Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that affects the way the brain processes written and spoken language. It has no link to intelligence or capability.
Children with dyslexia often have strong problem-solving skills, creativity, and resilience, they simply learn differently. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills.
Watch the animated video which was created by the British Dyslexia Association to support dyslexic people and to encourage people to ‘See dyslexia differently’. The animation was created by Studio Tinto.
Hear from some of the world’s most successful dyslexics including Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Chris Robshaw, and Maggie Aderin-Pocock about dyslexic strengths and thinking skills so you can really understand what dyslexia is and why we should celebrate it.
You are the expert of your child and are probably already putting in place strategies to support, sometimes without realising it. Supporting a child with dyslexia at home involves creating an environment that nurtures confidence, promotes learning through multiple pathways, and encourages resilience. Here are some key strategies that may help children with dyslexia.
Even if you child struggles with reading independently, exposure to fluent, expressive reading is essential.
Dyslexia is best addressed through multisensory instruction – learning that involves visual, auditory, and kinesthetics-tactile pathways.
Children with dyslexia may become discouraged by frequent academic challenges. Building a growth mindset helps them view difficulties as opportunities grow.
Technology can bridge the gap between a child’s ideas and their ability to express them.
Children with dyslexia often struggle with processing complex verbal directions.
Play-based learning can reinforce literacy skills in a low-pressure context.
Tackle homework in a supportive way by considering:
Communicate with your child’s teacher or SENCO if homework is consistently causing distress.
Many children with dyslexia also experience challenges with executive functioning. This includes:
These challenges may show up as difficulty organising materials, remembering homework, or managing time. They might lose items like planners or PE kits. Support strategies include:
Building a positive relationship with your child’s nursery, preschool or school can make a big difference. You know your child best, and working together helps ensure they get the right support at the right time.
When you know what education setting your child or young person will attend, it’s important to make contact early. You can speak to the SENCO about your child’s or young person’s needs. Starting these conversations early helps the setting understand your child’s needs and plan the right support to give them the best possible start to their education.
A SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is a member of staff responsible for making sure children and young people with additional needs receive the help they need.
They are your point of contact and can help:
A SENCO’s role is to help develop ways of overcoming barriers to your child’s or young person’s learning so they can thrive.
Find advice on how to speak to your SENCO on Scope’s website.
It’s helpful to contact the SENCO as early as possible if:
You can ask about:
Try to keep conversations open and collaborative. You and the setting are working together to support your child.
It can help to write down a list of things you have noticed to help you feel more confident.
This could include:
You could also ask:
There is useful guidance on how to communicate with education settings on the Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) webpage. Visit the IASS website.
Schools can adopt various strategies to help children with any type of special educational need and this is not reliant on either a diagnosis or an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan, often referred to as an EHCP). The SEND code of practice provides statutory duties and guidance for school to follow.
Schools in Bromley have access to a SEN tool kit and support from the Inclusion Support Advisory team (ISAT) and the SEND Advisory Team (SENDAT). There are some examples of what schools may put in place as reasonable adjustments and where a diagnosis is not needed
Examples of common classroom resources that can support some dyslexic students in lessons:
Assistive technology, if available, can make a big difference to the learning experience of some dyslexic students. This includes devices which can help students to record their work more efficiently and accurately. For example:
For some dyslexic students, for various reasons, assistive technology will not be required.
Within the SEND Graduated Approach, an intervention is a targeted and time-limited form of support that goes beyond class-based high-quality teaching (QFT) and reasonable adjustments. This means it supplements dyslexia-supportive classroom strategies, personalised class-based differentiation, and the provision of ordinarily available equipment, resources and assessment modifications in regular lessons.
Interventions for dyslexic students often focus on developing skills in one or more of the following areas:
Interventions like these are considered only when a pupil is not making satisfactory progress from their starting points or is at risk of not reaching their academic potential, despite receiving high-quality differentiated instruction within the framework of the Graduated Approach.
