Parents and teachers may be familiar with some of the more well-known consequences of dyslexia, such as having trouble learning to read or write, but there are also lesser-known effects that can impact students as they learn as well. Children with undiagnosed dyslexia may struggle with confidence if they fall behind their peers in mastering skills like reading and writing. Teachers and parents should be aware of this tendency for dyslexic children to lose confidence in themselves and work to encourage a sense of self-efficacy throughout their time in school. Read below to master some tips on how to help promote confidence in dyslexic learners.

Read Together Regularly

Although it can be challenging, practicing language skills is essential to helping dyslexic students learn to read and write effectively. Making reading a fun activity for the whole family, rather than a challenging school assignment or chore, can make a dyslexic child more willing to practice. Whether it is reading a chapter book together every night or helping your child follow along with an audiobook, regularly reading together helps make reading an enjoyable habit rather than a boring activity with a negative association. 

Recognize Their Other Strengths

Your child may not be the strongest reader in their class, but recognizing the progress they make in reading skills and acknowledging their other strengths can help promote confidence. Many dyslexic individuals have other extraordinary skills that should be consistently recognized. While a child with dyslexia may have trouble with skills like reading aloud, they may excel in science class, be an incredible player on their sports team, or have an awesome sense of imagination and creativity. Parents and teachers can acknowledge these strengths and encourage dyslexic learners to recognize and focus on their skills to build self-confidence.

Give Positive Feedback

Whether a dyslexic learner has successfully practiced a challenging reading skill or is excited about learning something new, teachers and parents can offer positive reinforcement to promote confidence. While it is helpful for authority figures to encourage dyslexic children when they do something well, it is also important for children to evaluate their own work and recognize when they are proud of their effort on an assignment. Creating a sense of self-efficacy and self-confidence that is not dependent on receiving praise from others, but rather from recognizing internal satisfaction, is an essential tool to help dyslexic learners develop a healthy level of confidence.

There are certain challenges that accompany a dyslexia diagnosis, but there are also countless reasons why dyslexic learners should be confident in themselves and proud of their accomplishments. Reading and writing may be more difficult, but individuals with dyslexia bring a unique and valuable perspective to the world around them. 

ReadSource is proud to recognize the innumerable strengths that dyslexic learners offer as we supply resources to parents and educators that work with these individuals. We strive to provide continuing education programs, outreach opportunities, and essential information to better serve members of the dyslexic community. Learn more about ReadSource and the opportunities we have available to teachers, tutors, and parents of dyslexic learners.

This blog was written with contributions from Peggy Hendrix.