07 Sep How To Support A Child With Dyslexia?

How To Support A Child With Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning difficulties there is. It is estimated that around 16% of the UK’s population is affected by dyslexia, of varying severity. Dyslexic students struggle with certain areas of literacy which can make studying that bit harder.

The good news is that with dyslexia being so common, dyslexia support is incredibly accessible. Practically every school in the UK can access dyslexia help, and accommodations are usually made so that students remain in class, studying with their peers.

Dyslexia affects adults and kids alike, and it is not necessarily something that can be overcome, rather something that can be managed and worked with.

Throughout this article, we will look into how you can help support dyslexic students on their education journey and where you can go to get some useful dyslexia help and resources.

Firstly, What Is Dyslexia?

Understanding dyslexia is the first step to supporting a student with the condition. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that commonly affects the skills involved with word reading, writing, spelling and general literacy. Dyslexia affects how the brain processes graphic symbols and the sounds of words, making studying that bit more challenging, even with dyslexia support.

People with dyslexia can face challenges daily, with dyslexia being a lifelong problem. However, support is available, and those with the condition can manage their dyslexia, helping them succeed at school and work.

Dyslexia is recognised as a genetic condition and can be regarded as hereditary, as it does often appear to run in families. Similar learning difficulties and developmental disorders include dyscalculia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia.

Dyslexia help is easily accessible for school-aged children in the UK, and dyslexia support can help students manage the condition.

How Common Is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning difficulties out there. Affecting more than 1 in 10 of the UK’s population (of varying severities), it is very likely that there will be other dyslexic students at your child’s school or amongst their friends.

As with all learning difficulties, no two students with dyslexia are the same. There are various types of dyslexia, all affecting children and adults in different ways. Equally, when it comes to dyslexia support and help, no one approach is suitable for all dyslexic students. Rather, each student requires unique support, focused on a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Dyslexia help should be targeted to each student’s unique needs.

Globally, it is thought that over 700 million people are living with dyslexia, so you aren’t alone if you think you have dyslexia or have recently been diagnosed.

What Are The Signs Of Dyslexia?

Dyslexia can often be easily identified through simple observation. Dyslexia symptoms could include a student confusing the order of letters in a word? Or maybe they might read slow and make mistakes when reading aloud? Perhaps they are describing letters as seeming to move up and down or appearing as blurred when reading. Or maybe the student can answer questions well orally but struggle when writing an answer down?

There are various signs of dyslexia, and not all dyslexic students will exhibit the same signs. If you have concerns about how a student is performing regarding literacy and English, then it is worth getting a formal dyslexic test to confirm the signs or symptoms a student experiences. If dyslexia is diagnosed, you can then start looking for dyslexia support and dyslexia help to assist the student moving forward.

Dyslexia is one of the easiest learning difficulties to spot early and is often identified in students before the end of primary school. Teachers have strategies in place to look out for students who might have dyslexia within their classroom. This makes dyslexia support all the more effective, as it can be started young, and the student can then receive the necessary dyslexia help throughout the rest of their education. Early intervention always ensures the very best dyslexia support possible.

How Is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

Dyslexia can be formally diagnosed through a dyslexia test or “Diagnostic Assessment” available to both children and adults. A dyslexia test is conducted by an educational psychologist or a specialist dyslexia teacher.

You can usually be referred for an assessment through your child’s school, so it is always worth speaking with teachers or your school’s special education needs co-ordinator (SENCO) to see if this is possible. In the first instance, a school may see whether any special accommodations can be made within the classroom before referring a child for a formal assessment.

You can also often request a dyslexia test by communicating with your local authority’s educational psychologist or dyslexia specialist. Alternatively, you can speak with private educational psychologists directly who can help you to arrange an assessment.

Most adults looking for a formal dyslexia assessment will have to communicate with educational psychologists directly, whether private or through the local authority.

You can find out some more information about dyslexia assessment with The British Dyslexia Association (BDA).

In some cases, it can be worth speaking to your doctor to ensure that no other health or behaviour conditions are confused for dyslexia, such as visual or speech impairment.
 

 

How To Help Children With Dyslexia?

Every child with dyslexia is unique, and that’s why your approach to dyslexia support also needs to be unique.

If your child attends school, there is usually access to a whole range of support through their special education needs (SEN) department. With dyslexia being so common, most schools should have the knowledge, expertise and resources required to provide outstanding dyslexic support to every child that needs it.

If your child does not attend school, it can be a little more difficult to access dyslexia help. You may need to search for external resources and teaching. This is where a programme like Tutorwiz can be so beneficial. Tutorwiz is designed to help dyslexic students to succeed in their studies and access the individual dyslexia support they need. We have helped numerous children with dyslexia to overcome the challenges they face through personalised lesson plans.

How To Teach A Dyslexic Child Letters?

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for dyslexic children can be the processing of letters. Seeing nonexistent movement in text and seeing certain letters rotated is common amongst children with dyslexia. But, with the right dyslexia support, children can manage this and learn letters effectively, visually and phonetically.

A good strategy for teaching letters visually is to use shaving foam or sand to have children write letters down. The use of sand or shaving foam makes the activity fun, but it can also help kids see the letters and associate a tactile sensation with each letter.

When teaching children letters phonetically or orally, then listen and repeat activities can be incredibly effective. The simple repetition of phonics can also help children learn letters orally. Or even just reading with your child and correcting them when they miss-pronounce words can be an effective strategy when it comes to managing your child’s dyslexia.

 

How To Teach a Child With Dyslexia To Read?

Teaching a child with dyslexia to read can be challenging, but plenty of proven strategies can help dyslexic children with their reading.

Listening to audiobooks can be a great place to start, and many audiobooks aimed at younger children are also read-a-long, meaning they can associate sounds to words. Equally, assistive technology such as e-readers, screen readers and reading pens can help children who struggle to read or who could benefit from associating words with their sound.

Paired reading is another fantastic tactic when it comes to helping a dyslexic child to read. Allow your child to choose a book and let them start reading. When they make a mistake or get stuck on a word, give them a few seconds to have a go, but then say the word so that your child can hear the correct pronunciation and so that you can keep the flow of the reading going.

How To Teach a Child With Dyslexia To Write?

When it comes to teaching a dyslexic child to write, the key is to keep sessions short and sweet so that your child can maintain concentration without getting uncomfortable.

There are plenty of strategies that can help a dyslexic child to learn to write. These include using handwriting tools such as pencil and pen grips, letter tracing worksheets and handwriting spacers to help students get more comfortable with handwriting.

Alternatively, computer work can be another massive support when looking for written dyslexia help. Many dyslexic kids find it much easier to write using a computer or tablet than writing by hand, particularly for longer pieces.

Finally, encouraging careful planning can help children to overcome their writing problems. Dyslexic children can benefit from having someone to help plan their work, for example, brainstorming, listing bullet points or helping with a paragraph plan.

How To Help A Child With Dyslexia At Home?

If you are looking for ways to support your child with dyslexia at home, then there is plenty of dyslexia support and useful tips to help you out. Strategies for dyslexia and managing the problem from home include listening to audiobooks as an alternative to reading, typing on a computer or any other device instead of writing and using a ruler to help students read in a straight line.

The internet is filled with plenty of useful dyslexia information. However, based on our own experiences, the number 1 way you can provide dyslexia support from home is through the use of an online tutoring platform such as Tutorwiz’s. Our hybrid system of combining real-life tutor support with engaging and interactive online activities can help to benefit dyslexic students in their studies. Our online tutoring programme provides unique support to every child exactly where it is needed.

Our incentives programme is an excellent asset for dyslexia support, as it helps students see value in their studies right from the word go. Students collect points for completed lesson plans and tests, which can be used to redeem high street gift vouchers and more…

If you would like to find out more information about how you can support students with dyslexia or find some useful resources and dyslexia help, then why not get in touch with Tutorwiz today. Tutorwiz is committed to helping all students with their studies, no matter their abilities.