Interview with Melanie Brethour

Aug 12

Full-time elementary resource teacher in Montreal, Canada and also a parent to a child with severe dyslexia.
Passionate about dyslexia and the science of reading, specifically supporting parents through navigating the dyslexia journey.
Her son was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of nine. This influenced her to learn more about dyslexia and how she could support both her son and her students.
Founded Decoding Dyslexia Quebec, which raises awareness about dyslexia and gives support to educators and parents.
Her passion resides in sharing resources and information for parents, teachers, and all educators so that those with dyslexia can feel supported.

One of the biggest misconceptions has to do with reversals. Parents and even educators always ask if reversals are a sign of dyslexia. This is not actually a sign of dyslexia. Rather, it’s more like one piece of the entire puzzle.

When learning to read, many kids make reversals - especially in kindergarten and 1st grade. We know that explicit instruction in writing and handwriting is important here. So again, reversals aren’t really a sign of dyslexia like some may think.
When a child sees the letter b, they could maybe see a q, d, or a p. Orientation of the letters matter and while some pick it up easily, if it’s third grade and the student isn’t picking it up, it may be an indicator of dyslexia.

Another misconception is that children with dyslexia aren’t trying hard enough or are unmotivated.

But rather, students with dyslexia work so very hard during the day - five times harder, in fact! Everything in reading is difficult for them - they’re not lazy.
It’s so important that teachers and parents praise them in their efforts. It’s so important to understand that children with dyslexia have brains that are wired differently. Because of this, we need to be patient with them, as they’re trying so hard to read everything not only in reading class, but cross-curricular as well.
Some great advice is to tag team within your house, so each of you can come in fresh and take breaks. Be your child’s cheerleader and praise even the smallest of successes!

A big obstacle to overcome is when the school isn’t providing adequate instruction (tiered instruction) or even instructing effectively. Even when you have the opportunity for a tutor, it’s costly. It can even be difficult to get an assessment to even find out if your child has dyslexia.

Advice:Be aware of what the school is providing and ask your school questions about one-on-one time and how they’re teaching children.

Another big obstacle is the social-emotional piece to dyslexia. Children know that they’re not reading like their peers and it can make a huge impact on their self-esteem. This makes kids anxious, and there really is a connection between dyslexia and anxiety.

Advice: Be cognisant about the connection between your child having dyslexia and the anxiety it might bring to the classroom. Continue to be their cheerleader!

As teachers, it’s our job to teach children how to read. If we don’t understand how to teach reading, then we are missing a huge piece of a puzzle. It’s like expecting someone with glasses to go through life without them. We must give them the accommodations they need to be successful. We have an obligation to provide these kids instruction (a ramp, glasses, etc.)

Advice: Advocate for your child. For children with dyslexia, everything takes time (word problems, reading novels, reading social studies texts). When you’re talking with your school about accommodations, ensure that they have the “extra time” accommodation in their IEP.

Remember, technology is not a solution to dyslexia. They must be taught how to read by teachers and tutors. Here are some interesting ideas for technology:

Any OCR Reader - this recognizes text within a digital image (ex: scanned documents and images).
Immersive Reader with Microsoft - can be used for reading texts out loud.
Office Lens with Microsoft - free app, takes a picture of any text, can translate it, and read it out loud.

This push for better instruction in the science of reading is a big issue because it encompasses so many aspects - parents, schools, teachers, districts, communities, boards. When you’re adopting a new curriculum or are implementing new legislation, it takes a great deal of time.
We must bring knowledge and professional development to teachers and parents. Parents especially need a voice at this table because at home, we get all aspects of the child and the whole picture.
Social media also does a great job at raising awareness of dyslexia, the science of reading, and best practices.

To teachers - Dyslexia is not rare. In fact, about 1 in 5 people have dyslexia. That means at least one child in each classroom has it, whether it be mild, moderate, or severe. We must teach the science of reading in order to reach these kids.
To parents - Please know it is not you or your child’s fault if they have dyslexia. It is never too late to get help! Don’t be afraid to speak up for your child and talk about your concerns. Ask questions about what kind of instruction and interventions they’re getting.
To children - The video, See Dyslexia Differently is a great way to explain dyslexia and how the brain is wired differently. (AMIE - CAN YOU CONFIRM THIS IS THE VIDEO? I JUST WENT AND FOUND IT THROUGH A SEARCH)

Check out these awesome resources at Literacy Edventures that correlate to this interview!

Alphabet Quest