Reading and Dyslexia

Learning to read is like learning to walk and talk: the more you do the better
ou get. The problem for the parents of a dyslexic is how to persuade their
child to do something they find difficult, frustrating and possibly boring.

The most important thing that a parent can do to help their dyslexic is to read to them. This will probably need to be done for longer than for the nondyslexic even into the mid teens. You may wish to enlist the help of grandparents, or any other willing reader.

It has been found that if a poor reader can read with a parent (or anyone else who is a proficient reader) for ten minutes a day, five days a week for eight weeks, they can improve their reading age by six months or more. It's the 'little but often' that is vital. It's like training for a marathon. Running five miles a day four times a week is much better preparation than running twenty miles once a week.

A reading session at home should be considered as reading practice and not a reading lesson. The whole point of reading a book is to get information and/or enjoyment from the session. Nothing will kill that enjoyment for than for the reader to be stopped in the middle of a word to 'sound-it-out'. If they make a mistake or get stuck, just give them the word, making sure they repeat it after you.

Choose a time for reading that is mutually agreeable {not during a favourite television programme) and do it regularly. Use is as an opportunity to bond with your child and make it a positive experience, offering them lots of praise.

Some people feel that listening to audiobooks is cheating, or that it will hinder struggling readers from trying to read. There are many advantages to listening to audiobooks, including:•   becoming familiar with books appropriate to age and ability;

•   becoming familiar with English grammar and usage;

•   extending vocabulary;

•   developing a love of stories {hopefully); and

•   introducing the listener to new horizons


Useful links:

For further information visit the British Dyslexia Association - click here

Oxford Education Blog - How to help the dyslexic teacher and learner