Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Being called slow, lazy, careless, or unprepared can leave a mark—especially when you are working harder than anyone realizes.

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren Divine and Harrison Cole explore how repeated academic frustration, comparison, misunderstanding, and public mistakes can affect the confidence of dyslexic teenagers and adults.

You will learn how a genuine learning difficulty can become a painful identity, why some people hide their struggles, and how avoidance, perfectionism, humor, silence, anger, or pretending not to care may sometimes be attempts to protect against embarrassment.

The episode also explains the important difference between accountability and shame. Supporting someone does not mean removing appropriate expectations. It means creating a fair path for learning, improvement, and success.

Lauren and Harrison share five practical steps for challenging the “slow” label:

• Identify the negative message you received
• Replace judgment with accurate language
• Collect evidence of your abilities
• Find at least one safe, supportive person
• Practice clear and respectful self-advocacy

Listeners will also be guided through the 3-2-1 Confidence Card: three pieces of evidence about what they do well, two supports that help them learn, and one sentence they can use to ask for help.

Who This Episode Is For

• Dyslexic teenagers and adults
• Parents and caregivers
• Teachers, counselors, and school professionals
• Employers and managers
• Anyone carrying shame from past learning experiences

Disclaimer

This podcast provides general educational information and lived experience. It is not intended to diagnose dyslexia, anxiety, depression, or another medical, psychological, developmental, or learning condition. It is not a substitute for an individualized evaluation or professional care.

Persistent anxiety, hopelessness, withdrawal, school refusal, severe irritability, loss of interest, or continuing negative beliefs about oneself should be discussed with an appropriately qualified educational, psychological, or healthcare professional.

Resources

International Dyslexia Association—Social and Emotional Problems Related to Dyslexia: https://dyslexiaida.org/social-emotional/

Wilmot and colleagues—Growing Up With Dyslexia: Child and Parent Perspectives on School Struggles, Self-Esteem, and Mental Health: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10946500/

International Dyslexia Association—The Dyslexia–Stress–Anxiety Connection: https://dyslexiaida.org/the-dyslexia-stress-anxiety-connection/

You may have made mistakes, but you are not a mistake.

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

Knowing the answer and producing it quickly aren't always the same.

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren Divine and Harrison Cole explore why some dyslexic people need additional time to read, retrieve words, organize their thoughts, write responses, or follow multiple steps—especially under pressure.

You will learn why processing speed is not the same as intelligence, how a seemingly simple assignment can involve several hidden mental tasks, and why timers may increase anxiety, mistakes, and mental blanks.

The episode also helps listeners identify the real bottleneck: reading, remembering instructions, retrieving information, organizing ideas, or producing a written response.

Lauren and Harrison share seven practical strategies, including:

• Requesting clear written instructions
• Previewing tasks before beginning
• Reducing unnecessary copying
• Using assistive technology purposefully
• Separating thinking from writing
• Building accuracy before speed
• Using extended time with a specific plan

Listeners will also receive respectful self-advocacy language for requesting support at school, at work, and during everyday conversations.

Who This Episode Is For

• Dyslexic teenagers and adults
• Parents and caregivers
• Teachers and school professionals
• College students
• Employers and managers
• Anyone who understands the material but struggles to demonstrate it quickly

Important Reminder

Not every dyslexic person has difficulty with processing speed, and not everyone benefits from the same accommodation. Support should match the individual's documented needs. Extra time can provide access, but it does not replace appropriate instruction or intervention.

Disclaimer

This podcast provides general educational information and lived experience. It is not intended to diagnose dyslexia, processing difficulties, anxiety, or any other condition. It is not a substitute for an individualized evaluation or advice from a qualified educational, psychological, medical, or legal professional.

Resources

International Dyslexia Association—Testing and Evaluation: https://dyslexiaida.org/testing-and-evaluation/

International Dyslexia Association—Accommodations for Students With Dyslexia: https://dyslexiaida.org/accommodations-for-students-with-dyslexia/

International Dyslexia Association—Structured Literacy: https://dyslexiaida.org/structured-literacy-effective-instruction-for-students-with-dyslexia-and-related-reading-difficulties/

ADA.gov—Testing Accommodations: https://www.ada.gov/resources/testing-accommodations/

Needing more time is not the same as knowing less.

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

You studied the material. You understood it last night. But when the test began, your mind went blank. That experience can make a capable student believe they are lazy, unprepared, or not intelligent enough—but familiarity and retrieval are not the same thing.

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren and Harrison explain why rereading can feel productive without always making information easier to recall. They introduce a practical, research-informed study framework:

Retrieve: Practice bringing information back without looking. Space: Review it in short sessions across several days. Support: Use tools and approved accommodations that reduce unnecessary barriers.

Listeners will learn a simple 20-minute study routine, what to do when the mind goes blank during a test, and respectful sentences teenagers can use to request help. The episode also explains that dyslexia does not automatically mean a person has a memory disorder. Dyslexia primarily affects reading and spelling, although some learners may also experience working-memory, processing-speed, attention, or anxiety-related difficulties.

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

• Dyslexic teenagers and adults
• Students who understand lessons but struggle during tests
• Parents and caregivers
• Teachers, tutors, counselors, and school professionals
• Anyone seeking practical, shame-free study strategies

DISCLAIMER

This podcast provides general educational information and lived-experience perspectives. It does not diagnose dyslexia, anxiety, ADHD, a memory disorder, or any other condition, and it is not a substitute for an individualized evaluation or professional advice. Learning and memory difficulties can have several causes. New, severe, worsening, or persistent concerns should be discussed with an appropriately qualified healthcare, psychological, or educational professional. School accommodations should be based on the student’s documented individual needs and applicable school procedures.

RESOURCES

Roediger and Karpicke, Test-Enhanced Learning: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x

Karpicke and Roediger, The Critical Importance of Retrieval for Learning: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1152408

Cepeda and colleagues, Spacing Effects in Learning: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02209.x

U.S. Department of Education, Section 504 Resource Guide: https://www.ed.gov/media/document/parent-and-educator-resource-guide-section-504-public-elementary-and-secondary-schools-2016-21262.pdf

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Have you ever understood the material at home, only to sit down for a test and feel as though everything disappeared?

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren and Harrison explain why learning information and retrieving it under pressure are not always the same. For dyslexic students, the combined demands of reading, remembering directions, organizing an answer, managing time, and worrying about mistakes can heavily load working memory.

You will learn:

• How working memory supports test performance
• Why anxiety can compete for attention and make retrieval harder
• Why going blank does not automatically mean a student failed to study
• Two respectful sentences students can use to ask for help
• The five-part Recall Ready Plan for studying
• A 60-second reset for moments when the mind goes blank
• How the 3-2-1 Confidence Card can strengthen evidence-based confidence
• Why testing accommodations should be individualized and connected to what the test is designed to measure

Who This Episode Is For

Dyslexic teens and adults, parents and caregivers, teachers, counselors, learning specialists, and anyone trying to understand the gap between knowing the material and showing that knowledge during a test.

Disclaimer

This podcast provides general educational information and lived experience. It is not intended to diagnose dyslexia, anxiety, a memory disorder, or any other medical, psychological, developmental, or learning condition. It is not a substitute for an individualized evaluation or professional advice. Anyone experiencing severe, persistent, or worsening anxiety should speak with an appropriately qualified healthcare, mental-health, psychological, or educational professional.

Resources

Owens et al. (2014), anxiety, working memory, and cognitive test performance: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24387098/

Nelson et al. (2015), test anxiety among students with reading disabilities: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24153402/

What Works Clearinghouse, Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/1

International Dyslexia Association, Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia: https://dyslexiaida.org/accommodations-for-students-with-dyslexia/

U.S. Department of Education, Section 504: https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/individuals-disabilities/section-504

If this episode helps you understand a student differently, share it with one parent, teacher, counselor, or teen.

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

When a dyslexic teenager says, “I don’t care,” it may actually mean, “I care so much that I cannot let anyone see me struggle.”

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren and Harrison explore how shame and stigma can affect dyslexic teenagers at home, at school, and in social situations.

Listeners will learn how hidden shame can show up as anger, avoidance, perfectionism, joking, refusing to read aloud, hiding grades, or rejecting help. The episode explains why these behaviors should be approached with curiosity rather than immediately labeled as laziness, defiance, or a lack of motivation.

Parents and educators will receive practical guidance for protecting confidence without lowering meaningful expectations. The episode also includes three self-advocacy scripts teenagers can use, strategies for responding to bullying, and a simple “3-2-1 Confidence Card” exercise that helps teens recognize their abilities, identify helpful supports, and ask for what they need.

Who This Episode Is For

• Dyslexic teenagers
• Parents and caregivers
• Teachers and school administrators
• Counselors and educational professionals
• Mentors and youth advocates
• Anyone supporting a young person with dyslexia

Disclaimer

This podcast provides general educational information and lived-experience discussion. It is not intended to provide medical, psychological, educational, legal, or diagnostic advice. Dyslexia and emotional health affect each person differently. Parents and caregivers should consult appropriately qualified educational or healthcare professionals for individualized guidance.

Take statements about wanting to die, feeling hopeless, being a burden, or having no reason to live seriously. In the United States, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call 911 when there is immediate danger. Listeners outside the United States should contact their local emergency or crisis service.

Resources

Research on learning-disability stigma: https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194221087383

Growing up with dyslexia—child and parent perspectives: https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1729

Developmental dyslexia and mental health: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021653

School connectedness and emotional well-being: https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1775

StopBullying.gov—Youth with disabilities: https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/special-needs

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/

If this episode helps you, follow The Dyslexic Signal and share it with one teenager, parent, teacher, or counselor who needs this conversation.

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

Asking for support at work does not make you less capable. It can help your true ability show.

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren Divine and Harrison Cole explore the hidden effort many dyslexic employees put into managing dense emails, multistep verbal directions, proofreading, meetings, training, and workplace expectations.

You will learn how to identify the specific barrier affecting your work, connect it to a practical solution, and ask for support clearly and professionally. The episode includes four ready-to-use request scripts, examples of possible workplace accommodations, guidance for deciding whether to disclose dyslexia, and advice for responding when the first conversation does not go well.

Managers will also learn how clear priorities, written action items, accessible technology, examples, and private feedback can help capable employees perform at their best.

Who This Episode Is For

• Dyslexic employees and job applicants
• Adults who suspect dyslexia affects their work
• Managers, supervisors, and business owners
• Human Resources and workplace-support professionals
• Parents helping dyslexic teenagers prepare for employment
• Coworkers and advocates who want more inclusive workplaces

Disclaimer

This episode provides general educational information and lived-experience discussion. It is not legal, medical, psychological, employment, or diagnostic advice. Workplace rights and accommodations depend on individual circumstances, essential job duties, employer coverage, location, and applicable law. Consult an appropriate workplace contact, qualified professional, or attorney for guidance about a specific situation.

Resources

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — Disability Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodation: https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination-and-reasonable-accommodation-medical-inquiries-leave-and-telework

EEOC — Job Applicants and the ADA: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/job-applicants-and-ada

Job Accommodation Network — Free, confidential accommodation guidance: https://askjan.org/

International Dyslexia Association — Dyslexia Basics: https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-basics/

If this episode helps you, follow The Dyslexic Signal and share it with one employee, manager, or family member who needs this conversation.

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

Why can an ordinary day of reading, remembering, organizing, and communicating leave a dyslexic person completely drained?

Following our conversation about dyslexia and ADHD, Lauren Divine and Harrison Cole explore the hidden mental load that can accompany dyslexia. Tasks that appear simple from the outside—reading an email, following verbal instructions, taking notes, checking spelling, or organizing thoughts—may require considerable mental effort.

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, we discuss why this invisible work can contribute to mental fatigue without suggesting that dyslexic people are less intelligent, motivated, or capable. You will learn how working memory, language processing, self-monitoring, and masking difficulties may add to the load.

We also share practical ways to protect your energy:

• Identify the tasks that demand the most mental effort
• Schedule demanding work around your strongest energy periods
• Ask for written instructions and accessible formats
• Use reminders, templates, text-to-speech, and speech-to-text
• Build recovery time between demanding tasks
• Replace perfectionism with clear definitions of “finished”
• Explain your needs without apologizing for them

Who This Episode Is For

Dyslexic adults and adolescents, parents, students, educators, employers, and anyone who wants to understand the invisible effort behind everyday tasks.

Important Note

Mental fatigue is not the same as physical exhaustion or excessive daytime sleepiness. Dyslexia may help explain why certain language-heavy tasks require more effort, but fatigue can have many causes.

Disclaimer

This podcast provides general educational information and lived experience. It does not diagnose or treat dyslexia, fatigue, sleep disorders, or any other medical, psychological, developmental, or learning condition.

If you experience new, persistent, severe, or unexplained fatigue—or regularly fall asleep unintentionally—please speak with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

Resources

• International Dyslexia Association: Dyslexia Basics
• International Dyslexia Association: Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia
• Beyond Reading: Psychological and Mental Health Needs in Developmental Dyslexia
• Executive Functions and Developmental Dyslexia
• CDC: About Sleep
• NHLBI: Anemia

Follow The Dyslexic Signal so you do not miss our next episode: “Dyslexia at Work: How to Ask for Help Without Feeling Less Capable.”

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.

Difficulty concentrating, forgetting instructions, avoiding reading, and struggling to complete tasks can appear in both dyslexia and ADHD—but the underlying reasons may be different.

In this episode of The Dyslexic Signal, Lauren Divine and Harrison Cole explain the similarities and important differences between dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Learn how dyslexia primarily affects reading, decoding, and spelling, while ADHD involves persistent difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or a combination of these symptoms.

The episode also explores how dyslexia and ADHD can occur together, why one does not cause the other, and why only a qualified professional should provide a diagnosis.

Who This Episode Is For

Dyslexic adults and adolescents, people with or exploring ADHD, parents, caregivers, students, educators, employers, and anyone seeking a clearer understanding of these conditions.

Disclaimer

This podcast provides general educational information and lived experience. It does not diagnose dyslexia, ADHD, or any other condition and is not a substitute for an individualized professional evaluation. Attention, memory, reading, organization, and behavioral difficulties can have several causes. Consult an appropriately qualified healthcare, psychological, or educational professional for personal guidance.

Resources

• CDC: Diagnosing ADHD
• CDC: ADHD in Adults
• International Dyslexia Association: ADHD and Dyslexia
• International Dyslexia Association: Dyslexia Basics
• AAP: ADHD Clinical Practice Guideline
• Comorbidity of Reading Disabilities and ADHD
• High Rates of Comorbidity Among Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Understand the signal. Reduce the shame. Make the next step possible.