Russell Van Brocklen (he/him)

Russell Van Brocklen joined Momma on October 12, 2026 for a live Q&A via Twitch and YouTube to talk about Dyslexia, Schools & The Nervous System

About Russell

Russell Van Brocklen is a New York State Senate funded dyslexia researcher and educator known as the Dyslexia Professor. His work focuses on helping students with dyslexia move past shame, frustration and academic shutdown by turning overwhelming challenges into manageable, practical steps.

Russell’s approach grew from research showing the impact of putting word analysis first. In his inaugural program, highly motivated, college bound high school juniors and seniors improved from approximately a middle school writing level to the average range of entering graduate students on the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment. The students achieved a 7 to 8 grade level leap over the course of a school year while receiving instruction for just one class period each day. The program cost less than $900 per student and every participant went on to attend college and graduate with a GPA between 2.5 and 3.6 without accommodations.

Today, Russell translates structured literacy research into practical strategies that parents, educators and students can use in everyday life. His work explores why behaviors often labeled as "lazy" may actually reflect anxiety, overwhelm or nervous system overload and how small, achievable wins can help students regain a sense of control.

On Even Tacos Fall Apart, Russell will talk about dyslexia, anxiety and the moments when school can start to feel unsafe or impossible. He'll share his micro step approach to breaking through shutdown, explain why word level clarity can reduce panic and avoidance and offer practical strategies for helping dyslexic students build confidence without shame or toxic positivity.

Socials / Links for Guest Connection

• Website - https://dyslexiaclasses.com/

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dyslexiaclasses/

• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_cqwfxn9FqFx1Idl0YbeHg

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dyslexiaclassesus/

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-van-brocklen-2007ab87

References / Things Mentioned During the Stream

• Book Recommendations:

  • The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams

  • Overcoming Dyslexia by Shaywitz Sally 

  • The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris 

  • An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943 by Rick Atkinson 

• Yale Online Center for Dyslexia & Creativity

• Shark Tank

• Winward Academy 

• Orton-Gillingham Approach 

• Skool.com 

• Speechify 

• Favorite Poem / Song: Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time