Solving Dyslexia, AI, and the Future of Learning | Russell Van Brocklen on Research, Education, and Freedom

Millions of kids struggle with dyslexia and reading, yet most school systems are failing them. Even with record-high spending per student, literacy rates are collapsing, leaving children—and their parents—frustrated and hopeless.

Parents are told to wait it out, spend thousands on testing, or accept special education programs that rarely work. Meanwhile, teachers are overwhelmed, students lose confidence, and future opportunities slip away. Add in the rise of AI and a changing job market, and the gap between prepared and unprepared students is widening every day.

In this inspiring episode, Jeff Kikel speaks with Russell, founder of Dyslexia Classes, who has spent decades refining a proven method that helps kids master reading and writing faster than most schools ever achieve. Russell explains how his process—built on the Craft of Research—is changing lives, how AI can actually support education when used right, and why even non-professional educators (like parents) can succeed where institutions fail.

Key Takeaways:

• Why literacy rates are collapsing despite record-high school spending.

• How Russell’s “flip articulation by word analysis” breakthrough makes dyslexia solvable.

• Why non-professional educators (like moms) can succeed more than specialized schools.

• How AI can help kids (and professionals) accelerate learning—not replace it.

• Why teachers can still assign essays if kids are taught to “show their work.”

• The massive opportunity for students who become “AI seniors” quickly.

• How states like New York are failing to implement affordable solutions.

• The importance of sequencing learning differently—not inventing from scratch.

• Why personal responsibility and creativity are key for future success.

About the Guest:

Russell Van Brocklen, widely known as The Dyslexia Professor, is dedicated to transforming daily reading frustrations into confident academic wins for students with dyslexia. His mission is to equip parents, tutors, and teachers with the tools to help struggling learners significantly improve comprehension, writing, and organizational skills.

As someone who is dyslexic himself, Russell deeply understands the pain, shame, and challenges that often accompany the condition. He also recognizes the financial and emotional strain it can place on families searching for answers and support. While working at the Research Foundation of the State University of New York, he contributed to extensive research, which, combined with his own experiences and years of working with students and families across the country, led him to develop a unique system for teaching writing skills.

Links:

https://dyslexiaclasses.com/

Fast Five Questions:

1. If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “First thing I do is, ’cause I’m dyslectic, I buy the professional version of ChatGPT. Otherwise, I’m literally useless. Then I’d take what I know, immediately find some clients I could work with, and just keep reinvesting it.”

2. What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? “I decided to take eight years off to figure out how to take this from super motivated kids to typical kids. That took me eight years. The result was flipping articulation filed by word analysis to word analysis filed by articulation. So simple, but it cost me years.”

3. What is a book that you would recommend? “By far, the most popular one: Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination. Walt Disney was dyslexic, and this book shows the universal themes behind Disney magic that kids can apply to anything.”

4. What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “ChatGPT Pro. As a dyslectic, it’s like having a superpower. I’ve been more productive in the last month with GPT-5 Pro than in the last 10 years.”

5. What is your definition of freedom? “Freedom is being able to get up and do what you want that fulfills you and helps others. But it also means being realistic—healthcare costs, inflation, and living choices matter. You need consistent income streams, not just savings.”

About Jeff:

Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation

Connect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/

Connect with Jeff:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.