How Parents Can Contribute To Dyslexia Reading Programs

Parenting life can get so busy. There’s sports, school, meals, rides, and so much to schedule and manage. However, from babyhood through young adulthood, it is essential for parents to make room in their lives to support their children on their learning journey. When students reach school age, it is key to remain a supportive figure and to be plugged in to the kind of learner your child is. There are so many benefits to parental involvement in a child’s academics, which can impact both the student and the parent. There are strong links between parental involvement, higher grades, and graduation rates. Parental involvement can also help with the social and emotional development of students. Teaching them things like time management, organization, and communication can be so valuable for a student’s success. Showing interest in a child’s education sends a message to children that their learning matters. 

When your student is living with a specific learning disability like dyslexia, parental support becomes even more crucial to student success. However, sometimes simply being involved parents isn’t enough to help your child with dyslexia to navigate the academic world. Finding the best help for your child with dyslexia —like a dyslexia therapy or a dyslexia reading program—is a huge part of putting them on the path to success. Once you’ve done this, it’s wise to stay involved throughout the learning process; this can help to improve your understanding of your child’s strengths, needs, and learning style. It can also help to strengthen your parent-child bond as you connect over their education. Read on to learn more about how parents can contribute to dyslexia reading programs. 

Be a champion for your child. So often, it’s tempting as a parent to nag, interrogate, or criticize when it comes to a child’s academic life. However, if your student with dyslexia is starting a dyslexia reading program, it is key to show your unwavering support as a parent. Celebrate your student’s progress—no matter how big or small. Positive reinforcement from parents can help to keep a student motivated throughout the course of a dyslexia program.

Practice can help with progress. As a parent with a student in a dyslexia reading program, you can help them by creating some dedicated, concentrated periods of time for students to practice skills at home. Work with your dyslexia therapist to discover which materials or exercises would be most effective to use during these at-home practice sessions.

Create a positive reading environment. Dedicating time to practicing reading skills at home is helpful, it is important to also dedicate a space to learning. Aim to create a place in your home that can be free from distractions like screens, excessive noise, etc. Be sure to have appropriate lighting and seating for your student as well.

Break it down. Asking a student—of any ability—to sit for hours with a text can be daunting. For students with dyslexia, it is especially essential to break longer reading assignments into smaller, more manageable parts. 

Discover the magic of multisensory learning. A major part of dyslexia therapy programs is the incorporation of different senses into reading practice. For the younger students, tracing letters with their fingers is an example of kinesthetic learning. Using modeling clay to build letters focuses on tactile senses. Using visual and auditory tools and methods can be so effective for students with dyslexia too, and you can work with your dyslexia therapist to find out which methods are good for you to practice at home. 

Follow along with the text at home. You can instill a love for reading and support your dyslexic student with audio books. Listening along to audiobooks while also reading the text can help to reinforce pronunciation and comprehension for students. 

Keep the lines of communication open. When you’re working with a dyslexia therapist, you can discuss your student’s progress, challenges, and any of the at-home strategies you’re using with your student. This helps you as a parent to support your student as he or she develops in reading skills.

Have you found the right dyslexia help for your student? There are so many different choices to choose from for dyslexia help; it can be truly overwhelming for parents. Discerning your child’s need for help often comes down to choosing between dyslexia therapy or dyslexia tutoring. Overall, dyslexia therapy offers the most holistic approach and provides long-lasting solutions for students with dyslexia. 

Discover Dyslexia on Demand. The dyslexia therapy programs at Dyslexia on Demand dive into your child’s cognitive learning process. Sessions with Dyslexia on Demand are online, convenient, and consistent. Students get to experience individualized, one-on-one meetings with the same therapist over time. Our dyslexia therapists are Certified Academic Language Specialists; they implement effective language interventions and a therapeutic level curriculum for students with dyslexia. 

Reach out to the experts at Dyslexia on Demand. We know that parental involvement in a student’s academic life can be so beneficial. Let us help you with language intervention, improved skills, and boosted confidence for your student. Contact us online, or learn more about our dyslexia reading programs at our website.