4 Practical Dyslexia Reading Tips and Tools

Inexpensive ways to help dyslexic kids succeed in and out of the classroom.

Mohammed Ali. Stephen Spielberg. Magic Johnson. What do they have in common? All of these household names have struggled with dyslexia, a disorder that hinders interpretation of words, letters, and other symbols without affecting intelligence. Despite struggling with this obstacle, these greats have found ways to succeed. With the right support, your child or student can too.

These dyslexia reading tips and tools can help combat dyslexia both in and out of the classroom: 

1. Use visual and auditory words

Those who struggle with dyslexia tend to read less and at a slower rate. To help promote vocabulary and ideas from stories, create an environment rich in words. Flash cards (especially those with a picture representing the word), poems or text rich in rhymes, and plenty of activities such as reading aloud, listening to the radio, or talking about the day with other adults can make a significant difference. 

2. Close the auditory feedback loop 

To efficiently communicate, dyslexic children have to say what they mean and explicitly hear what they say. If any part breaks down for some reason, pronunciation and word learning becomes even more challenging. A certified-safe Toobaloo is a straightforward and affordable reading tool that routes a child's words right to his or her ears. When they clearly hear how they sound and can adjust along the way, fluency, self-confidence, and pronunciation can improve.  

3. Incorporate manipulatives 

Manipulatives are physical objects, such as cubes and blocks, that can represent math concepts to those with dyslexia far more effectively than key concepts written on a textbook page. Use manipulatives any time you are helping your dyslexic child or student learn counting, fractions, time, or money.

4. Give the eyes focus 

For some young readers with dyslexia, trying to stay on the correct line of text can be a tedious challenge. Eyes may wander and get lost in a sea of words and letters. Inexpensive tools like a household ruler or the kid-approved Eye Lighter will highlight and underline text to make it easier to stay on track. With consistent use, these dyslexia reading tools can also improve reading speed and fluency skills.

For more satisfaction-guaranteed dyslexia reading tips and tools to help the children in your life, shop our USA-made educational tool collection, contact our speech and reading experts online, or call 877.819.2541 today.

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