The Amazing Tale of Sven By Karen Bossick
It all began with a letter.
A desperate grandmother, Catherine Hayward, sat down and wrote to Narda Pitkethly. Her words were raw, heartfelt, and tinged with the kind of hope that only comes when every other avenue seems closed:
“My grandson is 12 years old, autistic and cannot read. His teachers say he may never learn to read. It would be a miracle if you could teach him to read.”
For many families, this kind of struggle is not unusual. Learning to read can feel like an uphill battle, particularly for children with autism, dyslexia, or other learning challenges. But Catherine’s story - and more importantly, her grandson Sven’s story - took a remarkable turn.
Because, as it turns out, Narda did have something close to a miracle in her hands: a unique reading system she created called Nardagani.
A Reading System Inspired by Japan
Nardagani didn’t appear out of thin air. Its roots trace back more than 250 years to a method developed in Japan called Hiragana. This system was designed to help people decode the thousands of complex characters in the Japanese language by using simple visual codes.
Narda adapted that principle to English. She created 12 easy-to-learn symbols that work as visual cues, guiding readers through the confusing maze of English spelling. Silent letters, tricky combinations like “ph” or “ough,” and shifting sounds that make English one of the hardest languages to master - suddenly, they became manageable.
When Catherine brought Sven to meet Narda, he was a 5th grader who couldn’t read even the simplest words: “a,” “at,” “me,” “it.” Teachers had tried the traditional “sight word” approach, drilling and repeating, but nothing stuck. Sven simply didn’t connect the squiggly symbols on paper with the words he spoke aloud.
But with Nardagani, that changed almost immediately.
Sven’s First Breakthrough
After just five lessons, Sven was reading five-letter words. One more lesson later, he opened a small book about a yellow puppy named Biscuit - and read it.
All on his own.
For a child who had been told he might never read, this was monumental. His next adventure? A book about going on safari. Sven grinned from ear to ear, the kind of smile that comes when you do something you never thought was possible.
“I do like reading,” he giggled. “It used to be hard to read. It was difficult. I would go someplace and see a sign and not know what it meant. But now I like reading stories by myself.”
That single moment didn’t just unlock words - it unlocked confidence. And that confidence began to ripple into every area of his life.
Why English Is So Hard to Decode
Sven’s struggle wasn’t unusual. English is full of exceptions. Take the letter H for example:
In “horse,” it’s straightforward.
In “teeth,” it softens.
In “feather,” it shifts.
In “Christmas,” it nearly disappears.
In “phone,” it becomes “f.”
In “laugh,” it’s “gh.”
And sometimes… it vanishes altogether.
Multiply this by every letter, every exception, every silent syllable, and it’s no wonder millions of students struggle.
Nardagani’s 12-symbol system helps learners decode these irregularities in a clear, consistent way. Within a couple of weeks, most students don’t even need the codes anymore - they’ve built the skills to decode English naturally.
From Doubt to Belief
When social worker Leslie Andrews first met Sven, she admits she wasn’t convinced.
“I remember coming out from our first meeting and saying this isn’t going to happen,” she recalls. “But in only four lessons, he learned the Nardagani reading program symbols and was reading full sentences.”
For someone with challenges in memory and focus, this was extraordinary. Over several months, Sven was reading regular fourth-grade-level books - nearly at grade level.
Leslie had spent 30 years working with children who struggled with learning differences. She had seen frustration, setbacks, and slow progress. But this? This was different.
The Moment Everything Changed
Fast forward a few years. Sven was now in high school. One day, substitute teacher Marilyn Donofro was asked to have him read aloud in class. She braced herself, remembering how difficult reading had once been for him.
To her surprise, Sven read the passage fluently. Confidently. With ease.
“I had to turn away to hide the tears in my eyes - it was such an amazing accomplishment,” she said. “It was like a key unlocking something within him so he could figure out how to read.”
That was the power of Nardagani: not just teaching reading, but opening up a new world of possibility.
A Proud Father’s Perspective
Sven’s father, Sam Dickey, couldn’t believe his son’s progress.
“He’s definitely come a long way - it blows my mind to think how far he’s come,” Sam said. “Even his teachers recognize how without Nardagani he might still be at square one. I’d say if something like Nardagani can help Sven, it can help anyone.”
It’s one thing for teachers and specialists to see improvement. It’s another for a parent to witness their child do something they once thought impossible. For Sam, Nardagani wasn’t just a program - it was a lifeline.
Beyond Reading: A New Identity
By the time Sven was 15, reading wasn’t a chore. It was something he enjoyed, right alongside his passions for swimming and skiing. Books became an extension of his curiosity.
And in his junior year of high school, he achieved something remarkable: Sven became a member of the National Honor Society of America.
Think about that for a moment.
A child once told he might never read… was now not only reading fluently but excelling academically.
“I once thought reading was impossible,” Sven said. “Now, I know all things are possible.”
Why Sven’s Story Matters
Sven’s journey is more than an inspiring anecdote - it’s proof of what’s possible. His story represents thousands of children and adults who have been written off as “non-readers.” Too often, people assume that if the traditional methods don’t work, nothing will.
But Nardagani proves otherwise.
It proves that:
Literacy barriers are not permanent.
With the right system, even the most reluctant readers can thrive.
Reading is not just about decoding words - it’s about confidence, independence, and opportunity.
The Bigger Picture: Literacy for All
Sven’s story highlights the larger crisis: millions of children and adults in the United States and around the world still struggle to read. And just like Sven, many of them have been told they might never succeed.
The reality is, literacy is more than an academic milestone. It’s a gateway to opportunity, freedom, and dignity. Without it, children fall behind in school, adults struggle in the workforce, and families face barriers in daily life.
But with tools like Nardagani, those barriers can be broken.
Final Thoughts: Unlocking Possibility
Catherine’s letter began with desperation, but it ended in triumph. Sven’s story is living proof that no learner should ever be written off.
A boy once unable to read “me” or “it” now reads with confidence, joy, and pride. A grandmother’s hope turned into a family’s celebration. And a system inspired by centuries-old Japanese methods gave a young man the gift of literacy.
For Sven, reading opened the door to a world he once thought closed forever. For families everywhere, his story is a reminder: all things are possible.