What I love most about this presentation, put-together by the Dyslexia Buddy Network and Embracing Dyslexia, is its initial emphasis on the many things outside of reading that the featured children participate in, love, and at which they quite often excel.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is to our child's well-being for us to recognize and provide for the development of their individual interests, creativity, and strengths outside of reading.
Their struggle with reading should not define them but should be recognized as only a part of of what makes them unique. In school, when everyone else appears to be reading quickly and with ease, and when even their teachers may not understand them, confidence can take a mighty hit.
We not only need to provide them access to accommodation and the right teaching methods for reading success, we need to show them that what they are and what they do beyond reading have great value. It will build their confidence, bring joy, and ultimately support their success in the classroom.
School, Methods, Rights
As you familiarize yourself with the many resources highlighted here on Dyslexia Resources for Parents, you'll be introduced to specific teaching/learning methods and programs; some will begin to stand out to you as their names recur. I am refraining from naming any here. I have no authority to make a method recommendation. I don't know your child nor what expertise may be available in your community. I encourage you to explore the resources in your own community, take my information, combine it with your own, and run with it. Access to the experts is just a few clicks away.
-
Find the Decoding Dyslexia chapter in your state.
-
Follow the links on my books page. Explore. Read some of the books.
-
Pay attention to the interviews on the Embracing Dyslexia website. You'll find information in them about schooling, methods, accommodation, and the importance of and tips about formulating the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for your child with the school.
-
Become familiar with your school district's policies and its awareness of dyslexic student needs. You may need to advocate heavily for classroom accommodation and help for your child or you may be in a district that already understands these needs. Either way, it will be your job to know and to be prepared to advocate with the schools for your child.
-
Know that your child has legal rights. Here is a good introduction to Dyslexia Laws from Understood.org
-
Watch this Q&A with Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Co-Director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity (YCDC). Visit the YCDC Parents page for information on all of the above.
In this Q&A, Shaywitz says clearly that "evidence-based" should be the real criteria for reading intervention programs. Her most specific recommendation in this particular interview is to use "off-the-shelf evidence-based programs" rather than having a teacher cobble together this bit of knowledge with that. You'll find her book, Overcoming Dyslexia, on the books page.
One final note: in the videos I've linked to, you'll hear that some of the students were enrolled in special schools for Dyslexics. When I heard that, I thought, "Wow, what a resource!" But I live in Fairbanks, Alaska and we certainly don't have a population that could support an entire school for dyslexics. So my point is this: Find the resources you do have available to you and support your child. We had two women who knew what they were doing in addition to our own support for our daughter. She has thrived. Your child can too.