S13E3: Dyslexia and Faith (Zoe Strong)

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Sep 23, 2025

Zoe Strong, an AHRC-funded doctoral researcher, shares her insights on dyslexia and faith. She discusses the unique challenges dyslexic individuals face in church settings and offers practical strategies for support. Zoe emphasizes tailoring Bible engagement to meet diverse needs, highlighting the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. She advocates for informed leadership and creating safe spaces in groups. Zoe also celebrates the creative strengths of dyslexia while providing valuable resources for parents and churches to enhance inclusion.

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INSIGHT

What Dyslexia Really Is

Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that mainly affect decoding, reading and spelling despite adequate intelligence and education.
These decoding bottlenecks can restrict comprehension by slowing information extraction and increase anxiety and low self-esteem.

ADVICE

Listen First, Then Adapt Bible Habits

Listen and give space for dyslexic children and adults to explain how Bible reading feels for them.
Invite them to find personal ways to engage with scripture rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all routine.

ADVICE

Use Media And Music To Open Scripture

Try alternative formats like The Chosen, music, or visual storytelling to teach Bible stories.
Use media and embodied activities to reduce cognitive strain and open scripture up for different processors.

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In today’s episode we speak to Zoe Strong about dyslexia and faith. Zoe Strong is an AHRC-funded doctoral researcher exploring dyslexia and engaging with the Bible. She also heads up the University of Aberdeen’s Autism and Theology Podcast, and is the neurodiversity topic editor for Practical Theology Hub. We talk to her about the challenges that people with dyslexia might face at church or exploring faith at home and how we can all be part of supporting children and young people with dyslexia in our homes and churches. Links: Accessing God’s Word with Dyslexia or Reading Difficulties https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/accessing-gods-word-with-reading-difficulties-facebook-live/ Sign up as a group or individual for the Parenting Teens for a Life of Faith course this Autumn https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/parenting-teens-course-autumn-2025 Join the Parenting as a Church Leader Day on 9 October https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/book-pacl-day/ Autism and Theology Podcast: https://tr.ee/v1JmTAcjX6 Dyslexia definition research https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.14123 Zoe’s dyslexia research https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/23312521.2022.2041531 Scripture Union Scotland’s King of Kings resources https://www.suscotland.org.uk/what-we-do/resources/collection/the-king-of-kings/ Dyslexia friendly products from The Bible Society https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/products/bibles/dyslexiafriendly/ Dyslexia Scotland https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/products/bibles/dyslexiafriendly/ The Chosen TV Series https://www.thechosen.tv/en-us Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk A-Z book launch - https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/an-a-z-of-parenting-for-faith-book-launch Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.