How you can help your child who is dyslexic

If your child has dyslexia they find reading, writing, and often spelling and maths significantly more difficult than other children their age.

Dyslexia is a learning difference, a combination of strengths and weaknesses which affects the learning process in reading, spelling, writing and sometimes numeracy. 

Children with dyslexia do not make expected progress in spite of good teaching and the type of extra support that would be helpful for most children.

The difficulties experienced by someone with dyslexia can be reduced with effective individualised teaching and specialist support.

If your child is dyslexic, or you think they might be, your child's teacher or kaiako is your first point of contact.

Your child's teacher and the special education needs co-ordinator (SENCO) (if your school or kura has one) has experience supporting children with dyslexia, and providing individualised learning for your child.

Your child's teacher or kaiako should be adapting their teaching to be effective for all children, and talking with you and devising strategies to support your child.

There are also many things you can do to help a child who has dyslexia.

Check out the section on how to support a child with dyslexia.

Last reviewed: 9 January 2020Has this been useful? Tell us what you think.