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How to Help My Child with Dyslexia: Effective Strategies And Supportive Techniques

The discovery that your dyslexic child needs help can make you feel overwhelmed and confused. Many parents ask themselves, how to help my child with dyslexia?  Children with dyslexia can have a difficult time reading, writing, and spelling. This disorder affects their self-esteem as well as academic performance. With the proper strategies and assistance, your child can overcome their challenges in school and excel. In this post, we’ll explore how to support best your child who has dyslexia.

How To Help My Dyslexic Children?

  1. Building A Home Environment That Supports You

A home atmosphere that is supportive and encourages your child’s learning will help them to feel more confident. It is more important to acknowledge your child’s effort than his/her achievements in order to increase their self-esteem. Assure your child that dyslexia represents a difference in learning and does not represent their ability or intelligence.

  1. Utilize Multisensory Learning Techniques

Multisensory learning techniques involve multiple senses to help dyslexic children understand and learn better. Using tactile, auditory, or visual aids can help with these methods. If you want to teach using tactile aids such as sandpaper, then audiobooks are a great option. Colored overlays can also be used with the visual process.

  1. Implement Structured Literacy Programs

Dyslexic students have specific literacy needs that are addressed by structured programs. They’re systematic, explicit and cumulative. That way, they ensure that every skill is explicitly taught, building on what has been learned before. Some programs like Orton Gillingham Reading System (Wilson), Barton Reading & Spelling System (Barton Reading & Spelling System), and Wilson Reading System have proven effective in assisting dyslexic kids.

  1. Encourage Reading Pleasure

Although reading may be difficult for children who have dyslexia to master, developing a love of literature can make all the difference. You should choose books that are interesting to your child even if their reading ability is lower. Discussing stories with others, reading aloud, and listening to an audiobook can enhance a child’s experience.

  1. Leverage Technology

For dyslexic children, the use of technology that helps them learn can be very valuable. The use of audiobooks, voice-to-text tools, and speech-to-software can improve their ability to learn. Learning Ally Voice Dream Reader Dyslexia Quest and other apps are designed specifically to assist dyslexics.

  1. Collaborate With Educators

Communicate with your children’s school and teachers. Develop an Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan tailored specifically to the needs of your child. These plans could include accommodations, like extra time during tests or oral exams, as well as the use of technology.

  1. Offer Emotional Support

A dyslexic child may suffer from frustration, low self-esteem, and anxiety due to the learning challenges they face. The most important thing to do is to give them emotional support. They should be reassured that challenges are normal. Encourage the child to follow their passions and skills outside of school, including sports, music, and art.

  1. Practice Patience And Consistency

For a child to overcome dyslexia, patience and consistency is required. Stay patient in the face of setbacks, and remember to celebrate your small victories. It is essential that children practice skills and learn them repeatedly.

Inspiring Self-Advocacy

As your child ages, you’ll want to make sure they know how to speak up for themselves. Encourage them to understand their learning styles, strengths, areas in which they require support, etc. It is important to help them become self-aware so they can seek out accommodations and resources both in school and outside.

How To Develop A Growth Mindset?

Your child’s attitude to challenges and the learning process can be significantly impacted by fostering a mindset of growth. Accentuate effort, perseverance, and the belief that your abilities can be improved with practice. Tell them about successful people who have dyslexia. 

Conclusion

The best way to help your child who has dyslexia is through early intervention. This includes a supportive family environment, good teaching strategies, and positive emotional support. Help your child succeed in their educational journey by leveraging resources and understanding their individual needs. It is important to remember that their dyslexia only represents a small part of them. By providing the necessary support, you can help your child succeed academically as well as in other areas.

It is clear that understanding dyslexia in children and supporting them requires a multifaceted strategy. Their success can be enhanced by early identification, supportive environments, multisensory approaches, structured literacy programs, and the use of technology. With consistency, patience, and professional help, you can assist your child in overcoming dyslexia.