That advice for teachers comes from Cooper Snedeker, a high school junior who has dyslexia but wasn’t diagnosed with the learning disability until he was in 8th grade. Like many students who struggle with some aspect of school—whether it’s learning how to read, do math, or focus on a classroom lesson—Cooper didn’t understand why reading was harder for him than most of his peers until more than halfway through his K-12 journey.
Cooper’s advice is also a call to action. A call for educators—and really, all of us—to take the time and make the effort to better understand the uniqueness of how children learn. Without understanding what lies at the root of students’ academic challenges, educators can’t effectively respond, support, and help unlock their full potential.
With this special report, we aim to help bridge the gap in understanding by explaining some key issues that shape the experiences of students with learning differences and neurodiversity and elevating advice and solutions educators can act on to make their schools supportive and effective learning environments for all kids.
