Fall 2025 Series: Cracking the Code to Understand Why Some Kids Struggle to Read

The Windward Institute invites all new and returning READ listeners for a five-part Fall 2025 series, What We all Can Learn about Reading, Together. This series brings together 20 guests including researchers and educators. We’ll dive into reading research, practice, and lived experience. This series is for everyone, whether you’re just starting to learn about reading education or you’ve been immersed in it for years.

This episode explores why some children struggle to read and dives into diagnosed disabilities including dyslexia and developmental language disorder. You will learn about

• factors that can contribute to reading difficulty through a whole child lens with Cynthia U. Norris, PhD, a researcher at Florida State University.
• the role of language in reading development and variability with Kate Cain, PhD, professor at Lancaster University.
• the characteristics of dyslexia and developmental language disorder (DLD) with Tim Odegard, PhD, Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies and
  Professor of Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University and Norma Hancock, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at SAiL Literacy Lab at MGH Institute.
• ways to understand reading difficulties in readers learning to read in English with Laura Rhinehart, PhD, Assistant Researcher at the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at UCLA.

Thank you for joining our special READ Podcast series: What We All Can Learn About Reading, Together. You can also listen to this series at The Windward Institute's YouTube page.

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Until next time READers!