Written by Heather Vaught

Eight-year-old Kassidy faced significant challenges with reading and learning in the public school environment. Thanks to Dyslexia Games, she’s at grade level and bursting with newfound confidence.

“She was eight years old when she came into our family,” says Jill Cain, adoptive mother of former foster child Kassidy. “It was a night and day difference between her and my biological children. She didn’t know letter sounds, but she could read some sight words, which didn’t make sense to me. There were other things too; it was like a jumbled puzzle that didn’t add up.”

Jill homeschools her biological children, but because Kassidy was a foster child at the time, she had to be in public school. The school provided her with a personal aide for an hour each day, but it didn’t help. Jill suspected dyslexia, but the school didn’t agree and passed Kassidy to the next grade, even though she couldn’t read.

The Emotional Toll

“When it came time for school or homework, she was completely shut down. She would cross her arms and not even try,” remembers Jill. “And when she did try, it was tears.”

Jill finally convinced the school to test Kassidy, and a dyslexia diagnosis was confirmed. She also convinced the school to hold her back the next school year to give her more time to learn and catch up with her peers. In the meantime, Jill researched dyslexia resources online.

Making matters worse, Kassidy was bullied at school. “The experience in public school greatly affected her,” laments Jill. “Her self-confidence was so low and it affected our relationships. She was very isolated.”

Fighting for a Fair Chance

In Jill’s online research, she stumbled upon Dyslexia Games by Sarah Janisse Brown. It looked promising, but Jill wondered if it would help Kassidy learn. “I knew she was bright and capable as she excelled in so many other areas,” notes Jill. “But how do I even do this, if the public school can’t do it?”

She decided to shelve her doubts, but the next step was for Jill to get legal permission to homeschool Kassidy. “I went all the way to the top,” she says. It took time, but finally, they were granted permission, and their homeschooling journey began.

Jill initiated some “deschooling” time first to give Kassidy a chance to decompress and build confidence and security. Then, when she felt like Kassidy was ready, she started her on just one page a day in Dyslexia Games.

 “It really drained her,” notes Jill. “It was completely exhausting to do one page. There were days she just wanted to bail, and I was unsure whether this was the right way to proceed because we didn’t see any progress.”

Breakthrough! Four Grade Levels in One Year

Persistence paid off. After about three weeks, Jill observed the first signs of improvement. When she pointed out something that needed correction, Kassidy figured it out herself. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh! This is working!’” Jill exclaims.

That was just the encouragement they both needed to keep going. As they progressed through the program, Kassidy experienced several more breakthrough moments in letter recognition, reading skills, and math skills.

“She had about a six-month jump in math in six weeks, that I just can’t explain except for Dyslexia Games,” Jill adds.

Jill turned the reins over to Kassidy, who began doing several pages a day. By the end of Dyslexia Games, Series B, she was reading at a 4th-grade level, representing a jump of four grade levels in one year.

Kassidy’s confidence soared. “We’re a read-aloud family,” says Jill. “We go around the room and read aloud. Before, she would refuse. Now she will read an entire chapter!”

Click here to keep reading about Kassidy’s story, including some tips from Jill!