Supporting dyslexic learners
- 1. Supporting dyslexic pupils in the classroom Hear the student read (discreetly if necessary) to gauge accessibility of the textbook you are using, and find out what he/she finds helpful/unhelpful in lessons. Provide easier texts if necessary – short sentences, plenty of pictures, difficult words explained. Support pupils in accessing text (eg, read text aloud in class, pair the student with a more able peer or put texts on CD). Highlight and explain new/subject-specific words: display them in the classroom (lower-case print) and draw attention to them. Write on the board in a large, clear style: use different colours (but minimise the necessity for pupils to copy from the board). Include multisensory learning opportunities in every lesson. Teach mind mapping and other forms of visual representation. Encourage the use of a range of recording methods, eg bullet points, story board, flow chart, scribed and oral/recorded. Give careful consideration to the design and layout of activity/information sheets – size of font, colour of paper, spacing etc. Consider the use of coloured overlays. Provide a selection of dictionaries, including an ACE one (aurally coded English). Use collaborative learning and peer support. Employ ICT to support pupils’ learning: adjust computer screens and text size where appropriate; consider voice recognition software; predictive text; different kinds of spellcheckers. Allow extra time for completion of written tasks – or adjust your expectations (dyslexic pupils can write less, or use a different format). Avoid dictating homework in the last few minutes of the lesson. Mark written work for the content rather than spelling and presentation; highlight two or three words to be learned each time, rather than correcting all mistakes. Help pupils to be organised – remind them of what is needed for following lesson etc. Praise for effort as well as achievement – remember that dyslexic pupils may have to work twice as hard to produce half as much as their peers. Swanmore College of Technology