On his first day of fourth grade three years ago, Britton R. came home begging his mother for a tutor because he knew he wasn’t reading like everyone else. Despite trying many different programs and tutors in the past, he still struggled to make sense of the letters on a page. This changed, however, when he met Mollie Bolton, a Wilson® Credentialed Trainer, in November 2014. Through her tutoring and support, Britton learned to read using the Wilson Reading System®.
“I really liked Mollie. She was teaching me how to read in a way that I had never learned before, and it started to make sense to me. Wilson has taught me how to decode words, and I can now follow along at school, read instructions, and read menus at restaurants. Actually, I can read anything now,” he said.
“I cannot articulate what Mollie means to our family,” shared Britton’s mother, Robin, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Kansas-Missouri branch of the International Dyslexia Association. “She helped Britton in more than just reading and writing. She gave him confidence and she gave me my little boy back. Mollie is truly a selfless, giving, patient, and caring person. She never gave up on Britton, and we are eternally grateful for the Wilson program and for Mollie.”
Due to the close bond that developed between Britton and Mollie and the tremendous progress he was making, the two continued to meet for after-school tutoring while Britton also received WRS services from his supportive education team at school.
As his literacy skills and understanding of dyslexia grew, Britton realized that many of his peers remained unaware of the challenges students with dyslexia face. Recognizing that educating his classmates about the learning disability would help them empathize with students with dyslexia, Britton and his mother, Robin, gave a presentation to a class of fifth-grade students at their Missouri school. Following that successful presentation, mother and son delivered a similar presentation to a group of education majors at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri.
“It’s important to share my story because I want teachers and my friends to know that dyslexia is real and common, and to learn how to help other kids who have the same struggles,” said Britton, who completed WRS Step 12 in February in just over two years, made the honor roll, and entered 7th grade this fall. He plans to continue sharing his experiences with dyslexia to inspire and educate other students and future educators.
“Dyslexia can be hard to deal with sometimes, but there can also be benefits, too,” he said. “It’s important to find your strengths, work hard, and never give up.”
Pictured: Britton with his tutor, Wilson Credentialed Trainer Mollie Bolton, following his completion of the WRS program in February.