Is It Behavior or Is It Dyslexia? Why Smart Kids Act Out.

Last weekend, I sat in my car and cried happy tears. My son had just finished performing in four community theater shows. He memorized every single line by himself. He was focused, professional, and independent. He didn't need me to prompt him or rescue him. But the reason for the tears wasn't just pride—it was relief.

Because just a few years ago, this same child was asked to leave two different theater companies and a dance studio. The feedback was always the same: He has behavioral issues. He won’t listen. He is disruptive.

As a mom, I carried so much shame. I thought I was raising a "bad kid." But looking back now, with my 25-year lens as a Speech-Language Pathologist, I know the truth: He wasn't bad. He was terrified.

The Hidden Link Between Reading and Behavior

In the classroom (and apparently in theater rehearsals), children quickly learn a survival tactic: "It is better to be bad than to be dumb." If a child cannot read the script or the worksheet, their anxiety spikes. They feel exposed. So, to protect themselves, they flip a switch. They become the class clown. They act out. They get sent to the principal's office. Why? Because getting in trouble for behavior is safer than being humiliated for not being able to read.

The Science: Anxiety Looks Like Defiance

This isn't just a "mom theory"—it is clinical fact. According to the International Dyslexia Association, the number one emotional symptom reported by individuals with dyslexia is not sadness or depression—it is anxiety.

In adults, anxiety might look like worry. But in children, anxiety often looks like:

• Refusal to do work

• Disrupting the class

• "Zoning out" or lack of focus

• Aggression or defiance toward teachers

Research consistently shows that a significant percentage of children with learning disabilities also have co-occurring behavioral struggles. But often, we treat the behavior and ignore the root cause: the literacy gap.

How We Break the Cycle at Copper Sky Academy

With my son, the "behavior problems" vanished the moment the reading clicked. Once we treated the dyslexia effectively, the anxiety lowered, and the "bad kid" behavior disappeared. At Copper Sky Academy, we see this story every day. We meet students who have been labeled "troublemakers" or "unmotivated." We don't see them that way. We see them as intelligent children who are stuck in a cycle of fight-or-flight.

Our approach is different because we don't just manage behavior; we address the underlying processing deficits that cause the frustration. By using evidence-based, clinical reading intervention, we give students the tools to feel competent. And when a child feels competent, they don't need to act out.

Is Your Child "Acting Out" or Struggling to Keep Up?

If you are tired of the phone calls home, or if you feel like you are constantly apologizing for your child's behavior, I want you to pause and ask a different question. Are they acting out? Or are they struggling to keep up?

If you suspect that reading struggles are at the root of your child's frustration, we can help uncover the truth. You don't have to navigate this alone. Click here to schedule a tour or consultation with Copper Sky Academy.

References

International Dyslexia Association. (2020). Social and Emotional Problems Related to Dyslexia. Retrieved from https://dyslexiaida.org/social-emotional/

International Dyslexia Association. (2020). The Dyslexia-Stress-Anxiety Connection. Fact Sheet #6. Retrieved from https://dyslexiaida.org/the-dyslexia-stress-anxiety-connection/

Karande, S., & Kulkarni, M. (2005). Poor school performance. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 72(11), 961-967. (Cited in Psychological Co-morbidity in Children with Specific Learning Disorders, National Institutes of Health).

Livingston, E. M., Siegel, L. S., & Ribary, U. (2018). Developmental dyslexia: emotional impact and consequences. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 23(2), 107-135.