It is important to remember that all children learn differently and at different rates. You will need to understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses, rate of learning, and interests in order to help your child be successful in overcoming or coping with his or her difficulties.
The following are some ways that you can help your child with Dyslexia develop reading skills and boost self-esteem.
Be a good reading role model
Show your child how important reading is in daily life. Know your child’s interests and make books, magazines, and other reading materials available for him or her to explore and enjoy independently.
Share in the joy of reading
Reading with and to your child can make a positive difference in learning basic reading skills.
- Find time to read to your child every day.
- Find books that you and your child can read and enjoy. Sit together, take turns reading, and encourage discussion.
- Point to the words as you read. Draw attention to words that you encounter in daily life such as traffic signs, notices, and labels.
- Revisiting words that cause trouble for your child and rereading stories are powerful strategies to reinforce learning.
Engage as many senses as possible when teaching your child
Children with Dyslexia learn better through a multi-sensory approach. Involve their sight, smell and/or touch during the learning process.
Focus on phonemes (i.e. sounds associated with letters in the alphabet)
Play rhyming games, sing songs that emphasise rhyme and alliteration, play word games, sound out letters, and point out similarities in words.
Work on spelling
Point out new words, play spelling games, and encourage your child to write.
Provide a positive and supportive learning environment for your child
Praise and/or reward effort rather than achievement. Set your child up for success by working with your child to set attainable achievement goals in the areas of reading and writing, and provide the necessary support for your child to achieve them.