How to Teach Children with Dyslexia to Read: Strategies and Resources

Dyslexia is a common learning disorder that affects approximately 5 to 10 percent of the population. Students with dyslexia struggle with reading and spelling, which can lead to frustration and difficulties in school. As a teacher, it's important to understand how to identify and support students with dyslexia to help them reach their full potential.

Here are some strategies and resources to help you teach children with dyslexia to read:

Use multisensory techniques: Children with dyslexia often benefit from a multisensory approach to learning. This means incorporating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements into your teaching. For example, you could have students trace letters in sand or shaving cream, use magnetic letters on a board, or clap out syllables while saying words.

Teach phonemic awareness: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the individual sounds in words. Students with dyslexia often struggle with phonemic awareness, so it's important to explicitly teach these skills. Activities like rhyming games, segmenting and blending sounds, and using word families can help develop phonemic awareness.

Use structured literacy programs: Structured literacy programs are evidence-based programs that use a systematic and explicit approach to teaching reading. These programs often include phonics, phonemic awareness, and decoding skills. Examples of structured literacy programs include Orton-Gillingham and Wilson Reading System.

Provide accommodations: Accommodations can help students with dyslexia access the curriculum and demonstrate their knowledge. Examples of accommodations include extra time on tests, audiobooks, and assistive technology.

Foster a positive attitude: Students with dyslexia may feel frustrated or discouraged, so it's important to foster a positive attitude towards reading. Praise effort and progress, rather than just correct answers. Provide opportunities for success, such as choosing books that match their reading level or allowing them to use assistive technology.

Resources for teaching children with dyslexia:

International Dyslexia Association: The IDA provides resources, training, and advocacy for individuals with dyslexia and their families.

Learning Ally: Learning Ally is a nonprofit organization that provides audiobooks and other resources to support students with dyslexia and other learning differences.

Understood.org: Understood.org provides resources and support for parents and educators of students with learning and attention issues, including dyslexia.

Decoding Dyslexia: Decoding Dyslexia is a grassroots movement of parents and educators advocating for better awareness, assessment, and intervention for dyslexia.

Teaching children with dyslexia to read can be challenging, but with the right strategies and resources, it's possible to help these students succeed. By using a multisensory approach, teaching phonemic awareness, using structured literacy programs, providing accommodations, and fostering a positive attitude, you can support students with dyslexia in their reading journey.