August 13th, 2014
Liz Dunoon Ways to support your dyslexic child at school
Why you need to take the time to meet with your child’s teachers before every school year commences
You do this for a number of reasons.
1. It will lower your protective parent anxiety levels.
2. It will make your child feel less anxious about beginning the school year.
3. You will develop a rapport with the teachers from day one, which is important, as teachers become a critical part of your support team. It is imperative that they understand what being dyslexic means for your child.
4. Make sure they understand the intricacies of your child’s disability. Give them any examples or copies of your child’s past work, relevant school reports or specialist reports you may have. Provide them with a short summary of your child’s strengths and weaknesses in point form; don’t forget to include the psychological aspects. Give them an indication of your child’s favourite methods of learning. Add the names of any of your child’s classmates who are helpful and supportive of your child and their needs.
5. In your conversation include any learning or teaching support structures that your child is used to or may have found helpful in the past. This may include support teachers, alternative formats, extra time etc. It is often the case that the parent is the only communication link between a child’s year level teachers.
6. Make sure you also speak to any other specialist teachers who will come into contact with your child. It only takes one small comment or incident to shatter your child’s confidence and ruin their day or week.
This simple meeting alone can mean the difference between your child having a happy school year and your child working to the best of their ability as opposed to having a disastrous year.
Many said they were often told a child in their class had
a learning difficulty, but not what this meant or how to
provide individualised assistance to this child.”
Your child’s teacher needs you as much as you need them. Don’t assume because they are a qualified teacher they understand your child’s learning difficulties or what your child’s individual needs are. An educated parent invariably becomes the expert.
If your dyslexic child is to reach their full potential they will need support at school.
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