Many dyslexia tutors know how important it is for parents to encourage the interests of their dyslexic children. In my own experience as a dyslexia tutor, I have learned how important this is for a child’s development. In the last post, I discussed the ways that this can help with a dyslexic child’s confidence and self esteem. Today, I would like to discuss some ways in which you can help a child with dyslexia discover those interests.
Children are naturally curious about the world and like to learn about it. Everyone has probably experienced the enormous amount of questions that young children will ask adults as they learn things, and try to make sense of the world around them. With a good educational environment, a child can use this curiosity to enrich themselves intellectually and develop as a person. One of the primary ways this can be done is through reading. For a child with dyslexia, this curiosity is often stifled by reading, spelling, and comprehension difficulties. A dyslexic child may start with the same thirst for knowledge as other children, but gradually lose this because they are unable to explore their many interests through books and media the way that other children do. However, even when this curiosity has been stifled, it can still be renewed.
There are many ways that you can help your dyslexic child explore interests. Try looking in the newspaper each week and seeing what interesting events are going on. Is there a story time at a local library? Is there a play or musical going on somewhere? Maybe you could go see a musical group or dance group perform. Is your child interested in other countries? Try to have them meet somebody from a country they are interested in, or get videos from the library about that country to watch. Try reading a variety of books to your child. Children love to be read to, and beyond the obvious benefits this gives to literacy skills, it also helps them develop interests. Does your child like painting or drawing? Have them take some sort of art class.
Dyslexia tutoring will also help your child develop their interests. Here at Dyslexia Connect, our tutors try to incorporate material that the child is interested in, and introduce them to things that may develop into interests. In addition, when a dyslexic child starts to make progress in reading, the curiosity they once had is often reignited, and they will seek out books to read on a regular basis. There are many great ways to help a dyslexic child discover interests, and in the process, you will be helping them develop as a person.
Peter
