There are lots of things that you can do to help them
Parents can make a big difference in their child’s reading skills after they have been diagnosed with dyslexia. As you know your child best you can work on their strengths and their weaknesses and work to help them as much as possible. Here are a few little ways you can support your child with dyslexia and tips for the journey ahead.
- Read to your child - Reading to any child is beneficial but to a child with dyslexia it is hugely beneficial as it brings out a love of books they might not have otherwise. Kids will become irritated if they can’t read properly and ultimately could turn away from books so providing them with a good role model will aid their ability to learn to read proficiently.
- Focus on sounds and rhyming games- Playing games with your child and linking together rhyming words and sounds will help your child to sound out letters.
- Work on spellings and help them with time and planning- Spelling takes time and patience and is key when helping your child. Help them to arrange their time and planning by using clocks and charts which will enable them to become more organised and not become confused.
- Learn about dyslexia- Parents need to understand dyslexia as well as they can to provide the support their child needs. There are many ways parents can learn about dyslexia with helplines and local groups. Your GP or medical centre will provide details of what is in your local area.
- Let them listen to audiobooks and follow up in the written form- Audiobooks are great fun and for kiddies it can help them to live in the story for a little while, once they know the story and love it you could move on to the written form.
- Teach them to persevere and find solutions- Your child may become frustrated at their efforts and feel to be getting nowhere fast. Rather than letting them give up you need to show them the importance of never giving up and persevering through any troubles or problems they have.
- Try not to nag them and squabble over work- There is no point spending hours looking at the same work trying to drill it into your child’s head, instead do as much as they can manage without them becoming exasperated. If your nipper becomes frustrated take a break, give them time and if it isn’t sinking in after a time, accept your child has done as much as they possibly can and don’t squabble over it!
Best of luck helping your child and remember to be patient!
Written by Emma, Irish mummy blogger and staff writer at www.familyfriendlyhq.ie
Check out her own blog at emmasmadjotters.com
Check out her own blog at emmasmadjotters.com
