Dyslexia is common, and it is still widely misunderstood. A child who reads slowly or avoids reading is often called unmotivated or lazy. That label hurts, and it is almost never true. Understanding comes first. Then the right help can begin.
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a difference in how the brain processes written language. Trouble with reading is usually the first sign, so many children are not diagnosed until they reach school.
It can hide for a while. Some children memorize words by their shape. A child who follows along as you read a favorite book aloud may "read" those words later, yet be unable to work out a new one. Children with dyslexia struggle with the tools other readers rely on, such as sounding out a word or breaking it into parts.
Other signs include trouble linking letters to sounds, spelling words the way they sound, and difficulty understanding what they have read.
Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence. It is an obstacle to learning to read, and with the right teaching, children with dyslexia reach their potential.
What Causes Dyslexia?
Researchers do not yet know the full cause. Studies have observed differences in the brains of people with dyslexia, but the findings are not conclusive. Dyslexia does tend to run in families, though it is not clear how much of that is biology and how much is environment. For example, a parent who found reading hard may read aloud to their children less often.
Signs of Dyslexia at Different Ages
Some signs appear before a child is expected to read, such as speech delays or trouble telling left from right. Once school starts, you may notice difficulty sounding out new words, reversed letters, trouble rhyming, and trouble connecting sounds to letters.
Children may fall behind their classmates, take part less in class, and seem exhausted by reading. They may find it hard to learn the rules of a game, tell time, or remember directions with several steps. Frustration can show up as acting out.
Elementary School
Young students may struggle with the basics: learning the alphabet, saying words correctly, and hearing rhymes. They often cannot sound out words and read below the level of their classmates. Gaps here can cause difficulty for years.
Middle School
Reading demands grow, and students without a strategy that works may fall behind in several subjects. They may read and write slowly, misspell often, and have trouble following directions.
High School
Reading, writing, and testing take longer and bring more errors. The stakes are higher too. College admission is close, and nearly every career asks people to read, write, and follow directions.
How Is Dyslexia Diagnosed?
First grade, around age six, is often the best time to ask for an evaluation. Before then, a child may not have had reading instruction. Some experts suggest waiting until third grade, but that can mean two more years of frustration and falling behind.
Your child's school may evaluate your child. If the school is reluctant or unable to, or you are not satisfied with its report, consider a private evaluation. It can be especially useful when you need to advocate for more support. Evaluations are usually done by psychologists, neuropsychologists, reading specialists, or speech-language pathologists.
Help That Works
There are many proven ways to help children with dyslexia learn to read. Frequent instruction one-on-one or in small groups tends to work best. Through repetition, review, and comprehension strategies, children learn to recognize sight words and decode new ones.
Accommodations at School
Once your child is diagnosed, accommodations should be part of the plan. Common ones include:
- Extra time on tests and assignments
- A quiet workspace
- Oral exams instead of written ones
- Recorded lessons and audiobooks
- Not being asked to read aloud in class
- An exemption from a foreign language requirement
Multisensory Structured Language
Multisensory structured language teaching, such as the Orton-Gillingham approach, is among the most effective ways to teach reading to students with dyslexia. It is direct, explicit, structured, and sequential. Students learn through sight, sound, and touch at the same time, and the teacher adjusts each lesson to what the student needs next.
Well-known programs built on these principles include the Wilson Method, the Orton-Gillingham Approach, Preventing Academic Failure (PAF), the Lindamood-Bell Program, and RAVE-O. Strong programs share the same traits: they are multisensory, logical, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic.
Assistive Technology
Phones, tablets, and computers can help through spell-check, online dictionaries, practice games, recorded lessons, screen readers, and voice-to-text tools.
Choosing a School for a Child with Dyslexia
Not every school has the resources students with dyslexia need. Large classes, limited one-on-one time, teachers without specialized training, and being pulled out of class can all get in the way.
Schools that specialize in learning differences offer a different experience. Every teacher knows how to support students with dyslexia, classes are small, and students get far more individual attention.
At Gow, that teaching is The Gow Method. Our founder, Peter Gow, Jr., developed it with guidance from Dr. Samuel T. Orton, and every member of our faculty is trained in it. That is why its practices carry into every class, not only reading.
How to Help Your Child at Home
School can be stressful and exhausting for a child with dyslexia. Make home a haven, not a battlefield. Give your child time to unwind after school, praise effort as well as results, and support the interests where they shine.
Read Together
Make reading enjoyable. Let your child choose some of the books. Read to them and with them, and read as a family. Audiobooks count, including the read-along kind. Mix new books with old favorites, and let older children read widely: graphic novels, nature books, and joke books all count.
Offer Emotional Support
Children with dyslexia often feel frustrated or ashamed and may avoid anything that exposes their struggles. Listen. Give them a safe place to talk about how they feel. Help them take pride in what they accomplish, and make sure they know dyslexia does not define them.
Build Organization Skills
Planning, sorting, and organizing may not come naturally. Help your child organize schoolwork and gear. Practice with everyday tasks like sorting laundry or groceries, and point out the order in routines such as making dinner or getting ready for bed.
How Gow Can Help
Since 1926, The Gow School has taught bright students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences. Today we serve students in grades 5 through post-graduate, and families from 50 states and 22 countries have trusted us with their children. If your child has dyslexia, we would be glad to talk with you.
Talk with Us About Your Child
Our admissions team is glad to listen and answer your questions: 716.687.2001 or [email protected].