For dyslexia tutors, it is important to understand that building a dyslexic student’s confidence is vitally important to helping that child succeed. For many dyslexics, the experience of school and academics has been one of failure and discouragement. Without treatment, dyslexics often begin to lose faith in their intelligence and their ability to succeed in their studies; the school day can be filled with anxiety and the fear of failure. As a result, dyslexic students sometimes feel a lack of confidence and self-esteem when they begin tutoring.
A good dyslexia tutor is aware of this fact, and creates an environment where the child can build confidence and feel like they are succeeding. This doesn’t mean that the material needs to be watered down, but it does mean that it needs to be broken up into attainable steps. One of the first things that I tell a student during their first session is that the material that we are working on that day is not a test, and that they are not going to be judged on what they do, and do not know. This is in itself helps a dyslexic child relax and be able to focus. In addition, I build many elements into my curriculum that help a student finish every session with a feeling of success. When they start to feel successful on a regular basis, they start to feel that they can succeed in all areas of life.
Peter
