My goal is to show parents how to teach kids with dyslexia to read. There is a lot to know about teaching kids with dyslexia to read. Let’s break it down step by step.
If you have been around the Homeschooling With Dyslexia web site for any length of time, you know my passion for helping parents of kids with dyslexia. We have been navigating the seas of dyslexia since our oldest son was diagnosed some 16 years ago. It was a steep learning curve and we made lots of mistakes along the way. Learn more about our family story on my About Page.
There is a lot to know about teaching kids with dyslexia to read. This week, I’ll be breaking this important subject down into 5 days of learning. The links below will go live as each individual article is posted beginning Monday January 12.
Teaching Kids With Dyslexia to Read
1. Is it Dyslexia? Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia
Let’s start at the beginning and look how you can know if someone you know has dyslexia. From preschool to adults, we’ll look at the obvious and not so obvious signs of dyslexia.
2. How Dyslexics Learn: Teaching to the Dyslexic Strengths
Starting by dispelling the number one myth about dyslexia, we’ll look at the inherent strengths of the dyslexic mind. Having this understanding is imperative if you’re going to teach dyslexics in the way that they learn best!
3. Reading Methods That Work With Dyslexia
So we know what dyslexia is and how dyslexics learn, now lets look at how we teach them to read. This post will share the fundamental things that you need to know to teach anyone with dyslexia to read, write and spell.
4. How to Teach Sight Words to Kids With Dyslexia
We looked at reading methods that work but what about all of those words that don’t follow the rules? Remember, people with dyslexia need a different method to learn in a way that sticks. I will show you one easy and amazingly effective way to teach your kids sight words that they will never forget!
5. Building Fluency in Dyslexic Readers
Fluency is reading smoothly with understanding. If you are helping kids with dyslexia learn to read, you already know how elusive this skill can be. This post will teach you the truth about building fluency (and her sister – comprehension) in a way that really works.
Get Educated
If you are looking to get educated about dyslexia and how to educate, encourage and empower your kids with dyslexia, you have come to the right place.
For more information on getting started homeschooling your child with dyslexia, consider downloading my free ebook that covers things like understanding learning styles and teaching methods, how to create a positive learning environment and schedule, or how to set goals and get it all done.
For more information on specific strategies to teach your dyslexic child the way he or she learns, consider taking one of our Parent Dyslexia Classes. Classes now available are:
Teaching Reading: Methods That Work
Building Fluency and Comprehension
Or buy all 5 classes in our Foundation Bundle and receive a free download of my book, Dyslexia 101: Truths, Myths and What Really Works.
Stay in Touch
We have quite an active Facebook community where I frequently post articles of interest and encouragement. I also have a growing Pinterest Page with a wide variety of teaching tips for all subjects.
Thanks for this post. I am wondering if you’d consider sometime dedicating a whole post to teaching a dyslexic to spell and write? I finally have my 13 year old son reading. We went through the Ron Davis Intervention Approach (his book being The Gift of Dyslexia), and while this has been great for his reading and comprehension, there is not a stitch in him that is able to write something of his own without me spelling the words out for his sentence. I often wonder if he’ll ever be able to do this.
Hi Barbara. Yes. Honestly, nothing teaches spelling better than an Orton-Gillingham based program that systematically teaches the rules, how to apply them and offers lots and lots of practice. I highly recommend All About Spelling. Does your son have trouble with organizing his thoughts or the actual physical act of writing?
Thanks for this. I will look into the All About Spelling program. I was trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach years ago when my oldest was going through the same woes. It was absolute torture for us both and we left off it after level one (it was through the Canadian Dyslexia Association) and fortunately my daughter ended up coming out of the confusion on her own and made leaps and bounds despite not doing the program. My son is a whole other story so I am definitely in need to look at more for him. It’s actually the physical act of writing more than organizing thoughts. He can narrate stories back to me in sequence but having to write anything on a page is just torture and utter confusion for him.
HI Barbara,
I was excited to read your comments and to discover another student for whom the Davis Dyslexia approach has helped! Our 11 year old son began the Davis program in August and it has let to big breakthroughs for him as well. So I wanted to ask you: have you considered having your son do his spelling words in clay? That would certainly help him to master them. Also, I just picked up a copy of Ronald Davis’ book Gift of Learning and noticed that there is an entire section of 5 chapters all addressing Handwriting Problems. Perhaps you would find some helpful strategies in that section to apply to your son’s writing processes.
Sincerely,
Karin
Hi Karin,
Thanks for your encouraging words. Davis program is going well with using the clay for words. We’re working at a slow pace but steady. I guess I’m anxious to get him moving faster with the clay words. Slow and steady wins the race though, right? I have recently been encouraged by another story of a young man who struggled like this and then used the Davis approach. He just started University and came out of his first semester with straight A’s. These help motivate me to keep working at it. It’ll come. Actually my son’s handwriting has greatly improved over the last year; it’s only the ability to make those sentences with a pen or pencil that I ache to see happen. Glad to find another Davis follower out there! All the best as you walk the journey too!
Barbara we are from England and we are having exactly the same as you described with my son. Can verbally tell us what he needs to write but eh physical act is torture. My son has just turned 11 and going to senior school. We are trying to push for him to work on a computer. I note this was posted a few years back.. How did your son get on. Please any help would be so appreciated.
All, take a look at the Phono-Graphix method, by Carmen and Jeff McGuinness. Their book, Reading Reflex is about $20 on Amazon, is researched-based and systematic, however, it is much better presented than any Orton-Gillingham method. I still use Orton-Gillingham with it, but it is limited, because you don’t need it.
We fell into Davis program and testing before hearing results haven’t been supported by research. Do you still recommend Davis. We have a program very close to us and I’m tempted to try it even though it doesn’t get much support in this world of dyslexia.
If I could choose, I would opt for a research/evidence-based program like Orto-Gillingham over Davis. I know some people have success with it though.
I know many people have success after applying Dyslexia to Read. 🙂
hi ..
my eight years old son is having lot of problems regarding his reading and writing .we r in Pakistan and unfortunately there is not as such program for dyslexic child. which is very suffocating for a parent so plz help ….
Hi Barbara , very interesting articles, also belief in every child’s ability to learn, and her passion to empower the child by supporting his/her own unique giftedness have fueled her life’s work and provided a new pathway for children to succeed academically.
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Thanks for the information. Teaching your child to read is very important to their future.
hi my name is Lydia am Johannesburg South Africa my son is struggling with reading
he was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia please can someone help with what needs to be done
My name is Rose kwambai.I live in Eldoret,(kenya) I have a son who is Dyslexic and 10 years old.He has a problem of reading and writting? We dont have such program?How can i be assisted,Thanks.
I think my son has the same problem 9 years old and in Eldoret. Did you ever find help. How was your son get diagnosed?
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Thank you for sharing the information. Wonderful blog & good post. It’s really helpful for me, waiting for more new posts. Keep Blogging!
Excellent guide! The step-by-step breakdown and resources are incredibly helpful for parents teaching kids with dyslexia. Thank you for sharing!
First of all, I would like to thank for this post on dyslexia and how teachers to deal with them.
I am the one of those who are closely with them.