Speaking of Psychology Dyslexia myths, misconceptions and facts, with Tim Odegard, PhD
Oct 8, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Tim Odegard, a developmental cognitive psychologist and expert in dyslexia, shares his personal journey with the condition. He dispels common myths around dyslexia, explaining that it's a language processing issue, not a visual one. Dr. Odegard emphasizes the importance of early identification and effective interventions, highlighting how reading difficulties can impact mental health. He also critiques the idea of 'dyslexic gifts', cautioning against stereotypes that may hinder self-esteem.
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Hiding Struggles By Memorizing Words
- Tim Odegaard describes memorizing words and 'masquerading' as reading until third grade when testing revealed his struggles.
- He was denied services because the IQ-discrepancy model showed insufficient difference between IQ and reading scores.
Dyslexia Is A Language-Based Difference
- Dyslexia is one of several language-based learning differences that mainly impair accurate and efficient reading and spelling of words.
- It often co-occurs with broader oral language problems like developmental language disability.
Early Brain Differences Predict Reading Risk
- Neuroimaging shows underactivation and reduced connectivity in left-hemisphere language networks for many with dyslexia.
- Family risk and genetics predict brain differences even before school and can forecast later reading outcomes.
