If you’ve been searching for ways to help a child with dyslexia, you’ve likely come across programs that claim to “retrain the brain” and permanently “fix” dyslexia. These dyslexia brain training programs often promote cognitive exercises designed to improve memory, attention, and processing speed. While these claims sound promising, parents must understand the difference between these approaches, as only one approach has decades of scientific backing.

What is Dyslexia Brain Training?

These programs claim to improve reading ability by strengthening cognitive functions such as:
✔️ Memory
✔️ Auditory processing
✔️ Visual tracking
✔️ Processing speed

These programs suggest that dyslexia is caused by weak cognitive skills rather than a specific language-processing difficulty. As a result, they often use brain exercises, sound therapy, or eye movement training to “rewire the brain” and make reading easier. However, there is little to no independent research proving that these methods effectively address the core struggles of dyslexia.

What is Orton-Gillingham Tutoring?

Unlike dyslexia brain training, Orton-Gillingham tutoring is a research-backed, structured literacy approach that directly teaches students how to decode, spell, and comprehend words. This method focuses on:
🔹 Phonemic awareness – Understanding and manipulating sounds in words.
🔹 Systematic phonics – Learning letter-sound relationships and how to decode words.
🔹 Fluency development – Practicing structured reading exercises to build automaticity.
🔹 Multisensory learning – Using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic techniques to reinforce skills.

Orton-Gillingham tutoring is the gold standard for dyslexia intervention, with decades of scientific research supporting its effectiveness. Unlike dyslexia brain training, it targets the root causes of dyslexia rather than attempting to improve general cognitive skills.

Dyslexia Brain Training vs. Orton-Gillingham Tutoring: What Science Says

🔎 Dyslexia is NOT a cognitive deficiency – Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference, not an issue with intelligence or memory. Programs that focus on “brain training” do not teach reading skills explicitly, meaning they do not address the actual problem.

🔎 There is no evidence that brain training improves reading – Leading dyslexia organizations, including the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), emphasize that structured literacy programs like Orton-Gillingham are the most effective intervention.

🔎 Orton-Gillingham tutoring is proven to work – Studies consistently show that structured literacy instruction rewires the brain for reading success, making it the only scientifically validated method for dyslexia remediation.

Why Parents Should Be Cautious of Brain Training Claims

Many dyslexia brain training programs use scientific-sounding language to promote their services but lack peer-reviewed research to support their claims. Parents should be cautious of programs that:
🚩 Claim to “cure” or “permanently fix” dyslexia.
🚩 Rely on testimonials rather than scientific studies.
🚩 Focus on general cognitive exercises instead of explicit reading instruction.
🚩 Do not use structured literacy methods like Orton-Gillingham or Barton Reading & Spelling.

The Verdict: Choose a Proven Approach

When comparing dyslexia brain training vs. Orton-Gillingham tutoring, the choice is clear. If you want real, lasting progress in reading and spelling, an evidence-based structured literacy program is the best path forward. While brain training may enhance cognitive functions like memory or attention, it does not replace explicit reading instruction.

📢 If your child struggles with dyslexia, don’t fall for misleading claims. Instead, invest in proven Orton-Gillingham tutoring to give them the structured support they need.

📞 Contact us today for a free consultation and take the first step toward real progress!

🔗 Want to learn more? Read what the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) says about effective dyslexia intervention: IDA – Structured Literacy and Dyslexia