How Can I Make Reading More Enjoyable For My Child Who Has Dyslexia?
Parents often presume that if their child has dyslexia, they will hate reading.
After all, having dyslexia makes it hard to read and spell doesn't it?
Yes, dyslexia can make it harder to learn to read words and spell, but it doesn't mean that your child won't enjoy reading.
Every child has a unique profile and their dyslexia will impact in different ways to varying degrees.
As a parent, you can encourage your child to develop a love of reading.
Here are my top tips:
Create a friendly and inviting environment for reading in. Where could you read together? Cuddled up for bedtime stories, on the sofa nestled in cushions or on a bean bag in the garden? If you child feels safe and relaxed they are more likely to read and will find it more enjoyable.
Start early on. You don’t need to wait until your child starts school to read with them. You can share books with them as babies or toddlers, regularly reading stories and talking about the pictures.
Recruit family members to help. Maybe an older sibling, Granny or Granddad may like to share their love of stories by reading a story to your child. Whilst in person may still be a little tricky with current restrictions, stories can still be shared via zoom or face time (or a similar platform). Listening to a different person reading will add variety for your child (and maybe give you a little free time too, whilst they read with Granny).
Audio books allow your child to listen to a story and they can follow along in their own copy of the book. This can help encourage independent reading too. If your child finds a tricky word, they will hear it read aloud and can see it in the book at the same time and so won't have to stop reading to come and find you to tell them what the word says. Audible has a great collection of books. Many are read by the authors or famous people too.
Read non-fiction books (information based). Reading to discover new facts about a favourite interest or hobby can be a great way to encourage children to interact with books.
Does you child love dinosaurs? Why not share a book on dinosaurs with them?
(When my sons were little, I couldn’t pronounce some of the dinosaur names. So, rather than feel stupid, I explained to the boys that I didn’t know how to read the unusual names and showed them how to decode the new words).
Watched the film – why not read the book? If your child has particularly enjoyed a film, or a story that they heard on TV, why not buy them their own copy of the book to read?
Read to the family pet! If your child is reluctant to read aloud to an adult, why not encourage them to read to the family dog or cat. The pet won't mind if they misread some words, meanwhile your child will be developing their confidence when reading aloud.
Helpful Resources
The Book Trust has some great resources including picture books that an adult, with dyslexia, can share with their child. They also have a selection of reading books that have a high level of interest but have a low reading age, making them more accessible for children who are struggling to read age-appropriate books.
Children read more when we Turn On The Subtitles.
The Turn on The Subtitles campaign has recently been launched. It is supported by a huge number of academics, scholars, education companies, celebrities, and politicians. By popping the subtitles on when watching TV, children can be reading as watching!
This brilliantly simple, free, small change to children’s existing TV viewing habits can drastically improve their reading skills.
If you would like more guidance on how to encourage your child to enjoy books please get in touch at hello@educationangel.co.uk and we can have a chat.