Support participation and confidence
Provide accommodations that allow students to have equal access. Make accommodations available for all students.
On this page:
On this page:
Current page section: Support participation and confidence
Go to top of current page: Support participation and confidence
Go to top of current page: Support participation and confidence
Go to top of current page: Support participation and confidence
Create a dyslexia-friendly classroom
Create a dyslexia-friendly classroom
Understand the needs of your learners. Remove barriers so they can engage and be successful.
Use this checklist to identify how you can make your classroom more dyslexia friendly.
Foster trust and confidence
Foster trust and confidence
Build practical supports into the culture of your classroom.
- Use the students’ cultures, interests, and strengths to create opportunities for them to take the lead.
- Foster tuakana–teina relationships and create a class culture where students support each other.
- Give ongoing prompts and positive feedback. Provide the student with strategies to help them when they get stuck.
- Recognise and eliminate situations that students may find difficult or embarrassing, such as reading aloud to the class.
- Recognise avoidance strategies and provide practical support and encouragement.
- Act quickly on any concerns about a student’s wellbeing.
- Give feedback on students’ success to their parents and whānau.
Fonts for easy reading
Fonts for easy reading
Children learning to read benefit from larger text sizes.
When creating resources and worksheets, keep plenty of blank space on the page.
Easy-to-read fonts are sans serif, mono-spaced, and roman font types, including:
- Helvetica
- Courier
- Arial
- Verdana
- Computer Modern.
Italic fonts are more difficult to read.
Provide time
Provide time
Allowing additional time to complete school work and take tests can have a huge impact on a dyslexic student’s ability to succeed.
Teachers share tips to support success.
Reduce quantity of work
Reduce quantity of work
Consider reducing the quantity of work rather than the complexity of the learning for students with dyslexia.
Ask students what will help.
Useful resources
Useful resources
Technology tools for learning
Strategies and approaches for using technologies to provide inclusive and personalised learning pathways.
Dyslexia in the classroom: What every teacher needs to know
Read time: 28 min
A toolkit to provide classroom teachers with information about dyslexia, classroom strategies, tips and tools.
Publisher: International Dyslexia Association
Download PDF
Carla McNeil | Highlights from the Working Memory Conference 2016
Carla shares some insights about working memory and considerations when developing IEPs.
Publisher: TEST
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Helpful classroom strategies in years 1-8”:
-
Current page Support participation and confidence
Return to the guide “Dyslexia and learning”
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Dyslexia and learning
Understand:
- Understanding dyslexia
-
Understanding dyslexia and literacy acquisitionShow suggestions for Understanding dyslexia and literacy acquisition
Strategies for action:
-
Develop a schoolwide approachShow suggestions for Develop a schoolwide approach
-
Identify student needs and how to provide supportShow suggestions for Identify student needs and how to provide support
-
Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approachShow suggestions for Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approach
-
Helpful classroom strategies in years 1–8Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies in years 1–8
-
Helpful classroom strategies in years 9–13Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies in years 9–13
-
Supporting literacy and numeracy in NCEAShow suggestions for Supporting literacy and numeracy in NCEA