CELA’s Outreach Manager Cora Payne is passionate about her work to help as many people as possible know about ways CELA’s services can help people with print disabilities. Part of that passion comes from her own experiences as a young student with dyslexia, and part comes from her work in education. In our blog this month Cora shares some insights and encouragement in honour of Dyslexia Awareness Month.  

Do you remember what it felt like to read aloud in school? 

For many of us who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s, reading class was an exercise in high-stakes masking. You memorized whole sight words, relied heavily on context clues and used illustrations help guess unfamiliar words. 

And when you struggled, the education system rarely investigated why. Instead of receiving explicit, evidence-based phonics instruction, educators often simply lowered their expectations—assuming you were "careless," "inattentive," or just not trying hard enough. 

If you discovered in your 20s, 30s, or beyond that your brain processes language, focus, and executive function differently, you are far from alone. Thousands of adults are now realizing after struggling their whole life are discovering they are neurodivergent.   

I was one of those students. My eyes would jump around the page, I skipped lines, and I had to re-read the same sentence multiple times just to understand it. For a long time, I blamed myself. I thought I just was not trying hard enough or couldn't focus. But when I started teaching my own students with learning disabilities, I discovered my own dyslexia and ADHD.  

Many of us who struggle with focus or attention also find standard printed books really hard to read. Sounding out words or keeping our eyes on a wall of text takes so much mental energy that there is nothing left over to enjoy the story. But there’s a way to still enjoy reading and work with your brain. 

When you change the tool, reading changes too. With CELA, you can pick the format that feels easy for your brain: 

• Listen to audiobooks: Reading with your ears – it’s still reading!  

• Read and listen together: Follow along with highlighted text on screen while audio plays. 

• Customize etext: Make fonts bigger, add space between lines, or change screen contrast to make reading comfortable. 

Whether you read with your eyes, your ears, or both—you are a reader. If reading traditional print leaves you feeling drained, please know this: it has nothing to do with how smart you are. It just means standard print may not be the right tool for your brain. 

October is Dyslexia and ADHD Awareness Month. For those who related to my story, consider signing up for CELA and download an audiobook or etext book. Discover the difference it can make. It’s never too late to discover a love for reading.   

Happy reading to all those with a print disability, and a special shoutout to the fellow neurodivergent folks! You deserve a good book you can read!  

More reading

• Read our blog post on 5 ways to support reading and learning for kids with print disabilities.
• Listen and learn: How audiobooks can support literacy development
• Audiobooks and literacy
• Supporting reading at home
• Books for kids and teens with dyslexia
• Books for parents and caregiver and adults with dyslexia