Tuesday, 2 June 2026

How to Teach and Support People with Dyslexia

 


Introduction

Teaching and supporting someone with dyslexia works best when using:

  • A step-by-step approach

  • Multi-sensory learning

  • Clear and simple instruction

  • Low stress and high support

The focus should not be on:

  • Guessing words

  • Reading quickly

The focus should be on:

  • Understanding

  • Accuracy

  • Confidence


1. A Multi-Sensory Approach

People with dyslexia learn best when using more than one sense at a time.

This may include:

  • Seeing (visual)

  • Hearing (auditory)

  • Touch (tactile)

  • Movement (kinaesthetic)

Using multiple senses helps:

  • Improve memory

  • Build understanding

  • Make learning more engaging


2. How to Teach Reading

Use Phonics

Teach how letters and sounds match.

Start with simple patterns:

  • cat

  • hat

  • bat

Then move to more complex words.

Focus on:

  • Sounding out words

  • Blending sounds together


Break Words Down

Help learners split words into parts.

For example:

Im – poss – i – ble

This makes longer words easier to manage.


Engage the Senses

Use touch and movement to support learning.

Examples:

  • Tap syllables on a table

  • Clap out sounds

  • Trace letters in sand or on paper

  • Say sounds out loud

This helps connect:

  • Sound

  • Movement

  • Memory


Go Slow

Do not rush learning.

  • Break tasks into small steps

  • Teach one thing at a time

  • Allow time to practice

Focus on:

  • Accuracy first

  • Speed later


3. How to Support Daily Learning

Provide Options

Reading all the time can be tiring.

Offer alternatives such as:

  • Audiobooks

  • Text-to-speech tools

  • Recorded lessons

This helps learners:

  • Understand content

  • Enjoy learning

  • Reduce frustration


Make Text Easy to Read

Use dyslexia-friendly tools:

  • Large, clear fonts (e.g. Arial)

  • Open spacing between lines

  • Colored overlays

  • Line trackers

Some learners may benefit from:

  • Fonts like OpenDyslexic


Be Visual

Do not rely only on spoken or written instructions.

Use:

  • Pictures

  • Symbols

  • Diagrams

  • Checklists

This helps learners:

  • Follow instructions

  • Stay organised

  • Understand tasks more easily


4. Reducing Stress and Building Confidence

Dyslexia can cause:

  • Frustration

  • Anxiety

  • Low confidence

Support should:

  • Be calm and patient

  • Avoid pressure

  • Celebrate small progress

  • Encourage effort

A relaxed learner will:

  • Learn better

  • Retain more information


5. What Educators Should Remember

  • Do not rush the learner

  • Do not focus only on mistakes

  • Do not assume lack of ability

Instead:

  • Focus on strengths

  • Adapt teaching methods

  • Repeat and review learning

  • Give clear, simple instructions


6. Key Message

People with dyslexia can learn to read and write.

They just need:

  • The right teaching methods

  • More time

  • The right support


Summary

Teaching dyslexia effectively means:

  • Breaking learning into steps

  • Using multiple senses

  • Making reading accessible

  • Reducing stress

With the right support, learners can:

  • Build skills

  • Gain confidence

  • Enjoy learning

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