4 Strategies to Support Learners With Dyslexia
Teaching students with dyslexia requires an approach that acknowledges and addresses their strengths as well as their instructional needs. Dyslexia impacts literacy skills, including reading, spelling, and writing.
Implementing personalized instructional strategies in the classroom can provide consistent progress for students with dyslexia. Teachers can enhance their instruction through understanding and embracing strategies that are based on the science of reading as part of a comprehensive literacy plan. These strategies are beneficial for all students and essential for students with dyslexia.
This checklist outlines essential strategies teachers can utilize to better personalize instruction and meet the instructional needs of their learners with dyslexia.
1. Explicit Presentation of Skills and Concepts
Rather than assuming students can pick up skills implicitly, explicitly demonstrate and model skills and concepts. Break complex tasks into smaller steps, providing clear explanations and examples for each component skill. Use precise, student-friendly language and allow students to ask questions to ensure understanding before independent practice.
Example When teaching reading fluency, model how to read smoothly and at an appropriate rate. Explain concepts like reading with expression and phrasing. Demonstrate with a sample passage, then have students repeat and practice the modeled reading.
2. Structured and Sequential Order of Presentation
Present new information in a planned, logical sequence, beginning with foundational skills. Introduce more straightforward skills first before layering on more complex concepts. Each new step should build upon previously learned skills in a systematic progression. This structured, cumulative approach of scaffolding knowledge strengthens learning and retention.
Example To teach phonics skills, follow a scope and sequence. For example, begin with letter sounds, then blend sounds into syllables, decode syllables into words, and finally, practice reading words, phrases, and passages.
3. Multimodal Stimulation
Incorporate multisensory techniques that engage students' visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic pathways. Use visual aids like diagrams, charts, and graphic organizers. Provide verbal explanations and examples, supplemented by audio recordings if possible. Include hands-on activities where students can trace letters, use manipulatives, or engage muscles through movement. Activating multiple modalities reinforces learning.
Example When teaching spelling, show students the written word (visual), say the word and name the letters aloud (auditory), and have them write the word while saying the word and naming each letter (tactile/kinesthetic).
4. Intensive Review and Practice
Students with dyslexia require extensive practice and frequent review to commit learning to long-term memory. Provide ample opportunities for repetitive practice through activities, exercises, and assignments. Periodically revisit and cumulatively review previously learned skills to solidify retention and ensure a smooth transition to new concepts.
Example Use daily spelling drills and dictation exercises for repeated practice of learned phonics patterns. Review previously taught sight words and vocabulary words through games and activities.
By implementing these research-based strategies, teachers can create a supportive learning environment that addresses the unique needs of students with dyslexia. Remember, consistently using these methods can enhance motivation, literacy development, and academic success for learners with dyslexia in the classroom.
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