✦ RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS ✦

All your students can learn to read

We can help. We are committed to supporting teachers in enhancing the educational journey of students with dyslexia. We help equip educators with the right tools and knowledge to create an effective learning environment for dyslexic students. Want to learn more? Our educator scholarship for advanced dyslexia specialist training is available to educators living in the Southwest region. SWIDA annually awards up to $14,000 in scholarships to teachers, in New Mexico and El Paso, for training in a Multisensory Structured Language Program.

EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Signs Of Dyslexia By Age Group

Student with dyslexia may present these signs and symptoms. Not all students who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia. We recommend relying on a professional for a diagnosis.

Preschoolers

Delays in speech development
Confusing similar sounding words
Trouble recognizing rhyming patterns
Trouble with names of friends, colors, and essential items
Difficulty following multi-step directions
Delays in fine and gross motor skills

School-Age Children (K-8)

Challenges with the sounds of the language
Frequent reading and spelling errors
Reluctance towards reading aloud
Confusion with letters that look similar
Difficulty with word problems in math
Trouble with memorization of math facts and math fact fluency
Difficulty with written expression
Difficulty with directionality, knowing right from left

Teenagers

Continued struggles with reading and reading comprehension
Difficulty with written assignments
Avoidance of reading activities
Slow reading rate and poor fluency
Low self-esteem related to academic performance
Procrastination and avoidance of schoolwork

Adults

Persistent issues with reading and writing efficiency
Problems with tasks that require reading
Difficulty with organizational skills
Challenges in learning new academic skills
Frustration and fatigue from reading
Anxiety or stress in work settings that require efficient reading and writing skills.

IDA ASSESSMENT GUIDLINES

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES

Multisensory Teaching

Use VAKT--Activate the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile. Use visual aids, auditory lessons, and hands-on activities.

Visual Organizers

Use graphic organizers, charts and color to help students organize their thoughts.
Help students see the parts that make up a whole--the parts of a word, parts of a sentence, parts of a paragraph, etc..

Interactive Digital Platforms

Implement educational technology like ear reading and speech to text applications.

Clear and Direct Instructions:

Break instructions into clear steps and give students 1 step at a time.
Emphasize key information and check for understanding by asking students to paraphrase the instructions.

Differentiated Instruction and Assignments

Consider changing the pathway to success for students with dyslexia.
Ask: what knowledge or skill is this assignment assessing? If you are assessing content, allow students to talk about what they know versus writing about it.

Structured Literacy Instruction

Implement a systematic approach to reading and writing that includes explicit teaching of phonetics, spelling rules, and grammar.

Teaching Dyslexics FAQs

Literacy lessons should be explicit, systematic, and cumulative, with clear structure and ample repetition of concepts. It’s important to use clear, concise language and modeling. Students with dyslexia thrive with predictable, rhythmic instruction that allows them to focus on the content of the lesson instead of the presentation style. Students with dyslexia will do best with small group instruction literacy instruction targeted to meet their current needs. For example, 15 minutes of small group phonemic awareness instruction each day for students who demonstrate deficits in these foundational skills is essential for literacy growth over time.

Extra Time on Tests and Assignments: Allow additional time for students to process information at their own pace during tests and assignments.

Technology: Implement tools like speech-to-text software, and audiobooks to aid reading and writing. Examples include Dragon NaturallySpeaking or Read&Write software.

Alternative Assessment Methods: Enable students to demonstrate their knowledge through projects, oral presentations, or video recordings, instead of traditional written tests.

Minimize Distractions: Keep the classroom environment free from clutter and too much visual noise. Use high-contrast text on backgrounds and consider seating arrangements that reduce distractions.

Use Color-Coded Materials: Supply materials in various colors to assist with organization and focus, such as color-coding the parts of a paragraph or aspects of an outline.

Flexible Deadlines: Provide extended deadlines or break assignments into smaller, manageable tasks to lessen anxiety and improve time management for students.

Focus on Strengths: Identify and emphasize each student’s strengths and interests. Offer them opportunities to excel in areas where they feel confident, reinforcing their sense of capability and achievement.

Encourage a Growth Mindset: Cultivate the belief that intelligence and abilities can grow with effort and perseverance. Use language that values effort, strategies, and incremental progress over innate talent and provide concrete evidence of this growth over time.

Offer Regular Feedback: Give constructive and specific feedback that focuses on effort and growth. Use encouraging language to frame challenges as opportunities for development.

Foster a Supportive Peer Environment: Promote a classroom culture of support and empathy.

Develop Self-Regulation Skills: Develop a classroom environment that supports students' taking responsibility for their own learning.

Create a Safe and Inclusive Space: Maintain a classroom environment where students feel safe, respected, and understood. Address bullying or negative behavior or attitudes towards dyslexic students immediately to preserve a supportive educational atmosphere.

With parents, establish open communication channels, maintaining regular contact through emails, meetings, or phone calls, and utilizing tools like Google Classroom or communication logs to keep everyone informed. Sharing updates on student progress is vital; discuss any changes in strategies or accommodations and use progress reports or online portfolios to document achievements and challenges.

Involving parents in the planning process is also beneficial; encourage them to provide insights about their child’s strengths and needs, and involve them in creating and reviewing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 Plans. Collaborate on setting realistic and achievable goals for the student, regularly reviewing and adjusting these based on the student’s progress.

Attending professional development workshops can provide opportunities to network with other educators and specialists for valuable insights and resources. Utilize the support of specialists such as educational psychologists, special education teachers, or reading specialists to develop tailored strategies that address the student's specific needs.

Text-to-speech software can help dyslexic students by reading texts aloud, allowing them to process information without the struggle of decoding words. Popular tools like Natural Reader or Kurzweil 3000 transform written content into audible speech, aiding comprehension and reducing reading fatigue.

Speech-to-text software is another powerful tool that enables students to articulate their thoughts without the barrier of spelling and grammar issues.

Programs like Dragon NaturallySpeaking allow students to focus on content and structure rather than the mechanics of writing.

Audiobooks are invaluable for providing equal access to literature and textbooks, enabling dyslexic students to engage with reading materials at the same level as their peers. Services like Learning Ally offer extensive libraries of audiobooks that cater to educational needs.

Apps like Microsoft OneNote and Google Keep offer ways to organize notes, manage tasks, and set reminders in a user-friendly interface.

Reading enhancement tools such as Grammarly or Ghotit can assist in real-time spelling, grammar, and style suggestions, making writing tasks less daunting.

Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are the most common related or similar learning differences.

Dysgraphia affects a person's ability to write coherently, regardless of their ability to read. Individuals with dysgraphia have inconsistent handwriting, difficulty with the organization of writing on a page, and struggle with listening and writing at the same time. They will do best when they are allowed to listen and participate in class without being asked to take notes. Providing copies of powerpoints or notes and utilizing a note taking buddy is supportive. These students will benefit from building automaticity with keyboarding. Research demonstrates that students with dysgraphia do best when taught cursive handwriting and when given ample practice to build automaticity.

Dyscalculia affects a person's ability to grasp and remember math concepts, procedures, and sequences. Students with dyscalculia do best when given manipulatives to illustrate mathematical concepts.

ADHD affects a person's ability to self-regulate. Individuals with hyperactive type struggle to control impulsive behaviors and modulate emotional reactions. Individuals with inattentive type have difficulty with aspects of metacognition such as working memory and modulating focus. All individuals with ADHD have difficulty with aspects of executive functioning skills such as developing a sense of time, organization, flexibility, and cognitive shift.

Improve Your Knowledge

FURTHER RESOURCES

Below you will find some of favorite external resources for learning about dyslexia.

We’d love to hear from you

Whether you're eager to discover more about our endeavors in supporting the dyslexia community or interested in collaborating with us we're here and ready to connect. We welcome your inquiries and look forward to engaging with you.

Location

PO Box 14190 Albuquerque, NM 87191

Phone

1-505-255-8234

Email

swida@southwestida.org