From Kitchen Table to AI Classroom—How Vibe Coding Empowered One Mom to Build a Tutor for Dyslexia
When Christina Gajilan’s son struggled with dyslexia, she didn’t wait for a tech company or educator to solve his challenges—she built the solution herself, harnessing the power of “vibe coding” to create an AI-powered tutor that’s changing how learning differences are addressed at home and beyond.[1][2][3]
Gajilan, a journalist versed in tech and startups but not in traditional programming, faced the common frustrations of parents whose kids with dyslexia endure nightly homework battles and struggle to fit rigid educational molds. Instead of accepting that coding skills were out of reach, she discovered vibe coding: a process where would-be creators use natural language to describe software they want built, letting AI agents translate those descriptions into functioning code.[2][4][5]
Using open-source research on dyslexia and ADHD alongside AI tools, Gajilan crafted a personalized teaching experience for her son. The platform asks students about their interests and struggles, crafts adaptive lesson plans, and incorporates their favorite activities to foster engagement—from Marvel characters to Roblox challenges. Speech-to-text and gamified lessons make learning accessible and fun, while dashboards let parents monitor progress without overstepping independence. By mid-2025, she launched a beta version with paying subscribers and a growing user community.[3][1]
Main Insights
- Vibe coding democratizes software creation—it allows non-programmers to build custom AI tools just by describing goals and features in plain English, making tech accessible for parents, educators, and children with learning differences.[5][1][2]
- AI is more than an assistant—it’s a cognitive partner: Gajilan’s approach reframes AI not as a mere automation tool but as a flexible collaborator that can personalize and adapt to each student’s unique learning needs.[4]
- Personalized platforms can transform education for neurodiverse kids: By integrating a child’s interests and adapting lesson difficulty, AI tutors like the one Gajilan built can foster motivation, independence, and measurable improvement for kids often left out by standardized tools.[3]
- Community impact: The platform quickly gained traction as parents saw real results and children took ownership of their learning, signaling demand for more individualized, tech-driven solutions for learning differences.[1][3]
Glossary
- Vibe Coding: The practice of creating software using natural language prompts interpreted by AI, instead of traditional code.[2][4]
- Adaptive Learning: Educational technology that alters lessons and content based on the learner’s responses and progress.[1][3]
- Speech-to-Text: Technology converting spoken words into digital text, reducing barriers for children with dyslexia during writing or typing.[3]
- Beta Version: An early release of a product offered to a small group for testing and feedback before full launch.[1]
Source
Read the full article here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-one-mom-used-vibe-coding-to-build-an-ai-tutor-for-her-dyslexic-son/[1]
