Sharing Good Practice
EVERYDAY STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING AND
DEALING WITH DYSLEXIA IN THE CLASSROOM
BY DEBBIE HAMILTON BOGUES
teacher/s from the previous year, if not
available, check her files to ascertain
if her reading difficulties were noted,
if she was formally assessed and if
any strategies were implemented
and what their outcomes were. Also
contact parents, share your concerns,
ask if they are aware, and if she is
receiving external support which they
have provided.
Some strategies to support Maria’s
reading challenges.
• If you have a reading programme in
your school, refer her. If there’s none,
you will have to research and create
interventions and differentiate for
her.
• Make a word bank of sight words
with words that she should have
known at her age. If she is very
far below her age, start with 2-3
letter words. Share with parents as
homework.
• Word reversals, such as tip for pit • Create some time during each
day for her to read to you or to an
assigned class partner; she can read
alone, aloud or read together aloud.
• difficulties breaking words in to
syllables • To support fluency, let her read the
same passage repeatedly.
• Difficulty understanding rhyming
words • Ask her to retell the story and to
provide a different ending.
• Unable to recognize words that
begin with the same sound • Depending on her age, use picture
stories to support understanding.
• Difficulty
reading • Provide age appropriate simplified
texts for her to read and answer
questions.
Reading is fun! • Omitting the ending of words
nd for many students reading
time brings thrills, excitement
and imagination! Theirs will
be the first hands in the air
waving eagerly to be chosen by their
teacher to read, they give the correct
answers, are able to give the meaning in
context, give synonyms and antonyms
for the words. They are the same ones
who will predict the ending of the story
and share with the class a similar theme
from their lives’ experiences and from
other books they have read. They can
make inferences and summarise the
story in quick time. The teacher can
depend on these students to complete
their task; in groups, in pairs and
individually, without any support. • Letter reversals, such as d for b
A
The BEST student ever!
However, you cast your eyes several
times over your class looking for your
next reader, then fix your stare on
Maria, she looks away, and finally,
you have made eye contact. You nod
your head at her, indicating- next
paragraph. Maria freezes!
She starts to read and as a keen teacher,
you begin to take mental notes.
• Confusing small words, such as at
and to
keeping
pace
when
• Difficulty reading basic sight words
As a good teacher you would start to
think of how to support Maria. You
will pull from your experience as a
teacher, share your concerns with your
colleagues and get some ideas or do
some research.
First, have a talk with her about what
she likes to read, her experience with
reading, if she likes to read aloud, ask
her to give you a feedback on how
she read and share with her some of
your findings. Secondly, speak to her
• Pre teach words from the texts
before reading begins in class.
• Provide a notebook for her to log
new words and their meanings,
which she can use later.
• Finally, if possible, carry out a
reading assessment to identify
her reading needs and strategies/
interventions.
As a teacher, you would have created
a whole new world of words and
meaning in Maria’s life!
Debbie is an experienced international educator, who has spent almost 30 years
in education in the Caribbean, USA, UK and the Middle East. She has a passion
for students with special education needs.