Dyslexic Diamonds

10/03/2026

Congratulations to Pam Spach! Below is the write up for our 20 Percenters News Letter:

"Years before Pam Spach ever began her training, Becky Hightower said that she needed to clone herself because she simply could not meet the growing need for qualified dyslexia professionals. Those words stuck with Pam, and eventually inspired her to become part of the solution.
Pam became the first graduate of the 20Percenters Training Center, the first graduate to earn her CALT, and has now become the first graduate to earn her CALT-QI.
Along the way, Pam had the privilege of learning from both Becky Hightower and Rachel Foltz, whose knowledge, experience, and investment in the next generation of dyslexia professionals helped shape her journey. Becky may have started talking about cloning herself years ago, but with Pam’s latest milestone, we think it’s safe to say the cloning is complete!"

We are so proud of your accomplishments!
20Percenter.org. Dyslexic Diamonds

09/01/2026

Never sacrifice your family life on the altar of homework!

They ARE trying. 💙 As both a teacher and a parent of a child with dyslexia, I think this is something we need to remember.

Dyslexia is not a lack of effort, motivation, or intelligence. Research has shown differences in how the reading network is activated in people with dyslexia, and some language and reading tasks can require significant effort and the recruitment of additional brain resources.
That effort doesn't necessarily end when the school day does.

For some students, an assignment that takes another child 20 minutes may take much longer. Reading the directions, decoding the text, organizing thoughts, spelling, writing, and checking their work can all add to the load.

By the time they get home, they may be exhausted. We might see frustration, avoidance, shutting down, tears, or even meltdowns.

I see this with my own son. After a full day of school, homework can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain after already running a marathon.

As teachers, it's worth thinking about how much homework we are assigning and how long it may actually take that particular student to complete it.

As parents, sometimes what our children need most at the end of the day is patience and understanding.

Richards et al., 1999
Shaywitz et al., 2002
Shaywitz, Lyon, & Shaywitz, 2006

07/02/2026

We have lost another hero in the field of reading and dyslexia. As a student at Mississippi, my favorite textbook was Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills so when I attended my first IDA conference, I was so excited when my professor introduced me to Judith Birsh. It is a memory I will never forget!

05/02/2026

Congratulations Pam Spach and Shauna Phillips for finishing your Qualified Instructor Requirements! We at 20Percenters are so proud of you! 20Percenters.org

04/18/2026

It is exciting to see the decodable stories I have written for my students over the years come to life in book form.
janebrookwell.myshopify.com/collections/all