Learning from Experience

This qualitative study sought to expand what is known about best practice for students with dyslexia in public schools. Despite its prevalence, there is confusion in the education field about what dyslexia actually is, how to identify it, and how to best remediate the difficulties associated with it. An untapped source of educational insight is teachers who have dyslexia and what they have gleaned from their experiences. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of 20 Massachusetts teachers with dyslexia as they reflected on their own experiences in special education. Utilizing semi-structured interviews that included critical incident questions, answers to the following research questions were sought: (a) What did teachers with dyslexia say they learned from their experiences in and out of the classroom setting with respect to self-concept, resilience, and their journey to becoming a teacher? (b) In what ways have teachers’ own experiences as learners and teachers with dyslexia influenced the ways that they currently practice? (c) In what ways did teachers with dyslexia perceive their learning disability affected their ability and capacity to teach students with dys