Resources I actually use.
This is a short list on purpose. There's no shortage of dyslexia information on the internet. What there is a shortage of is a trusted person telling you which resources are worth your time. These are the ones I keep coming back to.
The book I recommend to every parent.
Dr. Sally Shaywitz, M.D. — Second Edition, Completely Revised and Updated (2020)
This book has lived on my nightstand, on and off, for a decade. The first thing I was ever told to read after Noah's diagnosis, and the resource I still return to. Dr. Shaywitz is the leading scientist on dyslexia and the person whose research grounds everything on this site. This is the gold standard. It covers what dyslexia is, how to identify it at every age, how to advocate for your child at school, and how to build a roadmap for intervention. The 2020 updated edition includes new chapters on screening, diagnosis, technology, and college preparation. If you only buy one book, this is it.
Find the bookThings worth doing, not just reading.
Dr. Sally Shaywitz · Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity · Available on Coursera + YouTube
Everything on this site is rooted in this course. Dr. Shaywitz teaches it herself — nine modules covering what dyslexia is, how to identify it, how to get a diagnosis, effective intervention, the law, assistive technology, and what to remember. You can watch every lesson for free on YouTube. Coursera is only required if you want to take the exams and earn a certificate. I wish it were required for every teacher. The research has been here for a hundred years. This is the clearest, most accessible version of it I've found. Watch it.
Jan Olsen, OTR/L · handwritingwithouttears.com
Dyslexia and dysgraphia — difficulty with handwriting — frequently travel together. This was the first program we used with Noah's tutoring, and it made a genuine difference. The curriculum is multisensory, sequential, and specifically designed to make letter formation feel logical rather than arbitrary. If your child's handwriting is a source of frustration for them — this is worth looking into. It's also referenced directly by Dr. Shaywitz as a helpful tool.
Visit Handwriting Without TearsSites worth bookmarking.
dyslexia.yale.edu
The home base for all of Dr. Shaywitz's research, made accessible for parents. The resources section covers accommodations, what parents can do, school strategies, and the legal frameworks behind 504 plans and IEPs. The early clues and signs pages are particularly useful if you're in the early stages of wondering. This is primary source territory. If you want to cite something in a meeting with your child's school, cite this.
Visit Yale Dyslexiadyslexiacampus.com
An online news magazine covering the dyslexia world: research updates, policy changes, technology advances, and stories of dyslexic individuals across business, education, and culture. The Dyslexia Hall of Fame alone is worth a visit. I love this site because it keeps the conversation current and shows dyslexia as what it is: a feature of some of the most creative, capable people in the world.
Visit Dyslexia CampusHow to find a dyslexia evaluator or tutor in your area.
I'm not going to give you a directory, because the honest truth is that the best resource for finding someone near you is a well-worded search. Here are the prompts that will actually get you somewhere.
Use these searches. They work.
Copy any of these directly into Google, ChatGPT, or your favorite AI assistant.
"Find me a licensed educational psychologist who specializes in dyslexia evaluations near [your city]" or "dyslexia psychoeducational evaluation [your city or zip code]"
"Orton-Gillingham certified tutor near [your city]" or "Barton Reading and Spelling tutor [your city]" or "structured literacy specialist [your city]"
"My child is [age], clearly bright, struggling to read. Where do I start in [your city]?" — Ask this in ChatGPT for a surprisingly useful starting point.
What to look for: Orton-Gillingham training, Barton certification, or explicit mention of structured literacy. Ask any specialist how they approach dyslexia specifically, not just reading difficulties generally. The answer will tell you a lot.
Still figuring out where you are?
If you're not sure what you're looking for yet, the early signs and the diagnosis pages are good places to start.