Dyslexia refers to a variation in how the brain processes language. It can be mild or severe. With the right combination of school and home support, most dyslexic children can learn to read fluently.
Children with dyslexia can learn to read by receiving explicit and consistent instruction. This helps them develop sound-letter awareness as well as an understanding of the workings of written language.
Simple strategies can be used at home by parents to help dyslexic children get the best start possible in reading.
Strategies to help dyslexic children learn to read at home
Dyslexic individuals lack phonemic awareness, which is the ability to recognize the sounds that makeup words. Most dyslexic children can be helped by explicit and systematic instruction in their school environment. Schools for dyslexia will help a Dyslexic Child To Read. So you can visit our site and learn more.
Once children have grasped the concept, they can start working on phonics skills. This involves linking sounds to letters to create and read words. Students then begin to build their vocabulary.
This development can be supported at home by parents using phonics to sound words out and expand their vocabulary. Limit the number of sessions so that your child isn’t distracted. Also, only focus on a few words each session.
Phonics can help you build vocabulary
Making CVC words
Set up a pair of alphabet cards, one for vowels and one for consonants. Start with six letters: S, T, P, N, A, I. Have a set of pictures that are CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant) using the given letters. The child should name the item and identify the letter that matches it.
Ask them to place the consonant cards in a gap and ask them to find the missing vowel. Next, ask them to identify the missing vowel in the middle and if they could use it to create a word using these consonants. Each session should have a different letter, so they can build their CVC word bank.
Onset-rime flipbook
Flipbook with onsets, rimes. To the left are a set of single-letter consonant cards to represent the onsets. On the right is a set with rimes (word end) cards. These can be short vowel + consonant endings like ‘at’ or ‘on’ to longer, more complicated long vowel spellings like ‘ine’ or ‘ean’. You can also include rimes like ‘ight’ or ‘ought’ for a challenge.
Flip through the onsets and use the first rime to find as many real words as possible. To ensure that the rime is firmly in the child’s mind, have them create a word family list. In one session, just focus on one word: family.
Advanced vocabulary activities for dyslexic kids
Adjective alliteration
Ask your child what object, place, or person they would like to identify. Identify the sound that is the first in the word. Ask them to identify the first sound in the word and come up with a descriptive word. Combine them and ask the child to draw a picture.
Spotting mistakes
Select a book that you’ve read together. You can rewrite the text but make some mistakes. You can swap letters that sound the same phonetically.
Ask your child to look at this text. You can tell your child that there are spelling errors and ask them to circle any word that doesn’t look right. All the problems they find should be praised and asked if they have any ideas on how to fix them. If they don’t, you can discuss the problem with them.
