Inclusion Through Access: How LanguageBird and Levy Educational Advocacy Help Students with Language-Based Learning Disabilities Thrive

Guest Blog Post from: Levy Educational Advocacy

Students with language-based learning disabilities deserve inclusion through access—not exemption. Yet across the country, families are often encouraged to pursue foreign language waivers when their child struggles with dyslexia, written expression, processing challenges, or other learning differences. While these waivers are well-intended, they can unintentionally remove students from enriching learning experiences that build cultural awareness, cognitive flexibility, and confidence.

At Levy Educational Advocacy, we believe deeply in access over avoidance. Students shouldn’t have to miss out on core academic opportunities simply because traditional instruction isn’t designed for diverse learners. What they need is a format that honors how they learn.

That’s where LanguageBird becomes a meaningful, research-aligned solution.

Why Waivers Fall Short

Foreign language waivers are often framed as a way to reduce barriers. But in reality, they can:

• Limit a student’s access to peer-aligned coursework
  
• Reduce opportunities for inclusion
  
• Remove culturally rich and socially meaningful learning experiences
  
• Send a message that “this class isn’t for you”

Students with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities are more than capable of learning a world language—when instruction aligns with structured literacy principles.

A Better Model: Individualized, Multi-sensory, and Aligned With How Students Learn

Programs like LanguageBird offer a new, equitable path forward. Their 1:1 instruction model mirrors what we know works for learners with dyslexia and other reading/writing challenges:

✔ 1:1 Instruction

Students work directly with a certified world-language instructor who can tailor pacing, reteach concepts, and target individual needs.

✔ Self-Paced & Flexible

Allows students to learn without the time pressure, visual overload, or rapid instruction common in traditional classrooms.

✔ Multi-sensory & Structured

This approach aligns with the same principles that guide structured literacy—explicit teaching, scaffolded practice, repetition, and meaningful application.

✔ Confidence-Building

Students gain mastery through consistent feedback and a supportive relationship with their instructor.

✔ Accessible for Families

Flexible scheduling and a virtual platform meet students exactly where they are—academically and geographically.

This is access. This is inclusive education.

How Levy Educational Advocacy Supports Families

At Levy Educational Advocacy, we help families pursue the most appropriate, equitable pathways for their child’s success—including access to world-language learning.

Our support includes:

• Reviewing school policies around language waivers
  
• Advocating for inclusive—not exclusionary—options
  
• Providing data-informed recommendations for LanguageBird and other accessible programs
  
• Ensuring IEP and 504 teams understand structured language principles
  
• Helping families secure placement, credit, and appropriate accommodations
  

We believe world language learning should be available to every student, and with the right instruction, it absolutely can be.

Inclusion Means Access—Not Exemption

Students with language-based learning disabilities don’t need to be removed from foreign language coursework—they need to be taught differently, using approaches that respect how their brains learn best.

LanguageBird’s model, paired with Levy Educational Advocacy’s expertise, creates a powerful pathway where:

✨ Students are included
✨ Instruction is accessible
✨ Families feel supported
✨ Learners gain confidence and skills that last a lifetime

Every student deserves the opportunity to experience the richness of world-language learning. With the right support and the right instructional model, that opportunity becomes possible.