Back To School Tips for Parents of Dyslexic Students
For children with dyslexia, the start of school can be a stressful time. However, with the right strategies and support, including dyslexia tutoring, you can set your child up for a successful and enjoyable school year. Here are some friendly tips to help your child thrive as they head back to school.
1. Get Organized
Organization is key to managing the school year successfully. Start by getting a binder or accordion folder to store important documents and letters. Save all testing, report cards, progress reports, etc. This information can be invaluable if you need to request special education services, consult an outside specialist, or begin private dyslexia tutoring or therapy.
2. Encourage Positivity and Patience
The power of positivity cannot be underestimated. Your child’s confidence and comfort level will be key factors in facing academic challenges. When students feel secure and supported, they are more likely to excel. Focus on their efforts and each level of improvement instead of just the end result or constant comparison to siblings or peers. Patience is a virtue for both parents and students. As a parent, be patient with your child, who is going through a lot with their learning disability. Teach your child, by example, how to be patient with themselves and trust the learning process.
3. Set Up Accommodations
Accommodations can be essential to help your students in the classroom as they don't change what is taught but how it is taught. Examples of accommodations can include extra time on tests, getting a copy of the teacher’s lesson notes, large print text, text-to-speech software, and more. If your child is in a public school, they might benefit from a Section 504 Plan or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Many private schools also develop accommodation plans, though they may not offer 504 Plans or IEPs. Even without a formal plan, having an open discussion with your child's teachers about classroom support is a great way to plan for the year ahead.
5. Get Specialized Help
Struggling readers require targeted, intensive reading intervention, and students with dyslexia, in particular, need specialized dyslexia therapy. Feeling the lightbulb moment and seeing themselves making progress gets students excited and more engaged with their education. On the other hand, students who aren't receiving the appropriate help can cause them to start falling behind their peers and having behavioral issues like acting out in class or feigning illness. Consider enrolling your child in dyslexia tutoring or seeking help from a reading specialist.
6. Invest in Assistive Technology
With more advanced technology available than ever before, learning — even with a disability — is much easier. Predictive software and audiobooks help facilitate learning and can level the playing field for struggling readers. Tools like audiobooks allow children to access and enjoy the same literature as their peers, while voice typing can make writing and spelling much easier. Adapting to new technology can be a struggle at first, but it's worth the effort!
7. Break Projects Down
Students who are dyslexic often find it difficult to focus on a large project for an extended period. To make it easier, try breaking up large projects into smaller ones. Look at the project as being the sum of its parts and completing it will be much easier.
8. Stay Involved
As a parent, it's important to stay on top of the things going on with your student and their education, not just the first few days of the new year, but throughout the duration. So many factors can impact their ability to learn, and it doesn’t take more than a week or two to fall significantly behind. Do regular check-ins with your students to make sure they have everything they need and attend parent-teacher conferences as well as communicate regularly with your child’s teachers.