57. What Does Dyslexia Really Look Like – and What Can We Do About It? with Heather O'Donnell, New Paltz Multisensory Tutoring (Dyslexia Awareness Month)

We’re kicking off Dyslexia Awareness Month with a conversation that every educator and parent needs to hear: what does dyslexia really look like – and what can we do about it? 

In this episode of Literacy in Color, I sit down with Heather O’Donnell, founder of New Paltz Multisensory Tutoring, Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner, and Associate-level Orton-Gillingham Academy member. Heather has built a thriving practice that serves students across 10+ states with structured literacy instruction, while also equipping parents with advocacy tools and teachers with multisensory resources.

Key Takeaways:

• What dyslexia really is (and what it isn’t).
• Clear, parent- and teacher-friendly signs of dyslexia at different ages.
• The toll dyslexia takes on confidence and why early intervention matters.
• Common red flags teachers and parents can spot at home and in school.
• How structured literacy provides the explicit, systematic instruction dyslexic students need.
• Encouragement for parents to trust their instincts and advocate for their child.

Heather also shares practical stories from her tutoring practice that show what’s possible when students finally receive the right kind of support and how quickly lives can change.

Connect with Heather O’Donnell:

• Dyslexia Freebie
• Website: newpaltzmultisensory.com
• Instagram: @NewPaltzMultisensory
• Facebook: @NewPaltzMultisensory
• X:  @New_Paltz
• Pinterest
• TPT Store: New Paltz Multisensory Tutoring
• Email: heather.odonnell@newpaltzmultisensory.com

🎧 For more episodes in the Dyslexia Awareness Month bonus series, check out the playlist here.

Check out our Dyslexia Awareness Reel here!

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• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
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Interested in Learning More about Morphology?

• Take our Course: Mastering Morphology: Foundations for Every Educator