The World Needs You
March 18, 2026, IDA Georgia

Dyslexia presents challenges, but those challenges also shape how individuals with dyslexia learn to think.

When reading and writing don’t come easily, individuals with dyslexia are constantly figuring things out in new ways. They learn to problem-solve, to look at challenges from different angles, and to keep going even when something feels hard.

Over time, this builds something powerful:
Grit. Resilience. Creative thinking.

Dyslexia often builds the very skills the world needs most.

Many people with dyslexia become strong problem-solvers, not in spite of their challenges but because of them.

They learn how to adapt. How to persist. How to see what others might miss.

And those are exactly the kinds of strengths that lead to innovation, leadership, and meaningful impact in the world.

Every child deserves to know:
Struggle is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it’s often where strength is built.

Your path may look different.
But it can lead somewhere extraordinary.

Chase your dreams. The world needs you.

Visit ga.dyslexiaida.org/inspire-dyslexia to learn more about how you can inspire others.

An Open Letter to the Dyslexic Youth of America

March 18, 2026

I need you to hear something.

Not first as a school administrator or a teacher—but as someone who learns the way you do, who took far too long to see in myself what I now see clearly in you.

So let me say it plainly: The world needs you. Exactly as you are.

You can be president. A doctor, lawyer, teacher, plumber, actor, scientist, poet, entrepreneur. Anything. Not in spite of how your brain works—because of it.

Now the harder truth.

The system was not built for you. It was built for a different kind of learner—and for too long, anyone who didn’t fit that mold was labeled, sorted, and set aside.

Some of you have been tested, pulled out of class, talked about rather than talked to.
Some of you have had teachers who tried their best and still missed you.
Some of you have had adults who were supposed to help and left you feeling smaller instead.
Some of you worked twice as hard to feel half as capable.

This is not a reflection of your potential.

A learning difference is a disability when no one around you understands it.

But here is what I know.

Every time you flip on a light, start a car, or pick up your phone, you are living inside the imagination of someone who learned exactly like you. The world didn’t make room for them either. They built it anyway.

You come from that line.

The way your brain hunts for patterns, thinks in pictures and systems, asks why when others just memorize what—those are not flaws. They are features. Remarkable, world-changing features.

Difficulty is not evidence that you don’t belong. It is evidence that the world hasn’t caught up to you yet.

You will lead, create, invent, heal, build, and inspire.
Not despite the way you learn.
Because of it.
And one day, the world will catch up to you.

With respect and admiration,
Josh Clark
Dyslexic Dad
Dyslexic Learner
Head of School, Landmark School,
Past Board Chair, International Dyslexia Association

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

International Dyslexia Association Defends Dyslexic Learners, Calls for Better Instruction

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA), the oldest organization dedicated to the study and treatment of dyslexia, is issuing an urgent message: dyslexia is not a reflection of a person’s intelligence, cognitive ability, or potential success. It is a difficulty with reading and spelling words quickly and accurately that is unrelated to a person’s intelligence or future accomplishments.

Dyslexia affects more than 10% of people worldwide, making it one of the most common learning differences. Throughout history, many entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, and public leaders have been identified with dyslexia and have been highly successful and influential in helping shape the world.

According to Devin Kearns, IDA Scientific Advisory Board Chair:
“Research consistently shows that dyslexia is unrelated to a person’s intelligence.”

He added that good teaching matters:
“Evidence from hundreds of studies shows that excellent instruction can prevent, reduce, and mostly eliminate serious long-term reading difficulties. Many people with dyslexia develop the skills that allow them to read and spell just as well as their peers.”

These findings underscore that a student’s reading success has less to do with natural ability than with the quality of instruction they receive. Decades of research in the science of reading consistently point to Structured Literacy as one of the most effective approaches for teaching all students (especially those with dyslexia) how to read, write, and succeed.

According to IDA Board of Directors Chair Janet Thibeau:
“IDA is actively working with independent training entities and universities to accredit educator preparation programs to ensure they meet the highest standards in Structured Literacy instruction.”

She added that when students with dyslexia receive Structured Literacy, they gain the tools to decode, read, and write with accuracy and confidence.
“Structured Literacy is essential for dyslexic learners and beneficial for all students.”

Now is the time for action. The International Dyslexia Association calls on educators, policymakers, higher education institutions, and communities to:

Reject outdated myths that equate reading difficulty with lack of intelligence.
Recognize dyslexia as a common and identifiable learning difference.
Adopt and implement Structured Literacy grounded in the science of reading.
Prioritize early identification and intervention for struggling readers.

Much more than an education issue, this is an equity issue. Literacy is foundational to opportunity, and every child deserves access to instruction that works.

Dyslexia does not define a person’s intelligence. But how we respond to it as a society will define our commitment to ensuring every individual has the opportunity to succeed.

About The International Dyslexia Association

The International Dyslexia Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy through research, education, and advocacy. For more than 75 years, IDA has been a leading voice in advancing evidence-based approaches to reading instruction and supporting individuals with dyslexia and related learning differences. Through its Knowledge and Practice Standards and its leadership in advancing Structured Literacy, IDA is working toward a future where Structured Literacy is in every classroom and every child can read.

For more information, visit: www.dyslexiaida.org

Media Contact: Marie Mechinus – info@dyslexiaida.org

International Dyslexia Association
1829 Reisterstown Road Suite 350
Pikesville, MD 21208
(410) 296-0232 Tel | (410) 321-5069 Fax