answering those prayers. October happens to be Dyslexia Awareness Month and information about Dyslexia was put right in front of me. I started researching “signs of dyslexia” and knew in my heart Gavin had to be evaluated.
I reached out to a close friend that is a psychologist and she recommended getting Gavin screened at Springfield Center for Dyslexia and Learning. In the middle of Gavin’s 3rd grade year he started tutoring at SCDL. A 504 plan was implemented for him at school and within that plan, Gavin was able to leave school early three days a week to receive his one-on-one tutoring.
Shortly after starting, I witnessed Gavin begin to have more confidence in himself. In ten months, he improved 18 reading levels and there was no regression during the summer. His 4th grade year I actually began declining reading intervention at school because I knew the support he was receiving at SCDL was truly the right help he needed.
We will be forever grateful for the Springfield Center for Dyslexia and Learning. We watched Gavin go from hating reading to reading every night because he now enjoys it. Gavin has become his own advocate in class now too. He raises his hand and isn’t afraid to ask questions. He is now equipped with many tools that will help him not only succeed in school but in life, and for that, we are thankful.
