For many students with dyslexia, reading can feel like a battlefield. Words and letters may seem to blur, reverse, or resist being decoded, fluency may lag far behind comprehension, and confidence can take a hit when traditional reading instruction feels frustrating or ineffective. Unlike one-size-fits-all programs that unintentionally pile on pressure by pushing students into material above their current level, an approach that truly supports students with dyslexia meets them where they are. Great Leaps Reading is built on that very principle, emphasizing consistent daily reading practice, direct phonics instruction that follows a proven scope and sequence, and pacing that respects a student’s attention span and individual learning needs.
One of the reasons Great Leaps Reading has been successful for students with dyslexia time and time again is its foundation in the science of reading. This means that phonics instruction is not an afterthought or a random collection of activities. It follows a carefully sequenced progression that teaches students how sounds connect to letters and letter combinations and how to blend sounds into words. This structured and explicit phonics work is crucial for readers with dyslexia because it helps strengthen the phonological pathways that can be weak or inefficient in the dyslexic brain. Rather than having students guess or memorize words without understanding, Great Leaps ensures that students develop reliable decoding skills within a systematic sequence that builds from simple to complex patterns, making reading more predictable and less frustrating.
Consistency is another key element for reading success. Students with dyslexia benefit from short, focused sessions every day that build fluency gradually but steadily. Great Leaps Reading tutors work with students in brief sessions that stay within the student’s natural attention span, usually around fifteen minutes a day. These sessions are designed to be engaging and purposeful, keeping students motivated without overwhelming them. Because each session is structured and predictable, students with dyslexia can focus on mastery rather than anxiety about unpredictable or overly difficult tasks. Over time, the cumulative effect of consistent practice leads to measurable gains in reading fluency and confidence.
One powerful example of this transformation is shown in the progress of Jimmy, a student who began Great Leaps Reading well below grade-level due to dyslexia. In just seven months of consistent daily practice with his tutor, Jimmy made remarkable gains in both reading rate and confidence. You can see his real-world growth in this video of Jimmy’s journey here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YL2Zh44LNI and read more about his story on our website here: https://tutoring.greatleaps.com/pages/jimmy-audette-case-study. His instructional reading level increased by nearly three grade levels, and his reading speed and accuracy improved dramatically, illustrating that when instruction is systematic, supportive, and tailored to how dyslexic learners learn, dramatic growth is achievable.
Great Leaps also ensures that students experience success early and often. Instead of starting at a frustration level where failure is likely, students begin within their instructional level, where they can make frequent observable gains. This fosters confidence and shifts a student’s internal narrative about their reading ability. Success breeds motivation and confidence, and confidence supports risk-taking and persistence — two qualities that are essential for sustained reading development.
Direct connection with a trained tutor makes a difference as well. Great Leaps tutors not only deliver the instructional content but provide immediate feedback, encourage positive reinforcement, and help students set and celebrate attainable goals. Keeping lessons within a manageable attention span for learners with dyslexia or co-occurring attention challenges ensures that students are not only learning but also enjoying their progress. This human element is part of why so many families see not just improvements in reading skills but improvements in confidence and academic engagement more broadly.
In all, a reading approach that works with dyslexia and not against it recognizes that every student learns differently. Great Leaps Reading honors that reality by combining systematic phonics instruction, daily consistent practice, pacing that matches attention spans, and a focus on early success and confidence building. The result is not just better reading skills, but a renewed belief in a student’s own potential as a reader and learner. The most impactful lesson Jimmy learned from Great Leaps was that he's capable of learning anything if he just works at it 15 minutes a day, 5 days per week. When his mom, Nicole, told us this, we knew he'd be set up to succeed in high school and years to come!
By Colin Campbell, President of Great Leaps
