Avital is a 12-year-old who loves basketball, playing on her iPad, and spending time with her friends and siblings. With her bat mitzvah on the horizon, she radiates excitement about the future. But beneath her cheerful personality is a daily challenge that many people around her don’t fully understand: dyslexia. 

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“I don’t like it because it makes me feel different,” Avital admits. “People think that if you have dyslexia, you can’t read at all—but that’s not true for everyone. I can read. Mine just isn’t as severe.” Her perspective underscores an important reminder: dyslexia doesn't look the same for everyone, and assumptions often create exclusion or misunderstanding. 

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For Avital, school can sometimes feel like a nightmare. “When I face a challenge with reading, I feel annoyed, like it’s going to take me 40 years. But once I do it, I feel good,” she shares. Before her diagnosis, she was placed in a lower-level English class, which left her feeling overlooked and frustrated. With the right support, however, including one-on-one help outside the classroom, she has succeeded at learning in an environment that better reflects her abilities. These small adjustments—like previewing class material in advance—make a world of difference. “Showing me what we’re doing ahead of time helps me feel more comfortable,” she explains. To Avital, these aren't just strategies; they help her feel seen, valued, and included. “Being included means people making me feel good and loved, and feel like I have a place,” she says.

 

Avital is also thoughtful about how others can better support students with learning differences. She wishes people would stop questioning why she sometimes leaves class (i.e. for tutoring) or assuming her experience looks a certain way. “Dyslexia is different for everyone,” she reminds us. Conversations with her brother, who has ADHD, have helped her feel less alone. “He said he got taken out of class too. He also felt different in school.” That moment of shared understanding made a lasting impact. 

 

To Avital, “empathy means being nice and not treating people differently, and not making assumptions.” Her wish is simple but powerful: that others look beyond labels, approach with kindness, and practice inclusion not just through words but also through actions rooted in genuine respect.