Dyslexia is a neurological condition that alters the way the brain accesses and uses language. It influences more than just reading and writing; possibly impacting other areas of learning, including verbal communication, short-term memory and the ability to follow instructions.
In 2019, The British Dyslexia Association issued a report which found that “Between ten to 15 percent of people have dyslexia. This means that dyslexia is the most common specific learning difference, affecting between 6.6 and 9.9 million people in the UK.”
Each child with dyslexia will have different needs; every journey is unique, and all young people present with their own personal dyslexic profile.
It is important not to overthink every challenge your child may experience on their learning journey. Having said this, it is helpful to be aware of certain signs that could be indicators of dyslexia.
From birth to 4 years. Infants may be:
- Late to develop speech
- Struggling to learn/recall the alphabet
- Finding it hard to learn songs
From Reception to Year 3, children may be:
- Unable to blend letters together
- Struggling to learn sequences, e.g. months of the year.
- Presenting issues with handwriting
- Unable to read 3-letter words
- Reading at a slower pace than their peers
From Year 4 to high school, children might show an inability to:
- Spell correctly
- Compile and write sentences
- Read to others
- Manage a comprehension task
- Write neatly
Keep a record of any concerns you may have about your child’s skill set. If worries accumulate, make an appointment with your child’s school SENCO and/or their class teacher.
Explain your concerns fully so the school can assess your child’s needs and create a plan to help them. You may be given advice or strategies to use at home, or offered specific help from the school, for example:
An IEP (Individual Education Plan), also known as an ILP, will identify your child’s specific needs and set targets to be reviewed by the school every 6-8 weeks.
It could be suggested that your child meets with other professionals, such as a specialist dyslexia tutor and/or assessor or a speech and language tutor.
Assistive technology is now widely available to help children with dyslexia. Your child’s SENCO will be aware of this and will discuss useful platforms or resources that are available.
Whilst your school is developing a plan for your child, you can adjust a few areas at home, such as:
- Encourage your child to read. (if books are unappealing, then suggest comics or illustrative books, recipes, gaming magazines or audiobooks)
- Use flashcards
- Encourage your child to learn “spelling families”, such as words with “tion” or “ow”.
You can also read with your child and gently invite them to join you. A relaxed home environment may increase their motivation to take part.
For younger learners, magnetic letters can be a playful learning tool. You could pitch in when a word arises and spell the word together, ensuring it is light-hearted fun, and not a serious task.
Teach your child more about phonics, such as rhyming, sounds, syllables, and blending. Use clapping rhythmic patterns to vocalise spellings. For example, a word such as hippopotamus has 5 syllables, which could be taught as “hip–po–pot–a–mus”.
Trickier words can be sounded differently for learning purposes, such as elephant, which could be
“el-ep-hant spells elephant.” By reciting the word phonetically, then saying the word as it should be pronounced, a child can make a connection that will consolidate the link, making it memorable.
Jemma is from St Albans. Her son Jack was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 10. Issues had been increasingly apparent regarding his motor skills, which sparked the initial concern about his learning.
“I noticed that he really struggled with his handwriting”, explains Jemma. “Also, I became increasingly aware that he was able to find answers in his head but then couldn’t translate them into writing. I spoke to his teacher to find out what could be done to help him.”
After Jemma approached Jack’s school, he was eventually given a formal assessment, which concluded that he had dyslexia. The assessment identified areas of support for Jack and ways to help him with his difficulties. Jemma explains, “his primary school were able to receive funding for him to use a laptop. He was also given extra time in his exams, and a scribe who could write down answers on Jack’s behalf.”
Classroom adjustments were also made at Jack’s primary school. He used a laptop during lessons instead of presenting all his work in writing.
Now, aged 14, Jemma reflects on where Jack is at high school, “I feel that he knows how to manage his learning needs better than before, but I am not sure about the extent of the extra support that he is currently receiving at school.”
“I would recommend to any parent who thinks their child has dyslexia to reach out for support. Keep pushing to get the right advice and help for your child. Find out what they are entitled to in accordance with their needs. If they are allowed a scribe, ensure they get it; and the same with extra time during exams; keep pressing for everything to give your child the best possible support.”
There are support groups where you can share concerns, which may be especially useful during the initial stages of your journey with your child. Please browse the links below to see if anything could be helpful.
Useful Websites
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/signs-of-dyslexia=
https://collins.co.uk/pages/barrington-stoke
Please note: The information provided within this blog, by SENsational Tutors, is for general information purposes only. We appreciate that every person is unique and any advice/experiences mentioned within the content of each blog may not be reflective of your own personal experience. All information on the site is provided in good faith and is for educational informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with appropriate professionals
