Spot and Support Dyslexia

The usual response to a pupil who struggles with reading and spelling is more of the same: a lower spelling list, extra reading practice. For a pupil with dyslexia that rarely helps, because the difficulty is often with working memory, not effort.

You can often notice it early, sometimes long before a child is writing, and there are two quick checks to try in class: saying back a string of digits forwards and then backwards. You'll then learn everyday ways to lighten the load on memory, like short bullet-point instructions on a whiteboard on the desk, pre-teaching new words and plenty of picture clues. It also covers coloured overlays for visual stress and readers in tests.

Just as important is what it means for a pupil to find out why they've been struggling. Once they know there's a reason, many start to see themselves differently.