How To Motivate A Child With Dyslexia To Read

Dyslexia is a learning disability that impacts reading and other language skills, such as spelling, pronunciation, and writing. With the challenges children with Dyslexia can face, many parents wonder how to motivate a dyslexic child to read.

Thankfully, there are ways to promote motivation, reading skills, and positive associations with reading in kids with Dyslexia. Reducing stress and frustration, alongside other strategies, can go a long way. 

In this article, we'll discuss how Dyslexia affects reading motivation, ways to motivate dyslexic children to read, and how Joon can help.

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Dyslexia And Reading

Dyslexia is a life-long condition that affects a person's ability to process written language. Since Dyslexia does not affect intelligence, it can go undetected for a while at times. Recognizing the condition can help children get the support they need to succeed both in and outside of the classroom. Kids with Dyslexia may face a range of different symptoms. Signs and symptoms of Dyslexia may include but aren't limited to:

• Challenges with reading comprehension (one may struggle to explain what happened in a story or piece of text)
• Making the same mistakes frequently when reading, writing, or spelling words
• Taking extensive time to complete tasks that require one to read or write
• Confusing letters that look similar to one another (such as b, p, and d)
• Confusing or changing words when reading aloud
• Difficulty sounding out new words
• Pronouncing words incorrectly
• Poor spelling

Said to affect up to 20% of the population, Dyslexia is considered the most common learning disability. Many children with Dyslexia feel embarrassed or frustrated when they read due to the difficulties they face. Since many children with Dyslexia are already behind when it comes to their reading level, this can worry parents and teachers attempting to increase student motivation in dyslexic children. With that said, being successful both in and outside of class is possible for people with Dyslexia, and many are.

One of the best ways to help kids with reading difficulties like Dyslexia to read is to reduce the stress that can come with reading for those with the disorder. So, what can you do as a parent?

Motivating A Child With Dyslexia To Read

First, remember that you and your child aren't alone in this. In addition to Dyslexia being one of the most prevalent learning disabilities, research shows that learning disabilities are even more common in those with ADHD. Parents, teachers, and other individuals in a child's life can offer strategies to help motivate children with Dyslexia to read - and even grow to enjoy it. Use these tips to motivate your child with Dyslexia and increase their language skills.

Try Joon To Help

Joon is an excellent way to help your child focus, stick to routines, and finish tasks - including those related to reading. Designed for children ages 6-12+ with ADHD and related disorders, Joon is a to-do app that doubles as a game. Here's how it works:

To start, parents sign up with the Joon Parent App and make a customized to-do list for their children. You can add an unlimited number of tasks, such as homework, reading time, chores, or any other part of a child's routine. Kids use a separate app called Joon Pet Game, which you can install on your child's own device or a shared device. When kids finish items on their to-do lists, they get rewards that allow them to move forward in the game and take care of a virtual pet. The game can be used as a form of habit tracking for kids and parents.

Many users say that Joon has improved their parent-child relationship, and 90% of kids who use Joon complete all the tasks their parents assign. Joon is rated an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars in the App Store, with more than 4k reviews.

Click here to claim your free trial.

Use accommodations

In school, dyslexic students are often able to get various accommodations. Accommodations for dyslexic students can include but aren't at all limited to audio books, changes to fonts and prints (e.g., a larger font size or open dyslexic font), extra time to read, using technology for note taking, allowing oral answers, and more breaks.

These are just ideas; think about what would help your child the most and try different things until you find what works for them. If students don't yet have school accommodations for their Dyslexia yet, this is something parents can look into and discuss with a child's school or school district.

Provide a positive learning environment 

A positive learning environment will be compassionate, low-stress, and supportive. Parents can strive to show patience and make learning fun for a child with Dyslexia. Often, those teaching kids reading skills benefit from using fun games such as magnets that let kids spell words or educational computer games. If you want to keep computer screens to a minimum, there are board games and flash cards that can be helpful.

Consider the role of learning styles, too. Everyone has a different learning style. Some people are visual learners, whereas others benefit most from hands-on learning (bodily/kinetic) or verbal instructions. Teach your child based on their learning style and consider it when you practice skills your child will use later at school.

Give a purpose to reading

There are a ton of opportunities to practice reading and writing skills in real life. Organic learning opportunities give you a chance to help your child practice their skills with purpose. Reading recipes while one cooks, reading instructions for games and activities, or asking a child to write down items on a grocery list are all common examples. Since this won't be seen as a "lesson," it can help you enhance motivation and teach a child important skills without added pressure.

Offer unlimited reading time

When discussing school accommodations, we touched briefly on extra time to read as a potential accommodation for students with Dyslexia. When your child reads at home, don't rush them or put a time limit on it. Let kids move through reading materials at a comfortable pace, and provide abundant time when your child is reading. This can help improve reading comprehension and reduce stress levels.

Discover their strengths

Discovering strengths and creating positive associations with learning can help dyslexic students who often struggle to enjoy academics due to reading difficulties. Art clubs, sports, music, dance, theater, robotics clubs, debate teams, and cooking classes are all examples of areas where kids might discover their strengths. Finding activities your child enjoys and thrives in can aid self-esteem, among other positive effects, which can be critical for kids with Dyslexia who may be at a higher risk of mental health concerns and misunderstandings with peers.

Celebrate success

When a dyslexic child or student makes progress, celebrate it. Celebrating a child's success doesn't have to cost a lot of money - or any at all. For example, verbal praise is a helpful source of motivation for many children and can go a long way for struggling readers. Some parents also find that a reward system can be beneficial if navigated carefully and without putting pressure on their child.

Set realistic goals for reading skills

On the note of not putting too much pressure on kids with Dyslexia, setting goals that are truly realistic while children learn to read is crucial. An example of a goal for a child who is old enough could be getting through one children's chapter book per week and talking about it together. There are far more ideas to choose from; just make sure that goals are measurable and reasonable.

Stay in touch with your child's teacher(s)

Parent-teacher communication can be imperative for students who struggle with reading, writing, and other class subjects. You can tell your child's teacher (or teachers) what you notice at home with their reading and writing skills, and your child's teacher can tell you what they see in the classroom. Together, you can collaborate on finding the best ways to support your child as they learn to read or increase their reading, writing, and spelling skills.

Be a role model

Parents are their kids' first role models, and they're usually the most influential. Adults can set an example for their kids by reading at home and expressing their joy in doing so. Read in front of your kids and talk about the books you enjoy. If they're young, read aloud together regularly - for example, each night before bed.

Share your personal experience

Just as you can set an example for a child by modeling your enjoyment in reading, it can be beneficial to share your own difficulties with a child who has Dyslexia - especially when they feel distressed, hopeless, or like they just can't overcome the hurdles they face. Think of something in your own life that was hard for you to overcome or learn. It doesn't have to relate to reading or the written word; it can be anything. 

Maybe, you had a hard time in math and had to retake a class, or perhaps, you failed your driving test three times before you got your license. Show kids that it's okay to have trouble learning something and that, with practice, things can improve.