The Literacy Keys - Dyslexia resources and structured literacy tips by an Orton Gillingham tutor

Tracy Young, Orton Gillingham Tutor, Dyslexia Specialist & Mom of a Dyslexic Kid
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If you’re raising a child with dyslexia or a kid who’s struggling to read, write, and spell, stop guessing what to do next. I’m Tracy Young, a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor, dyslexia specialist, and this podcast will empower you to unlock reading, writing, and spelling success for your child. You’ll uncover structured literacy tips and practical advice about dyslexia (in plain English) to help you turn I can't into I can. Follow our weekly episodes and share them with others! Contact TheLiteracyKeys.com for a dyslexia tutor.

  1. 3d ago

    Working Memory Deficit! Why your teen forgets (+4 accommodations to ask for)

    You've been told your teen just needs to pay attention, but a working memory deficit isn't a focus problem. Often the kids who have one are paying more attention than anyone else in the room. They simply run out of space in the brain. In this episode, I explain what working memory actually is using an everyday comparison that you won't forget, and why working memory fills up so fast for kids with dyslexia. You'll hear what a large study found about how teachers describe these students, and why it might change how you see your own child. Then we get practical! Extended time is the accommodation everyone asks for, but it doesn't take a single thing off a full plate. I'll share four key accommodations for middle and high schoolers to request, plus the brain-training trend the research doesn't back up. We close with three things your teen can start doing this week, including a ten-minute habit before tests that lifted anxious ninth graders' grades. Wondering which accommodations belong in your child's plan? Book a free 15-minute consultation at theliteracykeys.com/contact/. Bring the latest evaluation and we'll read it together. If you know a parent whose teen keeps "forgetting," please share this episode with them and follow the show to discover key ways to help your child. Cheers, Tracy Young,  Educational Therapist and Orton Gillingham Tutor TheLiteracyKeys.com Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

  2. Oct 29

    How to Build Confidence in Your Kid? Slow Down (+ Let Them Be Bored)

    When was the last time your child was allowed to be bored? Not scrolling, not rushing off to practice, just bored. Veteran teacher Bridget Gengler thinks that empty space has a lot to do with how to build confidence in your kid, and her reasons may surprise you. Bridget once taught a quiet boy who dreaded being in the class wax museum. That’s the day every student dresses up as a famous figure and gives a speech to a room packed with parents. For him, it might as well have been a stadium. Bridget didn’t hand him the assignment and hope for the best. What she did in the months before that morning is something any parent can borrow. When the day came, he walked in dressed for the part, and his mom could hardly believe what happened next. Bridget grew up as the shy kid in the back row, so she has spent more than 30 years making sure no child in her classroom feels invisible. She’s also the author of two children’s books, Hold Your Head Up and Walk with Grace and You Have a Story to Tell. I asked her the question I always ask: why? Why do so many kids today need to feel seen, and what can we do about it at home? In this conversation, we chat about: Why rushing a nervous child usually backfires The one thing Bridget does before a new student ever walks through her door Why your third grader, or even your middle schooler, still needs to hear you read aloud Reading struggles have a way of chipping at a child’s confidence. If that sounds familiar, let’s talk. Book a free 15-minute consultation at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ and we’ll find your child’s first step together. Do you know a parent with a quiet kid who’s been hiding in the back row? Send this episode their way. And follow The Literacy Keys so you never miss a key episode. Find Bridget’s books at www.bridgetgengler.com as well as traditonal venues. Find Us on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube @theliteracykeys Listen on: Apple: http://bit.ly/4fFa92F Spotify: https://bit.ly/4ascryE Cheers, Tracy Young, Orton Gillingham Tutor The Literacy Keys

  3. Oct 22

    Get Organized: Create a Planner for Teens (+ 3 Systems on How to Help Your Teenager Get Organized)

    You just opened your teens backpack and found three weeks of crumpled math worksheets resting at the bottom. In this episode, you’ll learn how to get organized using simple, realistic routines that turn school chaos into calm consistency without nightly fights. Middle school brings a sudden jump in workload, rotating classes, and digital portals that easily overwhelm a neurodiverse student's executive functioning skills. When kids with dyslexia or ADHD start falling behind, their working memory is simply running on empty after a long day of processing. For parents wondering how to help your teenager get organized, the answer isn't buying fancier planners or nagging them every hour. Instead, it’s about putting frictionless systems in place that lower their daily overwhelm, and bypass fatigue. Here is what you'll walk away with after tuning in: A streamlined paper management system your teen can actually maintain. Tech-enabled voice-to-text that eliminates spelling anxiety. A routine that makes your mornings smoother. Actionable scripts to de-escalate pushback. Are you ready for personalized, 1:1 support that helps your struggling reader thrive? Head to The Literacy Keys to schedule a conversation today. If this episode brought some peace to your week, please share it with another parent who needs it. Then hit follow, and leave us a quick rating! Find Us Instagram: @theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Facebook: theliteracykeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com CHAPTERS 00:00 - Navigating Organizational Challenges 05:10 - Organizational Resistance 11:07 - Frictionless Organization 19:14 - Leveraging Tech to Get Organized

  4. Oct 15

    Child Refuses to Do School Work: 5 things That Parents Can Do (+ What It’s Really About)

    The worksheet has been sitting on the kitchen table since four o'clock, and at 9pm it’s still blank. When a child refuses to do school work night after night it's usually a sign of something. You need to know what that refusal is actually telling you.  I've learned from sitting across the table from students of all ages, that when a child refuses to do school work, the refusal is a coded message. It’s usually one of four things. Most parents can only think of one message. The other three are quieter and are easier to miss. But they get louder right as the support at school gets pulled out from underneath your child. Let’s sort out which message is happening in your house. Then I'll walk you through the 5 practical things I share with parents in my practice. One takes about thirty seconds to set up and usually ends the two hour homework night on its own. Another costs you nothing and tells you more about your child's issue than a report card has in three years. Lastly, I’ll share a question to ask, and a place to ask it. You want an honest answer and most parents ask it at the wrong moment. If tonight's battle is still fresh, let's talk. Book a free fifteen minute consultation at The Literacy Keys and bring your questions about your child. Fifteen minutes, and you'll leave knowing what to look at first. If you know another parent sitting at the kitchen table wondering why this is so hard, please share this episode with them. Then hit follow, and leave a rating so more families can find us. Discover: Instagram: @theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Facebook: TheLiteracyKeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Cheers,Tracy Young,  Orton Gillingham Tutor

  5. Oct 8

    Books About Dyslexia. Why Teens Read, But Still Struggle (3 Audiobooks)

    Books about dyslexia either hand you the key to understand your child, or leave you more confused than when you started your journey. By the end of this episode you'll know which three books about dyslexia are worth your time, and which one to open first if your child is an older student. As part of my Orton Gillingham certification training, I had to read at least ten books on dyslexia. A few were clinical enough to put me to sleep. Three of them are perfect for parents. In fact, one of the three named the exact situation that a reading specialist once told me could not be happening with my daughter. (Spoiler alert: schools don’t know a lot about dyslexia.) What you'll take with you: Language you can use the next time someone says your child just needs more reading practice A framework your teen can actually see themselves in A way to understand the kid who reads well out loud but cannot spell for beans Which of the three books about dyslexia to start first, depending on your child's age Permission to read none of them by Friday, because sleep is a good thing Books about dyslexia can only take you so far. If you want a plan built around your child, grab a free fifteen minute call at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/. If another parent doesn’t know where to start, please send this episode to them, tap follow, and leave a quick rating so more families can find us: Instagram: @theliteracykeys Facebook: theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Cheers, Tracy Young, Orton Gillingham Tutor and Educational Therapist Chapters 00:00 - Understanding Dyslexia 05:17 - The Foundational Guide: Shaywitz's Overcoming Dyslexia 10:39 - Unlocking Potential: The Dyslexic Advantage 16:26 - Action Guide: Empowerment Plan 24:26 - Your Role transcript

  6. Oct 1

    Dyslexia Awareness Month: Scared of the D-Word? Ditch the Red Pen + Reclaim Confidence 

    Watching your child stare at a worksheet covered in red ink is exhausting, but this is Dyslexia Awareness Month and we are flipping the script on those correction marks for good. You’ll walk away from this episode with the exact, low-stress script you need to talk to your child about reading struggles without tears or panic. For too long, the color red has meant one thing on your child's schoolwork: wrong, wrong, wrong. But staying silent about "the D-word" to protect them actually backfires. It leaves kids to fill in the blanks alone, where they usually assume the struggle means they aren't smart. They might even think they're stupid! The truth is, dyslexia is simply a difference, not a measure of intelligence. In this episode, host Tracy Young (ALTA-certified Orton-Gillingham Tutor and mom to a dyslexic daughter) shows you how to trade red pen drama for bold confidence. Here’s what you’ll walk away with: The exact reason why avoiding the word "dyslexia" backfires at home (and the simple 1-word shift that lowers your child’s anxiety). A low-pressure formula for having "the conversation" in settings where your child feels safe to open up. How to leverage October's global Go Red movement to turn past school struggles into a source of pride. Simple role-play scripts that teach your child how to advocate. Resources: Ready to give your struggling reader individualized, structured support that builds lasting confidence? Visit https://theliteracykeys.com/custom-shop/ to explore our personalized tutoring options today! If this episode brought you some peace of mind, please hit follow, leave a 5-star rating, and share it with another parent who needs some encouragement this week! Find Us: Instagram: @theliteracykeys Facebook: theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Mentioned in the episode ⁠I'm Not Stupid video⁠ ⁠Go Red for Dyslexia⁠ Chapters 00:00 Flipping the script 00:58 What red means 03:59 Why not saying dyslexia hurts kids 11:37 Dyslexia Go Red 15:39 Empowering your child Transcript

  7. Sep 24

    Neurodivergent ADHD Learner: From Parental Burnout to Building Your Child’s Dream Support Team

    If you're raising a neurodivergent adhd learner who struggles with reading, math, or school stress, you don't have to carry the load alone. Discover how to trade overwhelming burnout for a calm, structured plan to build your child’s ultimate support team. When learning differences like dyscalculia or dyslexia overlap with neurodivergent adhd, standard classroom approaches often fall short. Trying to manage school friction, homework battles, and accommodations single-handedly leaves both you and your child exhausted. In this episode, guest Lisa Richer joins host Tracy Young to share how trusting your intuition changes the entire trajectory. We discuss moving away from isolated battles so you can advocate with clarity and confidence. By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to: Spot early "yellow flags" in math and reading that traditional school evaluations often miss Select the exact specialists for your child Turn tense IEP meetings into collaborative partnerships Recognize parental burnout signs Ready to get tailored support for your neurodivergent adhd kid? Schedule a consultation at The Literacy Keys and explore advocacy resources at Journey 2 Bloom. If this episode gave you hope, please follow the podcast and pass it along to another parent who needs support today! Find Us Instagram: @theliteracykeys Facebook: theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com CHAPTERS 00:00 From burnout to bloom 03:25 Self-discovery clarity 07:28 Coexisting differences (dyscalculia) 12:51 Support dream team 20:42 What asking for help really means transcript

  8. Sep 17

    Dyslexia Screener Flagged Your Kid? Think of it as an eye chart. (+ 5 questions to ask)

    If you just received an At-Risk Letter, discover what to do with that information. Do you know which specific skill the dyslexia screener actually flagged? Most parents never find out, and that answer changes everything about what you do next. This episode will help you reframe a dyslexia screener as the eye chart, not the glasses. By the end of this episode you'll be able to understand an at-risk letter for what it really says, and walk into the school with five questions that get you real answers. More than half of US states now require schools to screen young children for reading risk, which is why these letters are suddenly being sent to parents. In Georgia, every student from kindergarten through third grade is screened three times a year, and the school has fifteen school days to notify you in writing. I'm Tracy Young, an ALTA certified Orton-Gillingham tutor and mom to a dyslexic daughter. A screening takes five to twenty minutes and samples a few narrow skills. It's like the nurse at the pediatrician’s office saying your child should probably see an eye doctor. She didn't prescribe glasses. Discover how to: 1.Tell the difference between a dyslexia screener and a full evaluation 2.Read the subscores and know which flag deserves a closer look 3.Send one email with five questions that starts a key paper trail 4.Spot the quieter signs in an older child who never got a letter at all If you know another parent who received an at-risk letter about a dyslexia screener, please share this episode with them, tap follow, and leave a quick rating. Cheers, Tracy Young Orton Gillingham Tutor Find The Literacy Keys Instagram: @theliteracykeys Facebook: theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Chapters 00:00 Understanding the at-risk letter 04:15 Dyslexia Screeners: what they measure 08:33 Three things to know 12:10 Five questions to ask the school 19:47 Final thoughts transcript

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If you’re raising a child with dyslexia or a kid who’s struggling to read, write, and spell, stop guessing what to do next. I’m Tracy Young, a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor, dyslexia specialist, and this podcast will empower you to unlock reading, writing, and spelling success for your child. You’ll uncover structured literacy tips and practical advice about dyslexia (in plain English) to help you turn I can't into I can. Follow our weekly episodes and share them with others! Contact TheLiteracyKeys.com for a dyslexia tutor.

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