Understanding & Supporting People with Dyslexia
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month! Dyslexia is the most talked about learning disability. However, it is often misunderstood.
There are a few things that are important to understand about dyslexia.
First, dyslexia is a language-based disability. Difficulty with reading is one symptom of dyslexia, but it is far from the only one.
Secondly, dyslexia is not caused by vision concerns. This means that vision or eye-based interventions like eye therapy will not address dyslexia. However, they may be helpful for people with dyslexia who have co-occurring eye muscle or tracking concerns.
Lastly, dyslexia is not related to intelligence. People with dyslexia usually score average to above average on measures of intelligence. However, they take in, process, and retain information in a way that is different than neurotypical people. Since we live in a society that caters to the way neurotypical brains work, this, in practice, usually looks like kids with dyslexia struggling in some areas while excelling in others.
Dyslexia can look like:
Difficulting learning letters and letter/sound associations
Inability to sound out unfamiliar words
Struggling to learn to read despite interventions
Reading at a slow speed with frequent errors
Confusing or mixing up letters
Struggling with word recognition despite practice and reteaching
Difficulty with spelling despite practice
Struggling with other memorization tasks, such as remembering math facts
Taking an unusually long time to complete reading and writing tasks
Extreme difficulty learning another language in a classroom setting
Messy penmanship that makes writing difficult to read or leads to errors, such as frequent computation errors due to misreading their writing or not having numbers lined up
As students get older, we often also see anxiety and masking as coping mechanisms. This might look like refusing to read aloud, avoiding writing on the board, avoiding certain subjects or activities, writing messily on purpose to hide spelling errors etc.
Struggling students are often told to try harder or spend more time memorizing. But they are trying! Instead, these students need teaching strategies, expectations, and supports that work with how their brain processes and stores information.
If you think your child may have dyslexia, evaluation is often an excellent first step. To learn more about evaluation, check out my course, Understanding and Accessing Evaluation for Your Child.
If your child has dyslexia, the best way to support them is through evidence-based interventions. For more information on effective interventions for dyslexia, sign up for my newsletter to receive a free download!
Amazon Finds!
I also created a list of my favorite dyslexia-friendly items (affiliate link). These items fit into a few categories.
Support- Items like reading rulers, reading pens, and multiplication charts help students with challenging tasks. I also included some writing and organization supports as many (but not all!) people with dyslexia also benefit from support with keeping their work neat and organized enough to read.
Understanding and Acceptance- Books that explain how the brain works or feature dyslexic characters validate kids' experiences and help them understand themselves.
Phonics Practice- Phonics instruction is critical for supporting dyslexic students. Fun and low-pressure phonics games can be a great way to support these skills at home.
Hands-on practice- Things like memorizing math facts and sight words can be extremely challenging for kids with dyslexia. Visually presenting these concepts can be helpful. For example, matching multiplication equations to array pictures instead of trying to memorize multiplication tables.
Playing to Strengths- Many dyslexic people have strong spatial thinking, logic, and problem-solving skills. Games or activities that use these skills are a great way to work with your child’s brain while building their confidence.
More on learning disabilities:
Understand Learning Disabilities: A Guide for Parents
Learning Disabilities: 6 Things Every Parent Should Know
And, as always, if you are looking for support on a specific topic and can’t find it, let us know here. My team and I are always looking for more ways to support this community :)