Lessons Learned From MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle and Her Dyslexia Journey
In February 2024, Stephanie Ruhle, host of The 11th Hour on MSNBC, was a guest on the Today Show with Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie. In her appearance, she opened up about her challenges with dyslexia.
Earlier that month, Ruhle shared about her challenges in an Instagram post that resonated with many.
In her interview with Kotb and Guthrie, Ruhle explains that she was prompted to make the post to Instagram while on a flight trying to read a book that she just couldn’t get through. This experience made her think of her son who is also dyslexic.
She imagined her son at that very moment sitting in class, hating his life, hating his teacher, and struggling to get through his schoolwork. She knew that he sometimes checks her posts on Instagram so she decided to write and share how she was feeling, hoping that it would reach him.
Ruhle might have made the post for her son, but it reached far more than she could have imagined. By the time she landed, her phone was blowing up with messages from people all over the world who could relate to her story and finally felt seen.
Ruhle’s words of encouragement for those struggling like her and her son, "Hang on, life awaits. The world can't wait to meet you but you've got to get through school," she says.
What We Can Learn From Stephanie Ruhle’s Story
1. School doesn’t last forever.
In her interview, Ruhle stresses that school doesn’t last forever. It’s something that we all have to get through on the way to fulfilling our dreams. While school may be for linear thinkers, there's no reason why a dyslexic can’t have their dream job. The world needs dyslexic thinkers!
2. Dyslexia might not look the way you think.
Ruhle was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult because she, like many around her, believed the misconception that dyslexia is simply seeing letters backward. Even though she’s dyslexic, she has a great memory, and as a child, she was able to hide her disability because she could memorize words. This can be a common experience for those with dyslexia.
Like many parents, Ruhle did not realize she had dyslexia, or seek a diagnosis for herself until she saw her son struggling to learn to read in school.
Learn more about the signs of dyslexia by reading Seven Signs of Dyslexia.
3. Find the strategies that work for you.
For Ruhle, what works is breaking the information down into smaller, more digestible chunks. She also thrives on using verbal communication. She considers herself a storyteller and a lover of people, so she leans into those strengths.
By helping her son identify his strengths and find the strategies that work for him, he’s now developed a love for learning and begun to advocate for himself.
Next Steps If You Suspect Your Child Has Dyslexia
If you suspect your child may have dyslexia, follow these steps:
Speak to your child’s healthcare provider and your child’s teacher.
Request your child’s Universal Reading Screening Results. (Read more about Universal Reading Screening, here.)
Learn as much as you can about dyslexia (Check out our blog, workshops and webinars, and these resources.)
Request a Special Education Evaluation
Speak with and seek support from a dyslexia advocate.
Watch the full segment with Stephanie Ruhle on the Today Show: MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle Opens Up About Struggle with Dyslexia
