How can adults with dyslexia successfully return to school?

Last updated: January 13, 2026

You’ve thought about going back to school for years. Maybe it’s a degree you always wanted, a career change that requires new credentials, or the simple desire to prove something to yourself. But every time you consider it, that familiar knot forms in your stomach. You remember the struggle of reading assignments that seemed to take forever, the exhaustion of working twice as hard as everyone else, the way words sometimes seemed to swim on the page. If you’re an adult developing reading skills and wondering whether returning to school is even possible, I want you to know something important: your brain hasn’t stopped growing, your determination hasn’t disappeared, and your story is far from finished.

TL;DR

Your brain continues forming new neural pathways throughout adulthood—reading skills can improve at any age with targeted practice
Use strategic tools like text-to-speech and extended time while actively building your reading abilities
Connect with school disability services for accommodations that create space to demonstrate your knowledge
The brain type that makes reading challenging often brings gifts in spatial reasoning, creativity, and big-picture thinking
Daily focused reading practice (10-15 minutes) creates measurable changes in brain structure

Understanding the Adult Dyslexic Brain

Your brain didn’t stop developing at 18. This is one of the most important facts for any adult considering returning to school while developing reading skills. Neuroplasticity research shows that the brain continues to form new neural pathways throughout life. This means you can build stronger reading circuits at 35, 45, or even 65.

Adults with reading differences often carry years of compensatory strategies. You’ve learned to work around challenges in creative ways. Now, returning to education means you can consciously strengthen the foundational skills while using your hard-earned adaptations. Your brain has already proven its ability to adapt. Going back to school gives you the chance to build on that foundation with targeted practice.

Here’s what makes the adult brain particularly suited for this journey: you bring context, motivation, and life experience that younger students lack. Your prefrontal cortex is fully developed, giving you better planning and self-regulation abilities. These are genuine advantages in academic settings.

Your brain didn't stop growing at 18. Adults developing reading skills can build new neural pathways at any age. Going back to school is possible. Tweet Now Follow Learning Success

Managing Academic Demands Differently

Returning to school as an adult developing reading skills requires strategic thinking about how you approach academic work. The goal isn’t to pretend reading comes easily. The goal is to build skills while working efficiently with your current abilities.

Start by understanding your brain’s unique way of processing information. Many adults with reading differences have exceptional spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and big-picture thinking. These cognitive strengths can become your academic superpowers in subjects like science, engineering, business strategy, and creative fields.

Time management looks different for you. Reading assignments may take longer, so schedule accordingly. Use text-to-speech technology for dense material. Record lectures and review them later. These aren’t crutches—they’re strategic tools that allow you to access content while continuing to build reading skills through targeted practice.

Connect with disability services at your school. They exist to help you succeed, not to label you. Request extended test time, alternative formats for materials, and quiet testing environments. These accommodations create space for you to demonstrate what you know.

Author Quote "

Neuroplasticity research shows that intensive practice creates measurable changes in brain structure and function in adults with reading differences—the same neural pathways that develop in typical readers can be built at any age.

Laura Lurns Learning Success Expert

Expert Insight:Brain scans reveal that adults who engage in intensive reading practice develop the same neural activation patterns as typical readers—proving that 'too late' is a myth when it comes to building reading skills.

Building Reading Skills While Studying

Here’s the powerful truth: you can strengthen your reading abilities while pursuing your educational goals. The two aren’t competing priorities. With the right approach, your coursework becomes part of your reading development.

Dedicate 10-15 minutes daily to targeted reading practice separate from your academic work. This focused time builds neural pathways without the pressure of comprehension deadlines. Think of it as brain training—consistent practice creates measurable changes in brain structure and function.

When tackling course materials, read actively rather than passively. Highlight key concepts. Write summaries in your own words. Create visual maps of information. These strategies strengthen comprehension while reinforcing decoding skills.

Don’t hide your journey. Many successful professionals with reading differences speak openly about their experiences. This authenticity often inspires others and builds connections with professors and classmates who want to support your success.

Key Takeaways:

Adults can build stronger reading neural pathways at any age through neuroplasticity

Dyslexic brains often excel at spatial reasoning and creative problem-solving

Strategic accommodations help demonstrate knowledge while building reading skills

Your Brain’s Hidden Advantages

The same brain structure that makes reading challenging often comes with remarkable gifts. Research consistently shows that people developing reading skills often excel in creative problem-solving, three-dimensional thinking, and seeing connections others miss.

Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, and countless entrepreneurs and innovators share your brain type. They didn’t succeed despite their different brains—they succeeded because of how their minds work. Your ability to think differently is increasingly valuable in a world that needs novel solutions.

As you navigate your return to education, build your growth mindset alongside your academic skills. Every challenge you overcome strengthens the anterior mid-cingulate cortex—the brain region associated with willpower and resilience. You’re not just earning a degree. You’re building a more capable brain.

Remember: your reading journey started later in life, but your brain hasn’t stopped growing. Each day of focused practice creates new neural connections. The adult who persists through challenges develops something many never achieve—genuine resilience forged through real effort.

Author Quote "

The anterior mid-cingulate cortex—the brain region associated with willpower and determination—literally grows when we persist through challenges we’d rather avoid.

Here’s what I believe with every fiber of my being: you don’t need anyone’s permission to become the student you want to be. The system that once told you reading was impossible, that labeled you and limited you, that made you feel less capable than you truly are—that system was wrong about you then, and it’s wrong about you now. Your brain is capable of extraordinary growth. The same determination that got you through years of struggle will carry you through your educational goals. You’re not damaged. You’re not broken. You’re someone whose brain works differently—and different thinking is exactly what classrooms need more of. Start your free trial of the Learning Success All Access Program and discover what becomes possible when you have the right tools and the right support.

References

Stanford University Graduate School of Education - Neuroplasticity Research - Brain imaging shows that intensive reading instruction creates measurable changes in brain structure and function in adults with reading differences
Andrew Huberman, Huberman Lab - Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex Research - The willpower center of the brain grows when we persist through challenging tasks we'd rather avoid
Carol Dweck, Stanford University - Growth Mindset Studies - Students who believe their abilities can develop show increased activity in learning centers when facing challenges