In recent years, there have been more kids with dyslexia diagnosed and require teachers to figure out new strategies. However, many parents and teachers are still clueless about what to do.
For dyslexic people, reading can be a chore and frustrate them. Kids who are diagnosed with dyslexia also feel the same frustration as those who are not diagnosed. They may have it worse because they can’t control their problem and may also have difficulties expressing their thoughts.
Exercises That Work Best for Kids with Dyslexia
These activities are doable at home and classroom. You can always combine these exercises to encourage the kids to learn reading in the most fun way for them. If you’re a teacher, you can talk with the parents to direct them on how they can guide their kids at home.
1. Audiobooks
Most dyslexic people prefer to listen to the words rather than read due to their issues. That is why, audiobooks are a favorite among them. You can get several audiobooks for children covering various subjects with different difficulties based on their age.
In many senses, audiobooks are more attractive because they can hear multiple voices among the characters. At the same time, they also learn more about the words they hear. But the best thing is they don’t have to worry much about challenging words.
2. Multisensory Techniques
Reading is not a single sensory activity even though it’s primarily only using the eye. But you can use objects and songs to encourage them to learn about letters and words. It can be something as simple as letter-shaped biscuits or nuggets, using objects with flashcards, or even singing a mnemonic trick.
Most adults overthink the multisensory aspect and take it as if they need to have specific items. But you can save a lot of money by using available objects around you. For example, you can take the kids outside and touch the object.
3. Rhymes
Using rhymes can help kids to learn how to read. As for dyslexic kids, rhymes can help them recognize the words. This method also helps them to memorize the words and sounds.
One common issue among dyslexic kids is they don’t have letter-sound connections. But with rhymes, they can learn and instill the connection which will help them recognize the words.
Rhymes are also very easy to work with since you can repeat multiple syllables several times to make an impact. However, you need to keep the words short enough that are easy to remember.
4. Phonemic Name Game
Most dyslexic kids have issues with recognizing phonemes. But they don’t have enough knowledge to know what it is. Therefore, it’s up to the teachers and parents to recognize this issue to solve it immediately.
A game that you can do is to alternate their syllables with claps:
have the kid say their name, and repeat it with claps after each syllable. After a while, you can switch the name for other objects and words. This game will help them to learn how each word sounds and can associate the sound with the words they read.
5. Flash Cards
A simple yet popular exercise to train dyslexic kids is using flash cards. You can have multiple flash cards with different difficulties. It can be a series of specific objects such as transportation, family, and many others.
One thing you can do is mix the flashcards for a random quiz. But for general practice, you must keep it to a specific theme so the kids won’t feel confused. Staying with a topic or a specific set of flashcards will help you to track their progress.
How to Keep Them Motivated
Even though teachers are responsible for the kid’s improvements, parents also need to encourage and motivate their children. They also need to figure out the best method to keep their children to continue practicing. Here are several things you can do to keep your motivation high while learning.
1. Offer Rewards
One thing you can do is do the reward game where you offer a specific reward to the children. It doesn’t have to be a big achievement, but just enough to keep them motivated and enjoy the learning process.
You can use rewards that still relate to the learning process. It can be a new set of audiobooks or a device that helps them read such as a text-to-speech reader. Another reward you can offer is emotional like a holiday or vacation.
6. Simplify the Instruction
Many parents and teachers often forget that dyslexic kids require a longer time to understand written instructions. They often use regular instructions instead of simplified ones.
This is the time for you to be creative in writing the instructions. Of course, you need to use simple words that are easy to understand. And for the older kids, you can write with different colors to highlight important words. It will help them to recognize the commands and in a way, it simplifies the instruction.
7. Maintain Routine
Having a routine is crucial to track progress. It works great for teachers, parents, as well as the kids. You can help the kids to set goals and encourage them to reach those personal goals through the routine. Another benefit of having a solid routine is it will help them to instill their lessons.
However, you need to mix different methods and exercises to keep things interesting. This way, you also can keep the excitement level high and have them enjoy learning even more.
Kids with dyslexia are not different than other kids. They enjoy learning and playing games. Sometimes, they can be demanding and test your patience at times, but their progress is also highly rewarding.
These kids are eager to learn, so you need to keep their motivation high through these exercises. And when you already settled into a routine, you can tailor these exercises to get better results. You will be surprised when you see the massive improvements in their lessons.
