5 Best Reading Strategies for Kids with Dyslexia
For children with dyslexia, learning to read can be a challenging journey. However, the right strategies can make reading more accessible and enjoyable
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or tutor, incorporating proven methods can help struggling readers build skills and confidence.
Here are five of the best reading strategies to support kids with dyslexia.
Multisensory Learning
Dyslexic learners benefit from engaging multiple senses – seeing, hearing, touching, and moving – to reinforce reading concepts.
How to do it: Use sandpaper letters for tracing, say letter sounds aloud, write words in the air, and use manipulatives like letter tiles or magnetic letters.
Why it works: Combining senses helps the brain create stronger connections between sounds and symbols, improving decoding and spelling skills.
Explicit Phonics Instruction
Children with dyslexia need systematic, explicit phonics instruction to understand how sounds map to letters and letter combinations.
How to do it: Teach phonics rules step by step, starting with simple patterns and gradually introducing more complex ones. Practice blending sounds into words and breaking words into sounds.
Why it works: It provides a clear framework for recognizing patterns and decoding unfamiliar words.
Chunking Text into Manageable Parts
Long passages can be overwhelming for dyslexic readers. Breaking text into smaller chunks can make it more manageable and less intimidating.
How to do it: Use a finger, index card, or colored strip to focus on one line at a time. Encourage the child to pause and process each phrase or sentence.
Why it works: This reduces cognitive overload and helps with comprehension.
Repetition and Rereading
Practice makes progress! Repetition helps solidify new words and patterns.
How to do it: Use decodable texts (books with phonics patterns) that are just right for the child’s level. Encourage rereading of familiar texts to build fluency and confidence.
Why it works: Each reread helps reinforce decoding skills, sight word recognition, and comprehension.
Previewing and Pre-Teaching Vocabulary
New or tricky words can trip up dyslexic readers. Previewing vocabulary before reading can build confidence and understanding.
How to do it: Go over key vocabulary from the text beforehand. Practice pronouncing, spelling, and defining these words. Use them in sentences.
Why it works: Pre-teaching prepares the reader, reducing anxiety and supporting comprehension.
Final Thoughts
Dyslexia doesn’t have to be a roadblock to reading success. By incorporating multisensory techniques, explicit phonics, chunking, repetition, and vocabulary previews, you can help dyslexic learners develop strong literacy skills – and a love for reading.
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