According to the International Dyslexia Association, as many as 15-20% of children worldwide will meet the diagnostic criteria for dyslexia in each classroom.
This presents a unique challenge for teachers, as without the proper training in special education, it can be hard to know how best to support students with dyslexia diagnoses.
So, here is a guide to help teachers create the best learning environment for primary school-aged children who have recently been diagnosed with dyslexia.
Look into Structured Literacy Instructions
If a student has undertaken an assessment like the Tests of Dyslexia (TOD®), it will provide insight into which areas the child will need support during education.
Once you have all of the information from the dyslexia test, you can start implementing a systematic and multisensory approach to teaching reading and writing. This is ideal for children who have fallen behind in these activities.
For example, you can look into programs like the Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, or Barton options. According to the IMSE Journal, these programs offer ideas that will look at building a child’s vocabulary, by using techniques like “say it, write it, visualise it.” Such techniques will help a child build their vocabulary, writing skills, and spelling.
In some cases, it may be worth looking into the help of a teaching assistant. The assistant can set aside specific time each day to help with these tasks, which will assist the child in catching up.
Multisensory Techniques
Incorporating multisensory techniques can help younger children improve their reading and writing skills.
For instance, you can explore drawing letters in the sand, saying the sounds of letters or words while tracing them, or using color-coded word cards. Research by Kunasegran in 2024 found that engaging more brain pathways and using multisensory methods can help improve memory and understanding in children who have dyslexia.
Don’t Lower Expectations
Children with dyslexia are more prone to low self-esteem, and lowering expectations can make them feel like you, as a teacher, have given up on them. So, try to adjust the learning experience to support their success, such as allowing them to have extra time for reading and writing while offering simple support like reducing the volume of written work.
If you have a child in your class who needs to use a computer to create written work, it is worth looking into options like text-to-speech tools or, for reading homework, providing them with audiobooks. Many children with dyslexia respond better to learning with auditory input and can learn better by talking, so learning to pivot and adapt other techniques when teaching them.
Create a Supportive Classroom
For children with dyslexia, the classroom can be a scary place. Be sure to offer encouragement and praise to students who make progress or put in effort. For non-reading tasks, try to encourage their classmates to engage with them, as dyslexia can be very isolating for younger children. Also, if you have a child in your class with dyslexia, reading out loud can be anxiety-inducing, so try to bypass that in their educational journey.
If you have concerns that a child is still struggling even with all these adaptations, contact the student’s family and seek help from a reading specialist or educational psychologist
