--- title: Understanding Dyslexia in 2026 description: A blog from reading experts at Hoot Reading in honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month that unpacks the updated definition of Dyslexia from IDA and explains the recommended instructional approach for students who are struggling to read and spell. image: https://learn.hootreading.com/hubfs/Understanding%20Dyslexia_%20An%20Educator%E2%80%99s%20Guide.png --- [![logo-black-no-padding](https://learn.hootreading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Website/logo-black-no-padding.png?width=120&height=100&name=logo-black-no-padding.png)](https://www.hootreading.com) - [Families](https://www.hootreading.com/family-memberships) - [• Hoot Tutoring](https://www.hootreading.com/family-memberships) - [• Early Reading (Pre-K & K)](https://www.hootreading.com/early-reading) - [• Elementary Reading (Grades 1–5)](https://www.hootreading.com/reading-tutoring-for-elementary) - [• Middle School Reading (Grades 6–8)](https://www.hootreading.com/reading-tutoring-for-middle-school) - [Schools & Districts](https://www.hootreading.com/high-impact-tutoring) - [• High-Impact Tutoring](https://www.hootreading.com/high-impact-tutoring) - [• Reading Intervention](https://www.hootreading.com/reading-intervention) - [• Assessments & Reporting](https://www.hootreading.com/assessments-and-reporting) - [Impact](https://www.hootreading.com/our-impact) - [Teach With Hoot](https://www.hootreading.com/teach-with-hoot) [Log In](https://app.hootreading.com) [Get in Touch](https://www.hootreading.com/get-in-touch) Reading Disabilities ![](https://learn.hootreading.com/hubfs/Understanding%20Dyslexia_%20An%20Educator%E2%80%99s%20Guide.png) # Understanding Dyslexia in 2026 A blog from reading experts at Hoot Reading in honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month that unpacks the updated definition of Dyslexia from IDA and explains the recommended instructional approach for students who are struggling to read and spell. [Hoot Reading](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/author/hoot-reading) Oct 29, 2026 [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/understanding-dyslexia-in-2026&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/understanding-dyslexia-in-2026&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/understanding-dyslexia-in-2026&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/understanding-dyslexia-in-2026&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) [Reading Disabilities](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/tag/reading-disabilities) [Structured Literacy Intervention](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/tag/structured-literacy-intervention) [Dyslexia](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/tag/dyslexia) [Dyslexia Awareness Month](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/tag/dyslexia-awareness-month) *Recent research, including large-scale meta-analyses, has advanced and deepened our understanding of dyslexia, revealing a more complete picture of its causes, characteristics, and how effective reading instruction can help.*  October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, an opportunity to build understanding of one of the most common and widely misunderstood reading disabilities. Children with dyslexia are often bright, curious, and capable learners, yet struggle with reading skills that seem to come more easily to their peers. These challenges can be frustrating for children and confusing for families and educators. Fortunately, decades of research have helped us better understand dyslexia and identify instructional approaches that make a difference. Recent advances in research have also challenged some long-held assumptions about what causes dyslexia and how it presents in different learners. In 2025, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) updated its official definition of dyslexia to reflect this growing body of evidence. The revised definition provides a more nuanced understanding of dyslexia, recognizing that it can have multiple contributing factors and doesn't look exactly the same in every child. ## **What Is Dyslexia?** Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by persistent difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word reading and spelling. These difficulties can vary in severity and may affect a child's ability to sound out unfamiliar words, recognize familiar words automatically, or spell accurately. For some children, reading accuracy is the primary challenge. For others, reading may be accurate but very slow or overly effortful, which is the opposite of automatic. Importantly, these difficulties persist even when students receive instruction that is effective for their peers. For many years, dyslexia was understood primarily as a difficulty with phonological processing, or the ability to recognize, remember, and work with the sounds of spoken language. While phonological processing remains strongly associated with dyslexia, newer research has demonstrated that it is not the only contributing factor. The updated IDA definition recognizes that dyslexia results from a complex interaction of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences. It also acknowledges that underlying difficulties with phonological and morphological processing are common, but not universal. **The key takeaway is that** dyslexia doesn't have one single cause or look exactly the same in every child. What students with dyslexia share is persistent difficulty developing accurate and automatic word-reading and/or spelling skills. ## **Three Common Questions About Dyslexia, Answered by Research** ### **1. Is dyslexia genetic?** Genetics play an important role in dyslexia, and reading difficulties often run in families. However, there is no single gene responsible for dyslexia. Researchers have identified numerous genetic variations associated with reading development, and these influences interact with a child's environment and learning experiences. Having a parent or sibling with dyslexia increases a child's risk, but it does not mean the child will necessarily develop dyslexia. **What parents and educators should know:** Family history is an important consideration when identifying children who may benefit from early screening. Genetic risk does not determine a child's reading future, and effective instruction can make a substantial difference. **2. Does dyslexia mean seeing letters or words backward?** Letter reversals, such as confusing *b* and *d*, are common among children learning to read and write. While reversals are not a defining characteristic of dyslexia, research suggests that they may be related to how the brain learns to recognize and process written language. Our brains naturally recognize objects regardless of their orientation. But letters work differently. A small change in direction can completely change a letter's identity. As children learn to read, their brains develop specialized systems for recognizing letters and connecting them with speech sounds. Influential brain-imaging research by Sally Shaywitz and her colleagues found that readers with dyslexia often show different patterns of brain activation, sometimes relying more heavily on alternative brain networks to support reading. Other studies suggest that some children with dyslexia have greater difficulty distinguishing mirror-image letter forms or efficiently retrieving letter names and written representations. **What parents and educators should know:** Letter reversals alone do not indicate dyslexia, and many children with dyslexia do not reverse letters. Persistent difficulties with word reading, spelling, and reading fluency are more reliable signs that a child may need additional assessment and support. ### **3. Can children outgrow dyslexia?** Dyslexia is a lifelong learning disability, but that doesn't mean reading difficulties will remain the same over time. With effective instruction, children with dyslexia can make meaningful progress in reading accuracy, fluency, and spelling. Some students may continue to experience challenges with reading speed or spelling even after developing strong decoding skills. The severity and presentation of dyslexia can also change as children grow and encounter more complex reading demands. **What parents and educators should know:** Early identification and evidence-based intervention are particularly effective, but students can benefit from targeted reading instruction at any age. ## **What Effective Reading Intervention Looks Like** Although our understanding of dyslexia continues to evolve, research remains clear about the importance of explicit, systematic, evidence-based reading instruction. The International Dyslexia Association recommends **Structured Literacy**, an instructional approach that directly teaches the structure of spoken and written language. Structured Literacy instruction is: - **Explicit:** Teachers directly explain and model new skills rather than expecting children to discover patterns independently. - **Systematic and cumulative:** Skills follow a carefully planned sequence, with new learning building on previously taught concepts. - **Diagnostic and responsive:** Teachers use assessment and ongoing observation to identify students' needs and adjust instruction accordingly. Structured Literacy addresses foundational skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, and word recognition, along with more advanced language skills including morphology, vocabulary, sentence structure, and comprehension. These principles benefit all developing readers, but students with dyslexia may require more individualized instruction, greater intensity, and additional opportunities for guided practice. Importantly, recognizing that dyslexia has multiple contributing factors doesn't mean that students need entirely different instructional approaches based on their underlying cognitive profiles. Research continues to support well-designed interventions that directly address the reading and spelling skills students need to develop. For a closer look at this approach, read our previous article,[*Many Kids Are Being Taught to Read the Wrong Way. Here's the Right Way.*](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/why-structured-literacy-works-for-kids-with-dyslexia) ## **How Hoot Reading Supports Students with Dyslexia** At Hoot Reading, our instructional approach is grounded in the Science of Reading and the principles of Structured Literacy. Our qualified teachers provide one-on-one reading instruction that is explicit, systematic, and responsive to each student's needs. Through assessment and individualized instructional pathways, tutors identify specific skill gaps and provide targeted instruction and guided practice. Students build foundational reading skills through carefully sequenced lessons, cumulative review, and opportunities to apply what they've learned. Instruction also supports language comprehension, helping students develop the skills needed to understand increasingly complex texts. Hoot works with students with a wide range of reading needs, including students with dyslexia. While our tutoring does not diagnose dyslexia or replace a comprehensive evaluation, it provides evidence-based reading support tailored to each learner's current skills. ## **FAQs We Get Regarding Dyslexia** **Does Hoot Reading use Orton-Gillingham?** Hoot does not use a designated Orton-Gillingham (O-G) program. However, our Structured Literacy approach shares many instructional principles associated with O-G, including explicit, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and individualized instruction. Orton-Gillingham is one approach associated with Structured Literacy, but the broader framework is not limited to a single methodology or program. **Is the Hoot teaching approach different for students with dyslexia?** No. Structured Literacy principles support effective reading instruction for all children. Students with dyslexia may need more intensive, individualized instruction and additional practice, but the underlying principles remain the same. **Should parents wait for a diagnosis before seeking reading support like with Hoot?** No. If a child is struggling to develop foundational reading skills, early intervention is important. Parents can work with their child's school to understand the specific areas of difficulty and seek targeted instruction while pursuing further evaluation when appropriate. ## **Every Child Deserves the Opportunity to Become a Strong Reader** Dyslexia Awareness Month reminds us that understanding reading difficulties is only the beginning. As research advances, we're learning that dyslexia is more complex than any single underlying deficit. Children may experience similar reading challenges for different combinations of reasons, and their individual strengths and needs can vary considerably. What hasn't changed is the importance of identifying reading difficulties early and providing effective, individualized instruction that targets missing skills in an explicit and systematic manner.  At Hoot Reading, we believe reading difficulties should never define a child's potential. With evidence-based instruction, knowledgeable educators, and the right support, more students can develop the skills and confidence to become successful readers. [**Learn more about Hoot Reading's individualized reading intervention**](https://www.hootreading.com/reading-intervention)   **Research References** 1\. Catts, H. W., Haynes, C. W., & Joshi, R. M. (2026). Defining dyslexia: 2025 revision. Annals of Dyslexia. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-026-00363-4](https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-026-00363-4?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 2\. International Dyslexia Association. (2025). Definition of dyslexia. [https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/](https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 3\. International Dyslexia Association. (n.d.). Structured literacy: Effective teaching for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties. [https://dyslexiaida.org/structured-literacy/](https://dyslexiaida.org/structured-literacy/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) 4\. Pennington, B. F., Santerre-Lemmon, L., Rosenberg, J., MacDonald, B., Boada, R., Friend, A., Leopold, D. R., Samuelsson, S., Byrne, B., Willcutt, E. G., & Olson, R. K. (2012). Individual prediction of dyslexia by single versus multiple deficit models. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 121(1), 212–224. [https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025823](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025823?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Recent Posts Reading Disabilities ### [Understanding Dyslexia in 2026](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/understanding-dyslexia-in-2026) A blog from reading experts at Hoot Reading in honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month that unpacks the updated definition of Dyslexia from IDA and... Hoot Reading Oct 29, 2026 NAEP Reading Scores ### [It's Never Too Late to Become a Strong Reader](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/its-never-too-late-to-become-a-strong-reader) The latest NAEP reading scores are a reminder that older readers still need support—and that with the right instruction, growth is possible. Hoot Reading Jul 23, 2026 Parents ### [End of Year Testing: What Parents Need to Know](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog/end-of-year-testing-what-parents-need-to-know) As the school year comes to an end, assessments in core academic subjects reveal if your child is ready for the next grade level, or if they need... 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