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. 6d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. Sep 10

    Early Signs of Dyslexia in Toddlers: What Parents Need To Watch For

    Picture your four-year-old standing on the front porch in a backpack that hangs down past their knees. Everybody is smiling for the first-day-of-preschool photo. Not one person in that picture is thinking about the early signs of dyslexia. After this episode, you'll know what to watch for in a two year old toddler, in a four year old preschooler, and for a six year old child. Plus discover one easy thing to do that takes five minutes a day. Brain differences linked to reading show up in babies who are still in diapers, years before anyone hands a child a book. Meanwhile, the average child in this country isn't identified until after the third grade. The windows are in the wrong order, and that gap is where families lose years they never needed to lose. I missed every one of these signs in my own daughter, which is exactly why I'm walking you through the early signs of dyslexia. Learn to: 1. Recognize the early signs of dyslexia by age  2. Read your family tree like a detective 3. Explain what at risk actually means 4. Use the five-minute-a-day activity that predicts reading success  5. Ask your child's school the specific question about reading instruction  If you know another parent of a struggling reader who's been told to wait and see, please share this episode with them. Tap follow so next week's episode finds you, and leave a quick rating. If you're seeing a cluster of these early signs of dyslexia in your child and you want a second set of eyes on it, book a free 15-minute consultation at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ No pressure and no pitch, just a clear next step. Cheers, Tracy Young,  Orton Gillingham Tutor  The Literacy Keys Find The Literacy Keys  Instagram: @theliteracykeys  Facebook: theliteracykeys  YouTube: @theliteracykeys  Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Resource mentioned: Yu X, Ferradal S, Dunstan J, et al. "Patterns of Neural Functional Connectivity in Infants at Familial Risk of Developmental Dyslexia." JAMA Network Open, 2022: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2797787

  5. Sep 3

    Dyscalculia Symptoms: 9 Signs Parents Miss (+ 5 Books That Will Help You Understand What Is Dyscalculia)

    Picture your child at the table, counting a small handful of coins for the third time while telling time on the clock is a total mystery. You’re concerned but aren’t sure why. Let me share that dyscalculia symptoms rarely announce themselves in one dramatic moment. By the end of this episode, you'll know nine signs to look for; understand what is dyscalculia in plain language and discover five books that will make your journey feel a lot less lonely. A while back, a family asked if I could help their dyslexic son with math. I said yes, and then went straight down the research rabbit hole. Dyslexia and dyscalculia travel together far more often than parents are told. Roughly 30% of kids who have dyslexia will also have dyscalculia. That doesn’t mean that you need to have dyslexia to have dyscalculia.  Here's what this episode hands you: Recognize the nine dyscalculia symptoms parents and teachers miss: from telling time on an analog clock, to retrieving basic math facts. This will help you explain: “what is dyscalculia?” to your child's teacher, without any clinical jargon.  Then discover 5 must-have books on the subject. If your child is fighting reading or math and you are not sure where the foundation cracked, book a free 15-minute consultation at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ No pressure and no pitch, just a clear next step. Lastly, if you know another confused parent, please share this episode with them, follow the show so next week's episode finds you, and leave a quick rating. Cheers, Tracy Young Orton Gillingham Tutor  Find The Literacy Keys  Instagram: @theliteracykeys  Facebook: theliteracykeys  YouTube: @theliteracykeys  Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Key Points (00:00) What is dyscalculia? (06:42) Recognizing signs of dyscalculia (13:07) Dyscalculia challenges (15:39) Recommended books on dyscalculia

  6. Aug 27

    2e Kids: A Parent's Guide to Twice Exceptional (+ How to Get School Support)

    Your child holds it together for seven hours at school, but then walks in the door, drops their backpack on the floor and quickly comes undone over a granola bar! For many 2e kids, that end-of-the-school-day meltdown is the most honest assessment you’ll get all year. Discover what makes 2e kids unique. By the end of this episode you will know what the term means and what to do with it. Learn * Why strong grades and real struggle can live inside the same child * The kind of evaluation that actually finds the gaps * The two grades where twice exceptional teens most often stop coping My guest is Mark Talaga, owner and director of the Center for Identity Potential, a practice in Michigan and Chicago that works with gifted, neurodivergent, wonderfully complicated kids. Mark got fired from a video game job years before anyone told him that he was twice exceptional. He believes the 2e label is too small, and that most of these kids are closer to 10e. That's why so many 2e kids get told they are too smart to qualify for an IEP. Now, if you are wondering whether your child's reading, writing, and spelling struggles are the whole story, book a no pressure, free 15-minute consultation at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ If you know another parent whose bright kid is quietly running on empty, please share this episode with them. Hit the +follow button (under the three ... on the top right) so next week's episode finds you. Cheers, Tracy Young, Orton Gillingham Tutor The Literacy Keys Resources mentioned: Center for Identity Potential: https://www.centerforidentitypotential.com/ Mark's podcast: The Hopelessly Gifted Podcast, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Find The Literacy Keys Instagram: @theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Facebook: TheLiteracyKeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com

  7. Aug 20

    Read Alouds: What Nobody Explains To Parents (+ Unlocking The Question: Why Is It Important To Read To Your Child After Age Eight?)

    This episode is all about read alouds and unlocking why oral reading is important for your child. Hint: Because their ears are years ahead. By the end of this episode, you’ll:  Know why picking up books for read alouds does more for your child than another thirty minutes of sounding out words. Explain why your child's listening brain is years ahead of their reading brain, and exactly how long that head start lasts Use the stop, swap, and go method to hand your child a new word in about six seconds, without turning the story into a vocabulary quiz Pick the right book for a read aloud,  Run the whole plan in fifteen minutes a night, three nights a week If you're wondering whether read alouds are enough, or if your child also needs decoding work, book a free 15-minute consultation at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ No pressure and no pitch, just a clear next step. If you know another parent who quietly put the bedtime book away too soon, please share this episode with them, follow the show so next week's episode finds you, and leave a quick rating. Cheers, Tracy Young,  Orton Gillingham Tutor Find The Literacy Keys  Instagram: @theliteracykeys  Facebook: theliteracykeys  YouTube: @theliteracykeys  Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com Resources mentioned: Core Knowledge, Listening and Learning research summary: https://www.coreknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Listening-and-Learning-research.pdf Key Points: 00:00 Unlocking Success with Read Alouds 03:06 How Listening Comprehension Outpaces Reading Until Early Teens 10:11 How Read Alouds Combat The Matthew Effect For Struggling Readers 12:43 Engage Your Reader With Stop, Swap, and Go 18:42 Tips For Older Kids

  8. Aug 13

    Robots for Education: Should You Panic? Probably Not (+ what parents need to know about the robot teacher)

    A school district in New York just spent $57,590 on a humanoid robot named Sally, then hit pause days before the robot reached the classroom. The story behind robots for education is messy, and a lot more useful to you than the headlines made it sound. By the end of this episode, you'll know which tools can actually help your child read, and which ones to keep at arm's length. Here's what got lost in the noise. The robot was never the scary part. What matters for your child is who's in charge, and what the technology is really being used for. In this episode, host Tracy Young breaks down what happened in that New York classroom, why the backlash had less to do with the robot than you'd guess, and what it signals for the school your own kid walks into this fall. She also shares a quieter story: a group of students who built and programmed their own robot years ago, with nobody panicking at all. That one detail will change how you see this entire debate. After listening, you'll: - Tell the difference between a tool that builds your child's thinking and one that just hides the gap - Ask your school the question that reveals whether robots for education are actually being supervised - Use AI at home for practice without letting it replace the real teaching - Protect the human connection your child needs most, in ten minutes a night - Feel calm, and in control the next time an artificial intelligence in schools headline lands in your feed About Tracy: I'm Tracy Young, an ALTA certified Orton-Gillingham Educational Therapist, founder of The Literacy Keys, and mom to a dyslexic daughter. If you're worried your child is falling behind, reach out: https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ If this episode helped in any way, please tap follow and share it with another parent. Together we can make a difference. The Literacy Keys: Instagram: @theliteracykeys Website: https://theliteracykeys.com  Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/4fFa92F Spotify: https://bit.ly/4ascryE Resources: New York Focus, "NY School District Hits Pause on Robot Teacher": https://nysfocus.com/2026/07/24/new-york-robot-teacher-plan-paused #RobotsforEducation #StrugglingReaders #Dyslexia #OrtonGillingham #AIinSchools #DyslexiaInTeens Chapters 00:00 Unpacking Robot Teacher Headline 01:50 What Really Happened? 08:46 Control Factor 16:13 Role of AI and Robots in Education 21:34 Three Tips for Parents 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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