How to Help Kids with Dyslexia Read and Write with Russell Van Brocklen

Russell Van Brocklen, a pioneering educator and innovator in dyslexia intervention, shares his inspiring journey of overcoming severe dyslexia—and how he cracked the code to reading and writing with groundbreaking strategies. Today, he helps children achieve remarkable results, often surpassing the progress seen in even the most elite private schools.

In this episode, you will be able to:

1. Learn innovative, research-based strategies that Russell developed to help kids overcome reading and writing challenges.
2. Get actionable tips for parents, like leveraging your child’s interests and using audiobooks alongside writing exercises.
3. Understand why focusing on what your child truly loves leads to deeper engagement and better reading results.
4. Discover a simple, step-by-step method that helps organize your child’s thoughts and improves their writing.
5. Learn how to access ongoing support, resources, and a parent community through Russell’s Dyslexia Classes program.

As a dad and host of Great Dad Talks, I’m always searching for practical advice on helping our kids thrive, especially when it comes to reading—a subject that plays such a fundamental role in learning and life. In my latest conversation, I sat down with Russell Van Brocklen, a specialist in innovative approaches for teaching kids with dyslexia, who shared powerful wisdom drawn from both his personal journey and years of research.

Russell’s Unconventional Journey with Dyslexia

Russell’s story is truly remarkable: he grew up with undiagnosed dyslexia, not learning to read and write properly until college. But rather than giving up, Russell doggedly pursued ways to overcome his challenges.

He described a pivotal moment from his time auditing law school classes:
“Everything slowed down, everything organized. First time in my life, I know where he was going. Multiple steps ahead of me. He knew where I was going. We argue politely but fiercely for 15 minutes. And he said, Russell, in the interest of time, I have to move on to the next case. You couldn’t be any more correct.”

This experience illuminated for Russell that his so-called “disability” was, in fact, a brain wired to work differently—one capable of extraordinary analytical and organizational skills if harnessed correctly.

Rethinking How We Teach Dyslexic Kids

Russell didn’t just solve reading for himself—he eventually developed a methodology that helps dyslexic students learn to read and write rapidly and effectively. He’s even worked with the New York State Education Department to implement these strategies in public schools.

His method focuses on three breakthrough concepts:

1. Build on the Child’s Special Interests

Russell insists that learning sticks best when it aligns with the child’s unique passions or “specialities.” As he put it:
“If you are in the kids speciality, they do the work. If you’re not in the speciality, they won’t do the work. It’s cold as ice.”

For example, he might use a thousand-page Disney biography with a Disney fan, or Harry Potter for Potterheads. The key is making the material irresistibly interesting and personally meaningful.

2. Specific-to-General Learning

Rather than teaching from the general to the specific (the way most classrooms do), Russell’s method flips it, focusing first on concrete, specific questions or facts and then building up to bigger concepts.
He explains:
“If you ask the question, for example, why did Martin Luther King—what effect did Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech have on the 1960 civil rights movement? It’s like asking a dyslectic to grab fog… but if we ask, what personally compelled Martin Luther King to want to give his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, [they] can look that up. And then the next logical question presents itself. We use writing as a measurable output.”

3. Word Analysis then Articulation

Russell’s approach relies on attacking word understanding first (word analysis) before working on expressing thoughts (articulation)—a reversal of standard educational practice that, according to Yale brain research, taps into the dyslexic brain’s strengths.

“I use the front part of the brain that deals with articulation. Word analysis, according to Yale… Analytical articulation. That’s the key,” he says.

Practical Steps for Parents

Russell’s tips can be applied by any parent or caregiver. Here’s a step-by-step overview, distilled from our conversation:

• Choose a Special Interest: Start with books or materials related to the child’s favorite subject.
• Massive Repetition: Have your child listen to audiobooks while reading along and circling unfamiliar words.
• Active Vocabulary Building: For each new word:
  • Type it out (don’t copy/paste).
  • Look up the definition together (Merriam-Webster, for example).
  • Re-type the definition several times (it may take 3 tries for some, up to 20 for dyslexics).
• Writing Through Simple Sentences: Use a template like “[Hero] likes [thing] because [reason],” progressively increasing complexity after the basics are correct.
  • Example: “Jim likes soccer because it’s fun.”
• No Rushing Periods: Make sure spelling and grammar are correct before ending each sentence. Errors require retyping the whole sentence—this helps reinforce correct patterns.
• Organizational Tricks for Thoughts: Ask specific questions first. Organize ideas into lists or bullet points before writing full paragraphs.

The Power of Parental Involvement

One of the most hopeful messages from Russell’s approach is that parents can help their kids make enormous progress with modest weekly time commitments, regardless of whether they can afford expensive private schools.

“Most parents who work with their kids for two to three sessions a week, 10 to 25, 30 minutes… especially once we get into the reading aspect, the kids do this on their own. Mostly the parents have limited involvement.”

He shared stories of astonishing results—kids jumping several grade levels in reading and writing in just months, simply through repetitive, meaningful, and organized practice at home.

Takeaways for Dads (and All Parents)

If your child struggles with reading or writing, especially if dyslexia is part of the picture:

• Find their passion and build around it.
• Chunk learning into small, concrete, repeatable steps.
• Use typing and active word lookup for vocabulary reinforcement.
• Don’t be afraid to slow down and repeat until mastery.
• Recognize that what looks like a challenge may ultimately reveal unique strengths—and sometimes, even a superpower.

As Russell wisely summarized: “We’re practicing the way the dyslectic brain was designed to work. If you can write it, you can read it.”

For more resources or to learn about Russell’s classes and downloadable guides, visit dyslexiaclasses.com.