My 12-year-old couldn't read, and even as an educator, I had no idea why. It turned out he had dyslexia.

Just a few years back, my son Logan was not himself anymore.

At the age of 12, he began isolating himself from friends, suffered hair loss due to stress-related alopecia, and was grappling with clinical depression. He couldn't engage in the most common teenage communication method—texting. Video games felt isolating too, as he couldn't read the chat messages. In school, he kept a low profile to avoid the humiliation of being asked to read. Logan wore a resilient facade to hide his secret: he was unable to read.

As an educator, my worry grew. As a mother, my heart ached.

The Cause of His Anxiety

For Logan, the issue went beyond academics; it was a crisis of mental health. The feelings of frustration, anxiety, and low self-worth manifested as behavior challenges, avoidance, and reclusiveness. This was how he coped with the embarrassment of falling behind.

Logan, now 16, has long faced struggles. He was diagnosed with autism at age 6, and for years, the educational system made a grave assumption: his reading difficulty was due to his autism. He was moved along, with the belief that he was reading adequately each year, even as his peers widened the gap.

When I initiated a shift toward the Science of Reading in the elementary school where I worked, a personal crisis emerged at home. The 'one-size-fits-all' literacy method, which failed students nationwide, was also failing my son.

A major change for Logan occurred when I applied my work knowledge at home.

Discovering the Real Issue

As the nationwide adoption of the Science of Reading took place, my school began using a phonics-focused program, Reading Horizons, to evaluate aspects like phonemic awareness that we hadn't before. Out of curiosity, I used these assessments with Logan, asking him to break down the sounds in the word 'cat.'

He couldn't identify that 'cat' consisted of /c/ /a/ /t/. This left me astonished. He lacked basic understanding of word formation. I felt deep guilt, both as a mother and educator. Higher education didn't prepare me to teach reading to an older child, especially my teenager. A psychoeducational assessment finally provided clarity: Logan had dyslexia.

Addressing Dyslexia Needs

His difficulty with reading wasn't linked to autism, nor was it his own doing. Dyslexia makes reading and spelling hard, but with appropriate help, those with this condition can succeed.

Unfortunately, the secondary school environment didn't offer the necessary assistance. The answer wasn't more 'reading time' but targeted phonics instruction. During his tenth-grade year, a pivotal change occurred when his high school adopted a multisensory, evidence-backed phonics approach for a small student group that adhered to Orton-Gillingham principles, which was precisely what Logan lacked.

The path was challenging, demanding sacrifices. Logan attended intensive tutoring sessions two to three nights a week, missing social and family events, as we all realized how crucial this was for his future.

Older students like Logan, upon receiving needed support, must reject the belief that help is beyond reach. Within a year, his reading fluency jumped from 22 words per minute with 65% accuracy to 71 words per minute with 96% accuracy.

Logan's inability to read previously blocked his path to self-assurance and pride. His story is not a system triumph, but an exposure of its shortcomings. While changes are occurring slowly within the system, Logan's experience is not an anomaly.

Every year, countless children finish elementary education without adequate reading skills—not due to educator incompetence, but because outdated curricula restrict them. Inevitably, issues grow at the secondary level.

The notion that older students need a different path to reading, or that they will catch up automatically, is deeply flawed. No matter if a child is in first or tenth grade, they require systematic phonics instruction.

A New Understanding as an Educator

Previously a middle-school teacher, I had no means of assisting struggling readers. Secondary educators often specialize in content areas rather than reading. The belief persists that reading instruction is an elementary duty, assuming most secondary students are proficient. Yet, research shows only 35% of students in twelfth grade can read proficiently, leaving 65% at basic or below.

Now, as an instructional coach, I have resources to aid my school's approach. We've adopted ability grouping with assessments guiding our instruction. Teachers at my school receive training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), which delves into reading science.

Today, Logan has transformed remarkably. He consistently achieves honor roll status, belongs to the National Honor Society, was named 'Student of the Month,' and participates in varsity sports. Riding home last month, he said, 'School feels easier this year.'

I replied, 'That's because you are now a reader.'