In a world that too often writes off those who struggle, some voices shine a light so powerful that it changes lives forever.
In a recent conversation on LOA Today, host Walt Thiessen sat down with Anne Marie Young and a guest, Russell, who transformed his painful experience with severe dyslexia into a beacon of hope for countless others.
Russell’s story is as stirring as it is instructive. “For me, it’s because I have the worst case of dyslexia people have ever seen,” Russell began, recalling the discrimination that shadowed his early years. He described the humiliation of being “flunked” by a university political science department, even after completing an intense New York State Assembly Internship with accommodations that allowed him to thrive. When asked by Walt, “So how did you end up at a point where you wanted to come on a podcast and talk about this?” Russell replied, “That compelled me to literally go out and spend a couple of decades to solve dyslexia.”
What followed was a journey powered by relentless determination - one that took Russell from law school, where he learned to read and write at a graduate level, to working with distinguished professors, securing research funding, and ultimately developing methods that propelled dyslexic high school students from struggling to success.
Anne Marie, listening in awe, captured the spirit of so many: “I’m loving the fact that Russell’s gone in and worked out, what’s happening, and they’re actually super clever, and it’s just a shame I feel so many people have been written off in the education system.”
The heart of Russell’s approach was simple yet revolutionary: embrace each learner’s unique specialty and passion. He recounted a moving story about a student named Casey, who leapt eight reading grade levels in six months simply by immersing herself in a subject she loved. When asked, “How do you get these normal kids to actually care?” Russell emphasized the critical power of letting students dive deeply into what fascinates them. The drop in motivation when forced outside their passion was as much as 90%, he explained - a staggering statistic that underscores the importance of individualized education.
The conversation also stretched beyond education into the modern workforce, where Russell described how mastery in research and the integration of AI tools have become game-changers. Sharing both questions and encouragement, Walt observed, “So what you described as a senior person, if you were to go and work for some company, they know they can hire you, and you’re going to be productive immediately.” Russell’s response: “They now expect these kids to become seniors within six to twelve months. If you know how to do this, you’re going to become immensely valuable.”
As the discussion wound down, Anne Marie distilled the episode’s heart: “Find your passion, learn to train your brain around whatever that may be building your skills.” For struggling families, Russell offered concrete next steps -inviting them to connect at dyslexiaclasses.com for free guides and support.
This was more than a podcast: it was a resounding call to see the genius in every learner, to unlock potential through empathy, innovation, and heart.
LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/russell-van-brocklen
Russell Van Brocklen's Website: https://dyslexiaclasses.com/
Follow the LOA Today podcast: https://www.loatoday.net/follow
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