Issue 32: October 2026 Dystinct Magazine

Supporting Writing K-5: Grounded in Research, Applied Practically
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Lisa Klein

Lisa Klein (Vice President of Keys To Literacy) draws on her experience as an educator and parent to explore why writing can feel overwhelming and shares practical, research-informed strategies to help children organise their thoughts, build writing skills and express their ideas with confidence.

On Being Yourself
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Karina Kerr

Karina Kerr (Social Worker/Relationship and Family Therapist) reflects on growing up with unrecognised learning difficulties and childhood trauma, finding her way into university and learning to challenge shame, ask for support and recognise the strengths that had been there all along.

Decoding the Evaluation: Understanding the Path to Dyslexia Identification
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Dr Michelle S. Storie and Dr Sheila Clonan

Dr Michelle S. Storie (Associate Professor and Coordinator, SUNY Oswego School Psychology Program and Co-Author of Assessing Dyslexia in Schools) and Dr Sheila Clonan (Licensed Psychologist, Educational Solutions CNY, and Co-Author of Assessing Dyslexia in Schools) explain how reading assessments can uncover difficulties masked by a child’s strengths, clarify the path to dyslexia identification, and help families and educators turn findings into targeted support.

The Dystinct Journey of Liina Turtonen

Music producer, educator, and author Liina Turtonen shares her experiences growing up with dyslexia and dyscalculia, finding confidence at university and using what she learned to teach others in ways she wishes she had been taught.

Dystinct Report – Interview with Liina Turtonen
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Bartek Pilarski

Dystinct Journalist Bartek Pilarski interviews music producer, educator, and author Liina Turtonen about dyslexia, dyscalculia, and finding confidence in her abilities, as they share their experiences of thinking in pictures, learning through music, and feeling understood.

Interoception: The Sense Your Child’s School Has Probably Never Mentioned (But Should)
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Kelly Mahler

Kelly Mahler (Occupational Therapist, Interoception Specialist, Researcher, Author & International Speaker) explains how interoception shapes children’s behaviour and self-regulation, and why replacing compliance with curiosity can lead to more effective, compassionate support.

The Dystinct Journey of Ruby Sheffield

Thirteen-year-old Ruby Sheffield shares her journey with dyslexia, the support that helped her find confidence in writing, and how her poetry and fundraising have given veterans a voice and a reminder that they are not forgotten.

What the Birds Taught Us: How I Helped My Striving Reader Catch Up
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Katie Megrian

Katie Megrian (Literacy Specialist, Educator, & the Founder of The Reading Symphony) draws on her expertise and experience as a parent to share practical ways families can support reading development, complement classroom instruction and nurture a love of reading.

Dystinct Report – Interview with Peter Pilarski
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Bartek Pilarski

Dystinct Journalist Bartek Pilarski interviews his father, Peter Pilarski, about discovering his dyslexia as an adult, finding confidence in his strengths and understanding each other's experiences.

What If Your Home Carried Some of the Cognitive Load?
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Crystal Bright

Interior designer and author Crystal Bright explores how thoughtful changes at home can ease the demands of remembering, organising and restarting tasks, sharing practical ways to support everyday routines and different needs, even on difficult days.