Issue 30: My Past Empowered my Future | Alexie Better

For as long as I can remember, learning felt like trying to unlock a door without the right key. I sat in classrooms watching other students seem to understand things effortlessly, while I worked twice as hard just to keep up. Words didn’t behave the way they were supposed to. Letters blurred, sounds slipped away, and no matter how much I tried, reading and writing never felt natural to me. What people didn’t always see was the effort behind it all. The extra tutoring.

The long hours. The frustration that built quietly over time and the question that sat heavily in the background, “Why is this so easy for everyone else but so hard for me?” At the time, I didn’t have the language to understand what I was experiencing. My dyslexia was undiagnosed, and like many children in similar situations, I began to internalise the struggle. It wasn’t just about learning anymore; it became about identity and who I was. I started to believe that maybe I just wasn’t capable, maybe I would never be good enough.

The Turning Point

What changed everything for me wasn’t a single moment; it was persistence and hard work. My parents never gave up on me. They saw something in me that I couldn’t yet see in myself. They instilled resilience, determination, and the belief that just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it’s impossible. And slowly over time, I began to find my way. Not the traditional way, not the easy way, but my way, and that made all the difference.

Finding My Purpose Through My Struggles

As I grew older, I found myself reflecting more deeply on my own journey. I began to notice the children who reminded me of myself, the ones sitting quietly in classrooms, trying their best, but still feeling like they were falling behind. The ones who were misunderstood, overlooked, or labelled incorrectly. And I couldn’t ignore it because I knew exactly how they felt. That was the moment I realised my struggles weren’t just something I had overcome, they were something I could use. I didn’t just want to help these children. I needed to.

Creating What I Once Needed

In 2018, everything changed. I founded Better Multisensory Learning Centre. This wasn’t just the start of a business; it was the beginning of a mission. A mission to create the kind of support I had once needed but had to search so hard to find. A space where children didn’t have to feel “less than”, a place where they felt safe and accepted, even when they learned differently.

Effective education starts with understanding that every learner is different.

Changing The Way We Teach

Effective education starts with understanding that every learner is different. Instead of expecting students to fit one way of teaching, teaching should adapt to the learner. Multisensory approaches are very effective because they involve seeing, hearing, and doing, which helps learners understand and remember more easily. Clear and structured teaching is also important, breaking skills into small steps with plenty of practice. These strategies are especially helpful for students with learning differences, but they support all learners. At my centre, these principles guide each session to ensure learning is engaging and suited to the individual. Today, more educators and therapists around the world understand how to support neurodiverse learners, meaning future students will greatly benefit from this growing awareness and support.

More Than Learning, It Is a Transformation

But the impact of effective intervention extends beyond academic skills. When learners are taught in ways that suit them, confidence replaces self-doubt and engagement replaces avoidance. By focusing on both skill development and self-belief, learners begin to see themselves differently. Success becomes possible, and motivation grows. At my centre, this transformation is often the most powerful outcome, supporting not just learning, but long-term confidence and independence. This change in education and therapy is happening around the world, and it is the next generation that is going to get the most support.

The Challenges Behind the Journey

Now, starting and growing this business hasn’t been without its challenges. Like many entrepreneurs, I had to step into areas I had no experience in, business operations, marketing, and finances, while still staying true to the heart of what I was building. There were definitely moments of doubt and overwhelm. Balancing being a business owner, a parent, and an advocate for neurodiversity has not always been easy, and one of the biggest challenges has been raising awareness. There is still a lack of understanding around neurodiversity and the power of multisensory learning. Changing mindsets takes time, but every challenge has reinforced one thing… this work matters.

A Growing Vision

What excites me most is not just where we are in society, but where we are going. Better Multisensory Learning continues to grow, with plans to expand our reach, develop new programs, collaborate with schools, and create accessible online resources for families and educators. My vision is to see multisensory, inclusive approaches become part of mainstream education, not the exception. I want every child to have access to learning that works for them, not just a select few.

Full Circle

When I look back now, I see that the struggles I once wished away became the foundation of everything I’ve built. I was the child who struggled to read. The child who felt misunderstood.

The child who worked harder than most just to keep up, and now, I get to stand beside children who feel the same and show them something I wish I had known earlier. There is nothing wrong with the way you learn. You just haven’t been taught in the right way…yet.

Because This Is Bigger Than Me

My centre is more than just a tutoring centre; it is a place of understanding, a place of possibility, a place where difference is not just accepted but celebrated. For me, it is a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful impact we can make comes from the very challenges we once faced, because I didn’t just overcome my learning difficulties, I wanted to turn my experiences into a purpose, a purpose that was going to change lives.

Alexie Better

Alexie Better is a developmental educator, behavioural therapist, and literacy and numeracy specialist with over 17 years of experience supporting children and adolescents with diverse learning needs. As the founder of Better Multisensory Learning, she has created a centre grounded in inclusion, evidence-based practice, and a strong understanding of neurodiversity.

She specialises in working with individuals with Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, and other learning differences, using structured, multisensory approaches tailored to each learner. Her work focuses not only on academic progress but also on building confidence, resilience, and self-belief.

Founded in 2018, Better Multisensory Learning offers literacy and numeracy intervention, executive functioning coaching, assessments, counselling, and parent support. Alexie also collaborates closely with schools and allied health professionals.

She is a strong advocate for inclusive education and neurodiversity, a published author in Purpose & Passion, and her centre placed 2nd in the Cape Ability Network 2nd Place for Specialised Education in a Disability.

Extracts from Dystinct Magazine