In this episode of the Literacy and Justice for All podcast, Dr. Ryan Lee-James speaks with Dr. Hugh Catts about the revised definition of dyslexia and what it means for schools and learners. They discuss how the updated definition reflects current research, emphasizing persistent reading and spelling difficulties influenced by multiple factors rather than a single cause. The conversation highlights the need for strong early instruction, better progress monitoring, and earlier intervention to replace the “wait to fail” model, while also addressing challenges in equitable identification across different school contexts.

About our Guest

Hugh Catts, Ph.D.

Dr. Catts is Professor of the School of Communication Science and Disorders at Florida State University. His research interests include the early identification and prevention of reading disabilities. He is a past board member of the International Dyslexia Association and past board member and President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. He has received the Samuel T. Orton Award from the International Dyslexia Association and the Honors of the Association from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for his career contributions in each of these disciplines. His current research concerns the early identification of reading and language disabilities and the nature and assessment of reading comprehension problems.

Resources

https://dyslexiaida.org/

LitLink 2026 is Coming Up!

Georgia LitLink is our state’s literacy conference dedicated to Georgia public school teachers. This teacher-facing conference is cohosted by the Georgia Department of Education and the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy, a program of the Atlanta Speech School. This conference connects teachers and educators from across Georgia who will learn as key change-agents in our statewide literacy effort.

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