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The thing about children with dyslexia is even though they may have perfect hearing and perfect vision, they aren’t always able to process the information that is given visually or auditory. Each child differs, so you may not always know what isn’t getting through. The best approach is to use all five senses, if possible, to teach students with dyslexia. And really, it’s better for all children to learn this way, so it’s good for all students.
At the beginning of the lesson, briefly go over what the lesson will cover in small, easy-to-digest chunks. This will help alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed felt by those with dyslexia. Just remember that dyslexic children have a hard time reading the board or an overhead. If possible, make an individual copy for each student, or at least the child with dyslexia.
When you do write on the board, use a different color of marker or chalk for each point. This will help your dyslexic students distinguish the different points instead of just seeing a chunk of text. Also, leave the information on the board for as long as possible, so the students have plenty of time to write the information down.
When you’re evaluating a dyslexic student for information comprehension and retention, consider giving the student a verbal quiz on the information rather than written. This will decrease test anxiety and help the student to more likely be successful. The best thing you can do is help your students feel confident and intelligent.
