As summer vacation comes to a close, the excitement of a new school year starts to build. However, this time of year can also bring stress, especially for children and parents navigating dyslexia. To ensure a smooth transition into the new academic year, it’s essential to prepare for new teachers, classes, and routines. To help you get started, we have come up with a list of 5 tips for parents preparing for back to school.
Here are our top dyslexia back to school tips:
#1 Talk to the Teacher
Begin by talking to your child’s new teacher about their dyslexia. Make sure that they understand what dyslexia is and how it will affect your child’s reading and spelling instruction. Your child might need to learn differently, and the teacher must be aware of this. If possible, make an appointment with the teacher in the first week of the school year.
During the conversation, be sure to:
- Share any dyslexia testing or assessment information.
- Discuss classroom and homework accommodations that your child might need.
- Highlight what has worked in the past and what hasn’t.
- Provide examples of your child’s work.
- Emphasize your child’s strengths as well as areas of difficulty.
- Offer your assistance and express your willingness to work together as a team.
#2 Research the School’s Reading Program
Next, it’s important to investigate the reading program your child will be using. Certain reading programs, like the Orton-Gillingham approach, have proven effective for students with dyslexia when implemented with fidelity.
To begin, find out which reading curriculum your child’s school will use in the upcoming year.
1. Ask the school for detailed literature on your child’s reading program.
2. Read the literature and see if the program is aligned with the Orton-Gillingham. You can find this information here.
3. Check that the program is aligned with the Science of Reading You can find this information here.
4. Make sure the reading program follows Structured Literacy. You can find this information here.
After evaluating your child’s reading program, you might feel satisfied that it is the right program for your child. However, if you have doubts about whether your child’s needs are being met, you might want to schedule a conference with the teacher or IEP team to discuss your concerns and consider alternative dyslexia back to school programs.
#3 Get your Child’s IEP or 504 Plan in Place
If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan, make sure it is ready and can go into effect on the very first day of school. Sort everything out ahead of time. Check to make sure that all documentation and evaluations on your child’s IEP or 504 plan is current and up to date. Additionally, create an organized system for your child’s IEP paperwork. A binder with tabs, divided into categories, can be a great tool for this purpose.
#4 Help your Child with a Structured Routine
As the new school year begins, your child will need to adjust to a new class, teacher, and routine. After a long summer vacation, your child will need to ease into a structured routine. This transition can take some time. To ease your child into a structured routine, gradually establish a consistent schedule for sleep, meals, and homework.
#5 Stay Informed About Dyslexia Laws, News, and Research
It is important to stay current on new dyslexia laws, special education legislation, dyslexia back to school news, and events. You can check out credible sites such as:
- The International Dyslexia Association
- The National Center for Learning Disabilities
- The Reading League
- Reading Rockets
We Have a Resource for You!
Thank you for reading this post today. You might also enjoy reading our previous post:
Reading Programs for Dyslexia: What you need to know
Please don’t leave without checking out the PRIDE Reading Program. This Orton-Gillingham, structured literacy curriculum is used by teachers, tutors, and parents worldwide with great success.
Karina Richland, M.A., is the author of the PRIDE Reading Program, a multisensory Orton-Gillingham reading, writing, and comprehension curriculum that is available worldwide for parents, tutors, teachers, and homeschoolers of struggling readers. Karina has an extensive background in working with students of all ages and various learning modalities. She has spent many years researching learning differences and differentiated teaching practices. You can reach her by email at info@pridereadingprogram.com or visit the website at www.pridereadingprogram.com