Dyslexia can be a tricky word, and sometimes people get confused about what it really means. Essentially, dyslexia is like having a different way of learning to read. However, it doesn’t mean someone is not smart or capable. Instead, it just means that their brain learns in a unique way. For example, people with dyslexia might mix up letters or have trouble sounding out words. But guess what? They often have amazing strengths in other areas, like being super creative or great at solving problems! In this blog post, we’re going to learn all about dyslexia and provide some practical tips and resources for supporting our children with dyslexia.

What Are Some Common Signs That a Child Might Have Dyslexia?

Sometimes, figuring out if a child has dyslexia can be a bit like solving a puzzle. There’s no single, obvious clue, but several signs might give us a hint. These signs can show up in different ways depending on the child’s age, and sometimes they might not be so clear. However, by paying close attention to how a child learns and interacts with the world around them, we can often spot these signs and offer the right kind of support. So, let’s talk about some of the things to look for that might mean a child has dyslexia.

• Trouble with letters and sounds: They might mix up letters that look similar (like ‘b’ and ‘d’) or have a hard time sounding out words.
• Reading slowly or making mistakes: Reading might be slow and choppy, and they might make a lot of mistakes or skip words.
• Difficulty rhyming or spelling: They might struggle with rhyming words or have trouble spelling even simple words.
• Avoiding reading or writing: Because reading and writing can be hard, they might try to avoid it altogether.
• Frustration and low self-esteem: Struggling with reading and writing can make kids feel frustrated and even think they’re not smart.

It’s important to remember that every child is different, and these signs might not look the same for everyone. Therefore, if you’re worried your child might have dyslexia, talking to their teacher or a certified reading specialist can help.

How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

Diagnosing dyslexia is not a one-size-fits-all process. Typically, it involves a team of professionals, including psychologists, educators, and sometimes speech-language pathologists. The evaluation process may include:

• Reviewing developmental and educational history: This involves gathering information about the child’s milestones, academic progress, and any previous interventions.
• Administering tests of reading, writing, and language skills: These tests assess the child’s abilities in areas such as phonological awareness (understanding the sound structure of words), decoding (sounding out words), encoding (spelling out words), reading fluency, and reading comprehension.
• Assessing cognitive abilities: Additionally, this may involve testing the child’s IQ, memory, attention, and problem-solving skills to rule out other potential causes of learning differences.

The Importance of Early Intervention

Early intervention is crucial for children with dyslexia. Here’s why:

• Prevents academic and emotional struggles: Early diagnosis and intervention can help prevent children from falling behind in school and experiencing frustration, low self-esteem, and anxiety related to their learning difficulties.
• Builds a strong foundation for learning: Early intervention focuses on developing foundational reading and language skills, providing children with the tools they need to succeed in their academic journey.
• Promotes self-advocacy and independence: In addition, early intervention empowers children to understand their learning differences, develop self-advocacy skills, and become independent learners.

Remember, early intervention is not about “fixing” dyslexia but rather about providing children with the support and strategies they need to thrive academically and emotionally.

 Helping Kids with Dyslexia Shine: Tips for Teachers and Parents 

Teachers

Teachers can make a big difference in helping kids with dyslexia feel confident and successful in the classroom. Here are a few ideas: 

• Know your student: Get to know your student and how dyslexia affects their learning.
• Dyslexia Reading Program: Use a special reading program made just for kids with dyslexia to help them learn to read and spell. A reading program for dyslexia will have activities and strategies that help kids with dyslexia learn best. 
• National Reading Panel: Follow the National Reading Panel’s (NRP) guidelines of the most important components needed in a reading program which include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension
• Orton-Gillingham: Try using the Orton-Gillingham way of teaching. It uses hands-on activities and teaches all the important parts of reading step-by-step. It’s like building a strong foundation for reading!
• Science of Reading: Dive into the Science of Reading and learn how to apply its principles effectively in your classroom to benefit all students.
• Multi-sensory learning: Use different senses to help your students learn. For example, try using letter blocks or writing words in sand or in the air.
• Break it down: Help your student by breaking down tasks into smaller, easier steps. This can make things less overwhelming and help them feel more confident.
• Incorporate decodable books: Integrate decodable books into your classroom library. These books use controlled vocabulary with specific phonetic patterns, allowing children to practice and reinforce their decoding skills.

It’s also important to make learning fun and engaging by using games, stories, and technology. Remember to celebrate your student’s strengths and progress, and most importantly, create a supportive and understanding classroom where everyone feels valued and respected.

Parents

Parents play a super important role in helping their child with dyslexia thrive. Here’s what you can do at home:

• Talk to the teacher: Let the teacher know about your child’s dyslexia and how it affects their learning. Together, you can create a plan to help them succeed.
• Celebrate strengths: Dyslexia doesn’t mean a child isn’t smart. Therefore, focus on their strengths and encourage them to explore their talents.
• Read together: Make reading fun by choosing books your child is interested in. Take turns reading aloud and talk about the story together.
• Play with words: Word games, puzzles, and rhyming activities can help build language skills in a playful way.
• Decodable Books: Encourage your child to practice reading decodable books at home to reinforce the skills they are learning in the classroom.

Remember, learning can sometimes be tough for kids with dyslexia, so be patient, offer lots of encouragement, and celebrate all their efforts and progress, no matter how small. Most importantly, remind your child that dyslexia doesn’t define them – they are smart, capable, and loved just the way they are.

We Have a Resource for You!

Thank you for reading this post today. You might also enjoy reading:

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