How to Teach Kids With Dyslexia to Read

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects how a person reads. It can make it difficult to recognize letters, words, and sounds. While dyslexia can be challenging, there are many things you can do to help your child learn to read.

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects the way a person reads. It is not caused by a lack of intelligence or effort. Dyslexia is a neurological condition that affects how the brain processes language.

People with dyslexia have difficulty recognizing letters, words, and sounds. They may also have difficulty decoding words (sounding out words) and blending sounds together. This can make it difficult to read fluently and accurately.

How to teach kids with dyslexia to read

The best way to teach kids with dyslexia to read is to use a structured literacy approach. This approach is explicit, systematic, and multisensory.

Explicit means that the teacher clearly and directly teaches the student the skills they need to read.

Systematic means that the skills are taught in a logical order, from simple to complex.

Multisensory means that the student is engaged in learning through multiple senses, such as sight, hearing, touch, and movement.

One of the most important things to teach kids with dyslexia is phonics. Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds. By learning phonics, kids with dyslexia can learn to decode words and sound them out.

Another important thing to teach kids with dyslexia is sight words. Sight words are words that are frequently used in writing and that kids should be able to recognize without having to sound them out. Sight words can be taught using a variety of methods, such as flash cards, games, and activities.

In addition to phonics and sight words, kids with dyslexia also need to be taught comprehension strategies. Comprehension strategies are the skills that readers use to understand what they are reading. These strategies can include things like making predictions, asking questions, and summarizing.

Tips for teaching kids with dyslexia to read

• Make reading multisensory. Engage the child’s senses by using a variety of materials and activities. For example, you could write letters in shaving cream, have the child build words with blocks, or sing songs about phonics.
• Break down tasks into small steps. Don’t try to teach the child everything at once. Start by teaching the basics and gradually build on those skills.
• Be patient and supportive. Learning to read can be challenging for kids with dyslexia. It’s important to be patient and supportive, and to praise the child for their efforts.
• Work with the child’s teacher. The child’s teacher can provide support and accommodations in the classroom. They can also recommend resources and strategies to help the child at home.

Resources for teaching kids with dyslexia to read

• Learning Ally is a nonprofit organization that provides audiobooks and other assistive technology to students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
• Understood.org is a comprehensive website with information and resources for parents and teachers of children with learning and thinking differences.
• The International Dyslexia Association is a nonprofit organization that provides information and support to people with dyslexia and their families.

Conclusion

Dyslexia can be a challenging learning disability, but there are many things you can do to help your child learn to read. By using a structured literacy approach and providing support and encouragement, you can help your child succeed.