Supporting Students with Dyslexia

In the past few years, dyslexia has been brought to the forefront of the educational community, and there has been an explosion of states requiring dyslexia screeners. As of the end of 2023, more than 40 states had legislation requiring screening. With researchers estimating that dyslexia affects one in five learners and the knowledge that the most effective intervention happens by 2nd grade, education systems are looking for ways to help identify students early and to provide the support and intervention those learners need to thrive. 

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a common learning disability caused by differences in parts of the brain that process language. Dr. Sally Shaywitz of Yale University postulates that dyslexia is “an unexpected difficulty in reading in an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader.” Dyslexia affects about 20 percent of the school age population, and there is a strong connection to other learning difficulties, including dysgraphia (difficulty with writing skills), dyscalculia (difficulty with math skills and numbers), and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), increasing the need for early identification. Students with dyslexia struggle with decoding, spelling, and fluent reading. Some early signs of dyslexia include difficulty recognizing rhyming patterns, reading errors that have no connection to the sounds of the letters on the page, trouble sounding out simple words, and inability to associate letters to sounds.

What can teachers do to support students with dyslexia in the classroom?

With the increased usage of universal and dyslexia screeners, more students than ever will be identified as having dyslexia. The science of reading can help these students become successful readers because it is vital that they receive excellent and explicit phonological awareness and phonics instruction. Here are some strategies that teachers can use to support the needs of students with dyslexia:

• hands-on multisensory approaches that involve several senses
• structured practice with immediate feedback
• extra time to complete assignments
• assistance with note-taking
• alternative assessments that focus on student strengths
• assistive technology such as text-to-speech and audiobooks

In addition to these instructional strategies, it is important that teachers focus on what students with dyslexia do well, including in sports and artistic endeavors, helping students define themselves as more than their learning challenges. It is incredibly frustrating for students to struggle with the most basic reading and writing skills while peers are doing well. This sense of failure can lead to anxiety, anger, and depression. Teachers can help by rewarding effort, not just outcomes, and help support students in setting achievable goals. 

How does Exact Path help?

Exact Path is a trusted partner that helps all students, including those with dyslexia. This reliable, National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII)–rated screener is approved in multiple states as an early literacy and interim solution for identifying reading deficiencies and dyslexia risk factors. With Exact Path, teachers can universally screen for elevated reading and dyslexia risk factors in grades K–3 by administering Exact Path's fluency tasks in combination with the Exact Path reading diagnostic. Exact Path’s progress-monitoring feature allows teachers to monitor, communicate, and target the fundamental literacy needs of students over time to accelerate their journey to reading proficiency. Students are given high-quality, standards-aligned, research-based instruction rooted in the science of reading on their learning paths that is adaptive to their unique needs. Teachers also have access to lesson ideas that support student learning and provide resources to modify the lesson to meet the needs of all students, including multilingual learners (MLs) and advanced learners. Teachers can also assign lessons and practice sessions that support classroom instruction.