What's the best way to help a struggling reader who has dyslexia?

Question

She can read she is at a level 6 and should be at a 14.

Answer 1

To teach someone who is dyslexic it takes time and a lot of patience, and trying different strategies to see what works best.

Both my daughter and I are dyslexic, and here is some tips that help us both, and I utilize these tips to help my students.

Keeping a dictionary on hand to check words that we don't know or new words, and write them down in a note book to help remember them.

Print off a copy of the most common spelling mistakes, and frequently confused words (which get me all the time).

Spelling rules such as I before E except after C (I only learnt this a few years ago).

Homophones is handy too, as it is not unusual to confuse similar sounding words such weather/ whether. I would laminate them and keep a copy on the fridge, and his reader.

If we have to hand write anything, and unsure of how to spell a word underline it and try to find it in the dictionary.

For reading try different coloured overlays, to see if it make reading easier. My daughter has Irlens lenses which we noticed made a huge difference.

Learn the letters of the alphabet using bright coloured magnetic letters, and learn their placement in the alphabet, and their sounds and practice spelling basic words.

Teacher and classroom support using the above but also the below tips;

Write each paragraph written on the board in different colours, this makes it easier to keep if copying from the board. (some teachers are more than happy to do this, others not so willing).

Handout notes to be on coloured paper (my daughter and I both read better with cream/buff coloured paper). You will need to experiment with different colours.

A list of the most commonly misspelt words, as well as list of words that dyslexics often mix up.

Avoid making dyslexic children doing spelling tests, (this is setting the child up to fail). How I would deal with this, is have the student the write spelling words down into a note book with the meaning, which the student had found in the dictionary, they are learning what the word means, they are learning how to use a dictionary and they are seen to be working like any other child.

Have aide or willing parent help the student in the class, when it reading or spelling time.

Higher primary & high school years

Where possible use a computer to do assignments etc, ensuring we use spell check to keep spelling mistakes in check.

When given an assignment start them as soon as possible, so you do a little bit each day, rather than leave it until the last minute.

My daughter would have failed school had I not learnt as mush as possible about dyslexia and trying different strategies to help her both at home and school, and then pushed the school to do the above tips. I then utilized these tips to help myself become better educated, and I am now a qualified Youth & Disability support worker and sessional teacher, with a keen interest in teaching students with learning disabilities.

My daughter is a qualified Disability support worker, and is exceptionally good with young children.

I hope these tips help, the last link shows what a dyslexic person sees when reading, which will give an understanding how difficult it can be.

Good luck

Edit

I am not sure why we have all been given a thumbs down. But I can not stress the importance of learning phonics and homophones, and the letter placement etc, as these do help in learning to read. I did not learn to read until I was 14, and if a teacher had not taken the time to teach me phonics, homophones (same sounding words, but spelt differently), I would not have learnt to read.

Coloured overlays are worth trying, and if proven to assist with reading then its worth buying Irlens lenses.

Answer 2

Books on tape. Dyslexics Don't read for pleasure. Ever.

High interest nonfiction. Dyslexics will read for information.

Teach phonics and survival reading skills.

Teach them to use computers. Change fonts to ComicSans, etc.

Teach them to use the internet.

Try my site on them, www.geocities.com/carjug .

Answer 3

Explicit direct instruction.  The link below is for a text book I had in college.  It is the bible for teaching reading and I have used it constantly.  The program is researched based and recommended by the National Reading Panel.  It will tell you exactly what you need to do to determine the readers level and what to do to correct it.  You do not say what the difficulties are or if they can even read, if you did, I could give you some suggestions.  The sooner  you work with the student, the better the outcome.

Answer 4

adaptive technology

such as books on tape

specialized reading program such as Orton Gillingham/Wilson

oral tests

modified assignments

assigning a buddy to read/write for the student

a window cut out of cardboard to isolate one line at a time-or holding a ruler under teh line taht is beign read to guide...

Answer 5

Pease-Blossom the asker clearly said the student has dyslexia.

I think the information given by the person above is very informative (especially since he/she has dyslexia), and the links they gave are excellent, when I checked out the last link I was surprised what a dyslexic person may see when trying to read. Glad I don't have dyslexia.