Helping your child with dyslexia learn at home
Most people have heard of the learning difference called dyslexia and at least have a general sense of what it is all about. But did you know that it is estimated that 15-20% of kids actually have dyslexia? If you are a family that has a child with dyslexia, first off, know that it is actually quite common (there are tons of other families also navigating the world of dyslexia alongside you!). However, we know that despite the fact that it is quite prevalent, it can also sometimes feel overwhelming knowing where and how to help. There is not a handbook for each of our individual kids that tells us how to help them. But we all just want the best for our kids, right?
We are here to help provide you with some strategies to get you started with helping your child with dyslexia with their learning at home.
According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is “a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
These days a lot of kids have been learning from home, and therefore finding strategies to help them with their dyslexia in a home environment is key. Many parents have been thrown into the role of teacher, or at least “school-work helper”, so bringing in strategies or accommodations that you can use at home with your child right now, seems more important than ever.
We’ve got you. We know what it is like when you want to help your child but feel like you are stuck at the starting line. So here are a few tips we have pulled together to help you help your child with dyslexia:
Understand their learning difference: Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to learning differences. Learn as much as you can about dyslexia. Remember, that to be diagnosed with a learning difference such as dyslexia, means your child has average to above-average intelligence, but that they just struggle with reading and/or the printed word. They are very capable! There are lots of great books available about dyslexia, or check out some of our other dyslexia resources including our dyslexia free video.
Understand your child’s unique strengths and struggles: A diagnosis of dyslexia does not mean that your child will have a cookie-cutter learning difference. Each child will still have unique strengths and struggles that will affect how they learn and where they need support. Get to know YOUR child, and don’t rely solely on information from a textbook or report.
Make use of technology: There are many different ways that assistive technology can make learning more accessible to your child. There are many different programs and tools available (check out our Masterclass with Dr. Todd Cunningham all about how to select the right Assistive Technology for your child in our SYT Support Library). Common ones for students with dyslexia include text-to-speech programs, audiobooks, google read & write, and digital recorders.
Have realistic expectations for time: Many students with dyslexia will take a longer time to get their ideas written down on paper, longer to read questions from tests or assignments and they may need more repetition to get content to stick. If they are using assistive technology, although it may make the material more accessible for them, it can also take longer to complete work due to the extra steps involved (logging into programs, getting set up at a laptop, getting out extra materials etc.). Take all of these into consideration when you are wondering why it may be taking your child longer to get their work completed and help them find ways to adjust their work or schedule to allow for extra time.
Help them to create visual strategies: Use visual tools such as mnemonic devices, visual timelines, graphic organizers, PowerPoint presentations, picture-based flashcards (paper-based or digital), or mind maps. Help them to create tools and study strategies that work for them.
Encourage them to ask for what they need: Being able to self-advocate - whether that is to their teacher, or to you as their parent - will help them with both their learning and confidence. This could include asking people to repeat instructions, asking for direction verbally instead of written, asking for extra time to get ideas out etc. Share how to advocate, discuss what they might need to advocate for, model it, and roleplay it. Feeling comfortable asking for what they need as a learner (even if it is to their parents!) will be a huge asset to their journey.
Help them to feel prepared: There are little things that you can do to help your child feel prepared for tests and assignments. Encouraging them to ask about test formats in advance to help them know how to prepare, asking for assignment materials in advance from the teacher to allow extra time to complete their work, or even just organizing what supplies they need, will all help to make the work itself feel less overwhelming. We know that many kids with learning differences also have anxiety, so anything your family can do to help decrease things that make them feel anxious will be a huge help.
Consider their cognitive load: When kids struggle with a learning difference, sometimes things that come easily to others will take up a lot of the cognitive load of someone with a learning difference. For example, if a child with dyslexia has to work really hard to decode words, their working memory is “filled” with that and they have less capacity for comprehension, or instructions that may be doled out at the same time. To help, allow for lots of little breaks, provide extra time to complete homework where possible, try not to have them multi-task (especially while trying to do tasks that they struggle with such as reading or writing), and break bigger tasks down into smaller steps or chunks.
Learning about how to best parent our kids with learning differences such as dyslexia can feel like a journey that is filled with hurdles, but add in the extra complexity of trying to help them with homeschooling or homework at home, can feel like a road filled with potholes!
We are here to help you wherever and however we can….with information, understanding, tips, and strategies. Just take a deep breath and jump aboard our bus….we’re in this together.
If you would like additional support, check out our SYT Support Library, a free resource with with access to new monthly experts, a library full of content from our past experts, and a private Facebook community. You don’t have to do this alone….there is a whole community here to support you!
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Written by Jillian Watson, B.Ed., M.Ed., OCT.