To be able to help dyslexic students improve their reading, spelling and writing, a dyslexia tutor must understand how a dyslexic student learns. This is an important element of dyslexia education for anyone who wants to help a dyslexic student progress.
One vital fact to know about dyslexics is that they often cannot acquire language in the same way that some other students are able to. In many situations, students are not taught to read through a structured phonetic approach. Instead, they are given some basic information and then encouraged to simply start reading and make progress through practice. Some students are able to succeed through this approach, because they are able to pick up phonics and phonetic rules as they go along; even if they are not able to tell you what sounds “ow” makes when they see it in isolation, they are still able to read a word correctly that has that sound in it. In fact, they are applying phonics and phonetic rules when they read, even if they did not learn them formally.
For many children, however, this is impossible. They are not able to absorb phonics and phonetic rules simply by practicing reading; they need a structured phonetic approach. As a result, these children fall farther and farther behind as their peers continue to progress. Dyslexic children are among these students. To progress, a dyslexic student needs a structured method in which they learn the building blocks of the language piece by piece, and in turn, can apply them as they read and spell. With this methodical approach, a dyslexic child can make continual progress in reading and spelling.
Peter
