Dyslexia Duo Podcast Episode 89 - Dr. Elizabeth Norton

The Dyslexia Duo:  Early Identification, RAN, and Mental Health -  Dr. Elizabeth Norton on the Science and Policy of Dyslexia

The Dyslexia Duo hosts Melissa Dean and Aimee Rodenroth interview Dr. Elizabeth Norton, a Northwestern University associate professor who studies reading development, dyslexia, early identification, and brain-based factors that make reading difficult. Dr. Norton describes how her childhood love of reading, early curiosity about peers who struggled, college research, and teaching at Landmark School led her to focus on identifying precursors of reading difficulties and improving early intervention. She defines dyslexia as an unexpected difficulty learning to read and discusses the newer IDA definition as more multifactorial, including links between language and reading, psychological well-being, and the importance of early identification. The conversation covers challenges translating research into policy (e.g., uneven screening guidance), limits of improving rapid automatized naming (RAN) and working memory, intervention goals and trade-offs, co-occurrence with ADHD, possible anxiety/depression risk, effects of prematurity, and large-scale longitudinal research including HBCD.

00:42 Meet Elizabeth Norton

02:06 Why Dr. Norton Studies Reading

07:16 Defining Dyslexia Today

09:45 New IDA Definition Highlights

12:22 Policy and Screening Gaps

16:38 What Happens After Screening

23:30 RAN and Automaticity Explained

27:41 When Progress Plateaus

36:14 Dyslexia and Mental Health

43:32 Micro Triggers and Stress