Question: What do Steve Jobs, Whoopi Goldberg, and Steven Spielberg have in common?
Answer: Dyslexia.
The neurologically based learning disability impacts an estimated one in five Americans. And while people with dyslexia have normal intelligence, they face significant challenges in learning how to read and write. As you might imagine, that can have a big effect on academic outcomes.
The good news is that there are proven teaching methods that can help students with dyslexia succeed in school. Intensive remedial instruction can help dyslexic students "rewire" their brains to better process language. The bad news is that a lot of schools aren't providing that kind of specialized instruction.
Stateside host Cynthia Canty discussed the hurdles dyslexic students in Michigan face getting services with speech pathologist Dr. Joanne Pierson. She was also joined by Caroline Kaganov, whose son Evan is dyslexic and a student Ann Arbor Public Schools.
You can hear the full interview here.