Practical Suggestions for Homeschooling and Dyslexia
2007-03-05

By D. E. Herrod, B.Ed.E, M.Div

It is possible for children with dyslexia to learn, they just learn in a different way. There are no magic cures quick fixes or magic cures for dyslexia. One of the keys to success is finding the methods work the best for your child.

There are some basic guidelines that should be remembered when discovering what methods work best for your. Instruction should directly teach skills for reading, spelling, writing and math. One-on-one and small instruction is the better than large group settings. Whatever method or program you use should have a logical sequence of instruction and be highly structured. One the things that makes the Orton-Gillingham method successful is that is it is highly structured and had built provisions for review and practice. Use multisenory techniques whenever possible. Material that is taught through more than one channel is more likely to be retained. (1)

Early intervention is critical for any child with a learning disability. Begin developing readiness skills at a young age. This does not mean that you should get a workbook for you toddler but rather use play to teach your child readiness skills. Provide books, puzzles, building and problem solving toys for you child to play with. Also provide your child with crayons, paints, scissors, glue and other art materials with which to experiment. The process of exploring is more important than the end product. Focus on helping your child learning to read and write his or her name rather than learning the entire alphabet.

Read with and to you child. Even if you child is a struggling reader just the process of reading with and to your child can help improve reading skills. Many struggling readers focus more on the process of reading and not comprehension or fluency. By reading to you child you can model fluency and work on comprehension. For many children reading is caught rather than taught. Phonics and reading strategies are important but not the only way of teaching reading.

Be flexible and adaptable. Finding what works for you child will probably not be an easy process. There is no one proven method that works for everyone dyslexia. Look for teachable moments and methods that make sense to your child.

Use mnemonics and other “tricks” to aid learning. One of the key aspects of the Stevenson Method is that mnemonics used to teach phonics and phonic rules. One problem is that many people with dyslexia have difficulty making the connection between letters and sounds, as well as remembering how to tell if a letter makes a short or long sound.

Make learning fun. When possible use a game approach to teach or practice skills. This can help ease a student’s fear of failure or reluctance to learn. The game needs to be simple and adaptable. There are several games I have used with a variety of subjects especially for repetitive tasks and review.

Give your child the freedom to fail. Let your child know that as long as he or she has genuinely tried it is okay to fail. The fear of failure or disappointing others can prevent child from trying. It is much easier to deal with being called lazy than dumb or a failure.

One of the biggest things you can do as a parent is to provide your child with unconditional love and support. Help your child find something they are good at and encourage them.

Notes:
1. International Dyslexia Association. “Dyslexia & Related Disorder” [http://www.interdys.org/fact%20sheets/Dys&RelDis%20FS%20N.doc]