How to Teach a Child With Dyslexia to Read
Dyslexia is a neurological learning disability. It manifests itself in academic difficulties, especially in reading. Children with dyslexia do not develop phonological awareness as early as most children, which delays their ability to read on grade level. Unaddressed, this struggle will continue into adulthood. Children who are diagnosed early should receive tutoring and formal intervention that help them improve specific skills and stay on pace with their peers.
Instructions
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Teach phonics skills directly and explicitly. Introduce a skill, model its use, then practice with students. Dyslexic children may need extra practice, but continue this same routine even when working with kids in small groups. Drill children often, using alphabet or sight-word flash cards.
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Conduct one-on-one or small-group interventions to work on specific skills in which kids are weak. Children with dyslexia may not be comfortable reading out lout to the entire class, which makes it hard to determine their level of understanding. Have them read to you individually or with a few classmates who are on the same reading level. Review phonics skills previously taught.
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Teach comprehension strategies with books that are appropriate. You cannot help a child learn to predict or find the main idea in a story they cannot read with at least 90 percent accuracy. Otherwise, the majority of his time is spent trying to pronounce words instead of remembering what he read.
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Use alternate teaching methods. Dyslexic children may need ways to learn other than the traditional visual and audio methods. For example, teach letter formation by allowing them to practice writing in sand or shaving cream. Multisensory instruction is especially effective in kindergarten and first grade when students are learning beginning reading skills.
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- Photo Credit Mum and the son reads image by Stepanov from Fotolia.com
