Literacy Is a Human Right: Building Awareness and Hope for Every Learner

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and foster hope for every child who learns differently.

For me, this work is deeply personal. I grew up watching my grandmother fight for children with disabilities to receive the education they deserved. She testified before Congress in the 1970s, helping shape early education reform in Pennsylvania. Her advocacy inspired my own career in special education, and years later, my son’s journey with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD deepened that commitment even further.

When my son was in school, even with an IEP in place, he still wasn’t reading. I remember the frustration of wanting to help but not knowing how. That experience led me to dedicate my professional life to understanding how reading really develops, what effective literacy instruction looks like, and how every child can become a confident reader when given the right tools and support.

Why Learning Disabilities Awareness Matters

Without awareness, families often feel isolated, and children begin to believe something is “wrong” with them. But awareness changes everything. It brings understanding, access to resources, and hope.

Early signs of dyslexia and learning differences can show up as:

• Difficulty rhyming or remembering letter sounds
• Trouble recognizing words they’ve seen before
• Avoiding reading aloud or showing frustration with written work

Recognizing these early indicators allows us to take meaningful action through early screening and intervention, steps that can make all the difference in a child’s educational journey.

Literacy Assessments: A Clearer Picture of Learning

At Oakwood School, we believe that literacy is a human right. Our outreach and professional development programs support families and educators throughout Northern Virginia and the DC Metro area, extending far beyond our classrooms.

Whether we’re leading workshops for teachers, partnering with local libraries, or conducting free dyslexia screenings, our goal remains the same: to make effective reading instruction accessible to every learner.

For families who want deeper insight, our comprehensive literacy assessments go beyond screenings. While a screening can indicate that a child may be showing signs of dyslexia, a full assessment provides a detailed understanding of how a student processes language. 

We evaluate:

• Phonological awareness
• Decoding and fluency
• Reading comprehension
• Spelling and written expression
• Cognitive processes related to literacy

Each assessment results in a personalized roadmap for support, with clear, evidence-based recommendations for next steps. Parents often describe the experience as transformational; they finally understand why their child is struggling and how to help.

A Shared Commitment to Every Learner

This October and every month, I’m encouraged by the growing awareness of how reading develops and how learning differences can be supported. The more we share, the fewer children will struggle unseen, and the more we can celebrate the incredible potential in every learner.

If you’d like to learn more about Oakwood’s literacy assessments, free dyslexia screenings, or educator workshops, visit our Outreach & Literacy Services page or email our team today.

This blog originally appeared in the October 2025 Newsletter.