How to help a child with dyslexia: 10 ways you can make a difference

We have a guest post today from Kate Griggs, the Made by Dyslexia founder, and following the release of her new book This is Dyslexia. We are chatting about how to help a child with dyslexia, whether you are a parent or an educator.

This Is Dyslexia is the second book written by Made By Dyslexia Founder and CEO, Kate Griggs.

We asked Kate and Penguin if we were able to share some of the book with our readers to both help them, and also so they could see the valuable information that it provides to readers.

So we are sharing 10 ways that you can make a difference to children with dyslexia, depending on whether you are a parent, or an educator. For more information, do check out the book too.

How to help a child with dyslexia if you’re the parent:

1. Know that your child is brilliant, they just think differently. Remind them that this thinking is super valuable in the real world.
2. Help them to find their strengths and passions. Every dyslexic child has Strengths, they may not be super obvious, but they are there.
3. Praise and nurture their strengths at every opportunity and make sure their teachers do this too. This is vital for self-esteem.
4. You know your child better than anyone, so trust your gut when asking for help. Most teachers aren’t trained, and many schools don’t like to label. Be persistent. Don’t give up.
5. Remember their struggles are real, and the sooner they get support, the sooner they can learn, catch up and keep up.

What to do to help if you are an educator:

1. Remind yourself that the dyslexia ‘label’ is a good thing, for teachers, parents and kids. It helps everyone understand their strengths and challenges and to give the right intervention.
2. Understand that methods that work for dyslexic kids are actually good for all kids.
3. Never ask a dyslexic child to try harder. They have to work much harder than other kids to learn. Instead, think about how you can change your teaching to make things easier for them.
4. If a child is struggling with spelling, or remembering math facts, or there is a difference in what they can explain verbally and get on paper – think dyslexia.
5. Remember, these are brilliant children who don’t fit into the traditional education mould. Let them think outside the box and be creative and celebrate their different thinking.

For a little background to the organisation that Kate founded; Made By Dyslexia is a global charity led by successful dyslexics. Launched in 2017, their purpose is to help the world understand, value and support dyslexia.

Their mission is to train every teacher and workplace to spot, support and empower dyslexic minds. This mission is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which they aim to achieve by 2030.

We hope that you find this article helpful – for more articles focused on special needs on KiddyCharts, do check these out:

Here are some more ideas from outside KiddyCharts too:

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Cheers for popping in,

Helen

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