Dyslexia support in school
What is dyslexia and what does it mean for your child?
As reading is fundamental to academic success and confidence, a dyslexic child may face stigma and difficulties at school, but with well-informed intervention and good support they may learn to manage their dyslexia and discover untapped talents. It is important to remember that although dyslexia has more than 50 years of research behind it and is generally referred to as a disorder of reading and spelling, there is still much that is unknown about the condition.
Well-known dyslexics who found their passions outside of the classroom include Tom Cruise, Keira Knightley, Sir Steve Redgrave, Jamie Oliver, Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Cher, Sir Richard Branson and many other successful entrepreneurs, creatives and sportspeople.
Different types and variations of dyslexia
Because dyslexia covers a range of difficulties, the presenting problems for many children with a diagnosis of dyslexia will be different. Some will learn to manage with the aid of coping strategies such as learning spellings via mnemonics, repeating irregular spelling rules until they become embedded, or using kinaesthetic rather than phonological learning strategies, so they can progress within the classroom. For others, additional support may be required for longer and mastering spelling, reading or mental arithmetic may involve greater struggle.
There may be underlying difficulties that can be identified and treated. For example, glue ear (otitis media), which is common in children with dyslexia, can affect their hearing, which in turn affects their ability to learn phonics. Binocular vision difficulties, which involve the control and co-ordination of both eyes, are also more common in children with dyslexia and can sometimes be treated.
Signs of dyslexia in children
If you notice your child writing 41 for 14, confusing b and d, or missing out words as they read aloud, you might begin to suspect dyslexia. But there are many less obvious signs, eg poor phonological awareness, poor organisation and time management, or difficulty following verbal instructions. Every child is different, and dyslexia manifests differently in different age groups.
In young children, single dyslexic symptoms may be part of normal reading development. It is when several indicators are present and persistent that dyslexia (or another specific learning difficulty) may be a possible explanation. Discuss it with teachers – they may well recommend an assessment by a dyslexia specialist or an educational psychologist. As with so much in parenting and education, knowledge is power and this assessment may prove invaluable in understanding your child and ensuring they receive the right support.
Common symptoms and early signs of dyslexia
Dyslexia in the family
Problems with speech and language, including especially speech sounds, mispronouncing or jumbling words, poor use of syntax, difficulties with rhymes, inaccurate and inconsistent use of words, word-finding problems, avoidance of verbal expression
Problems with ordering words or numbers in sequence and remembering them
Poor organisational skills including difficulty dressing or packing the schoolbag
Visual difficulties – standard eye tests may reveal perfect vision, but there may be underlying problems
Auditory processing difficulties. The child may hear sounds but struggle to distinguish between them
Difficulty regulating attention
Auditory or visual memory difficulties: Hearing or sight test results may be normal, but the child may have problems remembering a string of instructions, learning nursery or other rhymes, copying from the board
Fine motor difficulties – perhaps holding a pencil awkwardly, having difficulty with scissors or cutlery, problems tying shoelaces
Gross motor difficulties may be apparent: the child may be slow to crawl, hop or jump, appear clumsy and bump into things, have difficulty distinguishing right from left
Avoidance of verbal, number and literacy tasks, more interest in learning by doing. Quietly withdrawing from class activities
Can you test for dyslexia?
Most specialists will not test children for dyslexia before the age of 7, so it is likely that your child will already be at a mainstream school when they are assessed.
Your first port of call is the class teacher. They should be able to shed some light on the reading difficulty and help you to understand whether there is a legitimate reason to be concerned. Teachers can give you an idea of your child’s reading ability and indicate whether it is at the level expected for their chronological age.
Meanwhile, a visit to your GP is a good idea, to see whether there are any underlying health issues. If a child is struggling to read, it’s sensible to get their eyesight and hearing checked. It goes without saying that if a child can’t see the letters on the page or hear sounds clearly, then reading is going to be an uphill struggle.
The head of learning support or SENCo at your school is likely to have experience of supporting similar difficulties and manages a budget to purchase the latest technology or training, if needed. Discuss your concerns, what support your child has already received, what else is on offer in school (such as one-to-one support from a specialist teacher) and what the next steps are. At a minimum, teachers should provide practical assistance such as preparing key-words lists, providing ‘writing frames’ or being available for spelling requests. At best, the school will make use of the many sophisticated technologies available which support reading, such as reading pens, and promote writing, with touch-typing or programmes such as voice-to-text software.
It may be suggested that the child should be screened for dyslexia, which will show if they are at risk. If positive, a formal dyslexia assessment by a qualified dyslexia teacher or a full psychological profile by an educational psychologist may be recommended. And a senior school SENCo who has taken the trouble to assess which exam boards are the most dyslexia friendly is worth their weight in gold.
Dyslexia assessment and diagnosis
Testing focuses on attainment in reading, spelling and writing, and can extend to vocabulary development, reasoning, memory, and visual and auditory processing. A detailed report should follow, outlining your child’s performance, their strengths and needs, as well as recommendations to be followed both at school and at home. Once the school has digested this report, staff should set up an education plan for your child which will target his or her particular needs.
Understanding a dyslexia diagnosis
It’s a good idea to become something of an expert in your child’s particular condition and what it means. Dyslexia is only an umbrella term, so understanding the differences between processing speed, working memory and perceptual reasoning is important – ask the assessor to explain.
Whether or not teachers take the trouble to understand these nuances will become key in how far you feel they are supporting your child.
Dyslexia support in school
How can parents help a child with dyslexia?
Parents can feel powerless when a child is diagnosed with dyslexia, but the most important thing you can do is provide positive emotional support. Try not to reveal your deep concerns to your child; be patient and praise them for their efforts. Your child needs your love and understanding more than ever if they are finding reading hard.
How schools can support dyslexic children
For reading difficulties, aids such as coloured lenses in glasses or writing on coloured paper can help but are likely to be effective in only a minority of cases, so it is important to be screened by a specialist optometrist.
Any lesson with a large amount of writing – which can be part of English, history, geography, religious education, even science – may present difficulties. New technologies are a boon. Schools are increasingly able to offer touch-typing classes and accommodate the use of laptops and speech-to-text software, within the classroom, and in exams.
In schools with the right IT systems, teachers can send lesson notes directly from the whiteboard to the child’s laptop. Schools need to make reasonable adjustments. If recommended by a professional, your child may be allowed to use a laptop in exams and be entitled to extra time. Remember such needs should be discussed with the SENCo or headteacher well in advance of the actual tests.
Secondary school for dyslexic children
At secondary school, pupils meet many teachers instead of just the class teacher and they are expected to be more independent in their learning, to read more and write more, to adjust to new demands from each new lesson, to be organised. Dyslexic children may struggle with all of these to a greater or lesser degree, but good, early and supportive preparation makes all the difference.
The future for dyslexic children
For those who persevere, and many dyslexics persevere at levels non-dyslexics will never attain, the results can be impressive. With effective learning support over time strategies will start to work. Those with ‘spiky profiles’ – high cognitive scores, low scores perhaps in spelling or reading – will find that their innate ability begins to shine through.
Essential to succeeding on what can be a long road is support that allows a child to believe they can pursue the subjects that excite and interest them – not giving up because learning tasks in the early years are too hard. Finding something to be good at helps to keep their confidence and happiness afloat, be it music, art, sport, charity fundraising, or singing.
What makes school harder for dyslexic children?
Teachers who go too fast and expect too much
Being expected to produce the same amount of work (as non-dyslexic pupils) in the same time
Teachers who know that the child is dyslexic but haven’t taken the time to understand the nuances of a that child’s diagnosis
Teachers who hold their non-dyslexic classmates up to a dyslexic child as examples of what they should have done
Too much copying off the board and/or dictating notes. Removing work from the board too soon
Reading out loud
Being told not to talk when asking a friend for help
Not being allowed to use a laptop in lessons
Lack of empathy for dyslexia (from teachers and other students) – at worst being made fun of
Being given a part in the play/assembly with too many lines
What helps dyslexic children do well at school?
A culture of kindness and teachers who care
Excellent communication between the SENCo and class teacher
Being given help discreetly
Being given more time
Handouts with summaries of work
Marking work in dark colours tidily
Working in smaller groups
Trained teachers with an awareness of dyslexic difficulties
Grades that show individual improvement
Marking that is clear and constructive without over-correction of spellings
Work judged for content, not spelling
Working from the pupil’s strengths
Multi-sensory teaching and learning
Use of study skills and mind maps
Visual aids such as diagrams, pictures, charts, interactive whiteboards, etc...
Audio-visual aids – including encouraging alternative means of recording such as voice-recognition software
ICT as a tool (eg for touch-typing) as well as a teaching and learning aid
Vocabulary lists promoting key words
Limiting the amount to be copied from the board – IT which can send work on the board to a child’s laptop
Praise, encouragement and rewards to boost confidence
Is a mainstream school right for a dyslexic child?
Whatever your initial decision, you may want to keep an open mind as to your alternatives. Taking a look at a specialist school by way of comparison is always helpful. Some children with a mild diagnosis at age 7 have worked around their difficulties sufficiently a couple of years later to be thriving even in the most academic environments, others with a moderate or severe diagnosis may find their reading improves but their typing speed is still slow, their potential is far from being reached and their confidence suffers.
