Dr. Tim Odegard is a professor of psychology and the Katherine Davis Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies at Middle Tennessee State University, where he leads the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia. He will be a keynote speaker at the 2025 Iowa Science of Reading Summit. 

Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC): Tell Me About Who You Are and What You Do.

Tim Odegard: Well, that’s a simple question with layers of complexity. At the heart of it, I work toward a convergence of efforts to improve the lives of children—who, hopefully, grow up to be adults who find their place in the world—by elevating our collective understanding of the instruction and systems needed to ensure they can read and write.

I’m a professor of psychology and the Katherine Davis Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. I also serve as editor-in-chief of Annals of Dyslexia, a journal that disseminates research on reading and reading disabilities.

Through my research on dyslexia, intervention response, educator knowledge, and the identification of children at risk for reading difficulties, I aim to connect the science with the systems and people who need it most. At the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia, my team works to provide actionable training, materials, and information that translate science into practice.

In addition, I support policy development and help ensure it is communicated and implemented in ways that positively impact what matters most: that magical moment when a child learns to read—when the right instruction, at the right time, delivered by a skilled educator, changes the trajectory of a life.

IRRC: Do You Remember Learning How to Read? What Was the Process Like for You?

Tim Odegard: Learning to read was a laborious, humiliating endeavor for me. My teachers primarily used leveled readers—though I didn’t know that’s what they were called at the time. There was some basic phonics instruction, but it was limited, and there was virtually no structured spelling instruction. We were just given lists of words to memorize for weekly spelling tests.

For me, learning to read was a sheer brute-force effort. I had to memorize words to get by. I was a terrible reader and an even worse speller. And honestly, it didn’t get much better until, through sheer will, I had memorized enough words. Even then, I didn’t actually read all the words on the page. I’d read what I could and infer the rest from context.

That process left me feeling like I didn’t belong. I came to see myself as a child left behind—not because I lacked the desire or ability to learn, but because the system wasn’t designed to support how I learned.

That early experience fuels everything I do now—working to ensure that no child feels that same sense of neglect or isolation simply because they learn differently.

IRRC: What Is One Misconception People Have About Dyslexia? What Is One Thing You Would Like People to Know About It?

Tim Odegard: That those of us with dyslexia are lazy. I hate that so much. I’ve watched adults with dyslexia work tirelessly to do what, for others, is an effortless and automatic act. It’s heartbreaking to see those who can read easily speak down to or doubt the effort and potential of children with dyslexia. These children are not lazy—they are often working harder than anyone else in the room.

IRRC: What Does the “Science of Reading” Mean to You? What Are Your Hopes for Its Future?

Tim Odegard: It means potential—so much potential. And sadly, far too much of it is still untapped. The science sits dormant, underutilized. We’ve made great progress in growing the knowledge base, but we haven’t done nearly enough to translate that knowledge into action for policymakers, educators, and families.

My hope is that the science of reading movement becomes less about building consensus and more about building capacity—translating what we already know into practical, sustainable change that reaches every classroom. We’ve seen what’s possible when structured literacy is implemented well—students make gains, teachers feel empowered, and the system starts to work as it should.

IRRC: Is There Anything Else You’d Like to Share?

Tim Odegard: Never give up. Life is hard for everyone. What might come easily to you may be incredibly challenging for someone else. What’s second nature to you may be the hardest thing in the world for another person. So, cultivate empathy. See differences not as deficits but as opportunities for alignment—for coming together, for learning from one another, and for ensuring that we all have the chance to succeed. I’m grateful to be part of a community working toward change. And I hope we all keep listening—to research, to each other, and especially to the children who are counting on us.