Learning Difficulties
Dyslexia
Reduce the reading and writing load so pupils can show what they know, and build literacy skills through multisensory, well-paced practice.
Whole-class strategies
- Use a clear, sans-serif font (e.g. Arial, Comic Sans, Century Gothic) at a larger size, with cream or pastel backgrounds rather than bright white.
- Read instructions and text aloud while pupils follow along, and never ask a struggling reader to read aloud unprepared.
- Break tasks into short, numbered steps and display them on the board so pupils are not relying on memory.
- Pre-teach key vocabulary with pictures and give a printed word bank for writing tasks.
- Allow extra processing time after asking a question before taking answers.
Small-group strategies
- Use multisensory phonics: pupils see the letter, say the sound, and trace or build it with magnetic letters or sand.
- Practise little and often with short, focused sessions rather than one long block.
- Pair pupils for paired reading, with the stronger reader modelling first.
- Use coloured overlays or reading rulers to help pupils track lines of text.
Reducing the writing load
- Offer alternatives to writing: mind maps, labelled diagrams, verbal answers, or voice-to-text.
- Provide sentence starters, writing frames and cloze (fill-in-the-blank) activities.
- Mark for content and ideas separately from spelling, and never cover work in red pen.
- Let pupils use a personal spelling list of high-frequency words they find tricky.
Do
- Focus praise on effort and strategy use, not just accuracy.
- Give instructions one at a time and check understanding.
- Provide printed notes so pupils are not copying from the board.
Avoid
- Don't ask pupils to read aloud without warning or preparation.
- Don't penalise spelling in subjects where content is the focus.
- Don't equate reading difficulty with low ability.