By taking the time to learn about dyslexia, we can develop a more empathetic and effective approach to helping our students overcome their challenges. It’s also important to note that dyslexia does not reflect an individual’s intelligence. Many dyslexic students have exceptional skills in other areas, such as creativity and critical thinking.
As teachers, we need to recognize and value these strengths while working on the areas where they struggle. By cultivating an inclusive learning environment, we can encourage our students to thrive despite their challenges.
Identify the specific needs of dyslexic students
To help a dyslexic student effectively, the first step is to understand exactly where the difficulties lie. Dyslexia does not manifest itself in the same way in all students: some will have difficulty recognizing sounds, others in reading fluently, and still others in understanding what they read. This is why an individualized approach is essential.
Careful observation in the classroom
Teachers are often the first to notice signs of dyslexia. Signs to look out for include:
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very slow reading, with frequent hesitations;
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reversals or confusion of letters (e.g. “b” and “d”);
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difficulty segmenting words into syllables or recognizing rhymes;
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limited comprehension of the text despite considerable reading effort;
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particularly fragile spelling, with recurrent mistakes.
Keeping an observation diary can be very useful: note the moments when the student blocks, the tasks where he or she does better, or the conditions that seem to help (less noise, more time, visual aids).
Talking with students
It is important to speak directly with the student to understand his or her feelings:
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Which tasks do you find most challenging?
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When does he feel comfortable or discouraged?
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Which media do you find most useful?
These exchanges show the student that we care about him or her, that we see him or her as an active partner in his or her own success. It also helps to boost their confidence: many dyslexic students feel misunderstood or think they “aren’t intelligent”, when in fact their difficulties have nothing to do with their intellectual potential.
Working with parents
Parents can provide valuable insight. At home, they see the child doing homework, reading aloud or trying to write. They can share :
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times when the child avoids certain tasks for fear of failure;
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spontaneous strategies (drawing, visual memorization, repeating aloud);
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interests, which can be used to motivate learning (e.g. audio books on favorite subjects).
Working with specialists
Speech therapists, educational psychologists or neuropsychologists can carry out formal assessments to clarify the diagnosis. These tests help identify which skills need to be strengthened and which are already solid. For example:
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assess phonological awareness (ability to hear and manipulate sounds) ;
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measure working memory, which plays an important role in reading ;
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check listening comprehension, which is often much better than reading comprehension.
The results of these assessments are essential for adapting teaching methods and setting realistic objectives.
Building a personalized intervention plan
Once all this information has been gathered, it is possible to create an individualized intervention plan that specifies :
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the necessary teaching arrangements (extra time, audio support, tutoring);
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priority objectives (improve fluency, work on spelling, reinforce comprehension);
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classroom tools (reading software, mind maps, simplified texts).
Such a plan enables everyone involved – teachers, parents, specialists – to work in the same direction, following the student’s progress step by step.
Don’t forget the student’s strengths
Identifying special needs is not just about spotting difficulties. It’s also about recognizing strengths: creativity, visual thinking, imagination, artistic flair… These assets can be integrated into school activities to enhance the student’s self-esteem and maintain motivation.
Adapting assessment content
Once we have identified the specific needs of dyslexic students, it becomes essential to make assessments accessible, fair and representative of their real skills. The aim is not to give them an advantage, but to enable them to demonstrate their knowledge without their reading and writing difficulties becoming an unfair obstacle.
Simplify the wording of instructions
Dyslexic students can waste a lot of time deciphering long or complex instructions. To help them:
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Use clear, direct language and short sentences.
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Avoid ambiguous wording or double negations.
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Break instructions down into numbered steps to make the task easier to understand.
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Bold or underline key words like “surrounds”, “explains”, “compares”.
Example:
Instead of writing: “After reading the text below, write a summary in two parts: the first on the historical causes, the second on the political consequences, respecting the chronology.“
We can say: “Read the text. 1. summarize the historical causes. 2. Summarize the political consequences. Put the events in order.”
Diversify assessment formats
Not all students learn in the same way. Offering a variety of ways to show understanding enables dyslexic students to emphasize their strengths:
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Oral responses: oral presentation, audio recording, dialogue with the teacher.
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Visual projects: diagrams, mind maps, posters, digital presentations.
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MCQs or gap-fill exercises: to assess comprehension without the constraint of spelling.
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Role-playing: particularly useful for history, social sciences or languages.
Example:
For a history chapter, instead of asking for an essay, propose an illustrated timeline in which the student places the events and briefly explains each stage.
Separating form and content
It’s essential to distinguish between subject-related skills (math, history, science…) and reading and writing skills. Sometimes, an assessment can be biased because the wording of the questions requires a higher level of reading than is really necessary to understand the content.
Solution:
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Read questions aloud if necessary.
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Provide an audio version of the assessment for certain exercises.
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Accept oral or dictated responses from a scribe in certain situations.
Create customized scales
When assessing written work, it may be appropriate to separate the mark into two parts:
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Content and ideas: evaluate comprehension and logic.
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Spelling and syntax: assess them separately or more flexibly depending on the context.
This means that students are not penalized excessively for spelling mistakes if they have understood the subject correctly.
Allow time for preparation
Some dyslexic students need more time to organize their ideas before writing. We can suggest :
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a mind map to plan the answer before writing,
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a visual draft with keywords rather than a complete text from the outset.
Offering students choices
Giving students the opportunity to choose the assessment format empowers them and reduces stress. For example, for the same chapter, they could :
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write a short summary,
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record a podcast,
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create a poster or concept map.
They show their understanding of the subject in a way that highlights their strengths.
Adapting the content of assessments doesn’t mean lowering the bar, but rather removing unnecessary obstacles that prevent dyslexic students from demonstrating their true skills. The more varied the assessments, the more accurately they reflect what the student knows and can do.
Use appropriate tools and media
For dyslexic students, access to learning can be greatly facilitated by adapted digital and visual tools. Here’s a complete list, combining software, applications and practical aids to meet different needs:
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Read-aloud software: NaturalReader, Voice Dream Reader or the built-in options in Word and Google Docs transform text into audio, so that students can listen rather than read word by word.
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Interactive educational applications:
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COCO PENSE: offers over 30 educational games to work on memory, logic and reading comprehension in a fun way, ideal for keeping dyslexic students engaged.
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COCO BOUGE: includes a sports break every 15 minutes of screen time, to help students stay focused while reducing cognitive fatigue.
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Spellcheckers and predictive keyboards: tools such as Grammarly, Antidote or predictive typing functions on tablets enable students to focus on content rather than spelling.
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Mind maps and graphic organizers: MindMeister, XMind or handmade maps to structure ideas, prepare a presentation or summarize a chapter.
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Visual aids: diagrams, posters, pictograms and timelines to represent concepts in a simple, memorable way.
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Audio books and educational podcasts: useful for students who learn best orally or who tire quickly when reading.
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Collaborative platforms: Padlet, Canva or Google Slides to create interactive projects combining text, images and sound.
The integration of these varied tools, including COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES, provides dyslexic students with an inclusive, multi-sensory learning environment, where everyone can progress at their own pace and build on their strengths.
Allow more time to complete the assessment
Giving dyslexic students more time to complete their assessments is an essential measure to ensure they have a fair chance of success. Dyslexia can slow down the reading and writing process, which means these students may need more time to process information and formulate answers. As educators, we need to be flexible and understanding of these needs.
By offering extra time, we enable our students to focus on the quality of their work rather than the pressure of time. This can also reduce their assessment anxiety, which can have a positive impact on their overall performance. Ultimately, our aim is to encourage authentic and meaningful learning, and allowing more time is a crucial step in this direction.
Provide clear, concise instructions
To help our dyslexic students succeed, it’s imperative that we provide clear, concise instructions. Dyslexic students can find it difficult to follow complex or lengthy instructions, which can lead to confusion and frustration. By simplifying our instructions and presenting them step by step, we can make it easier for them to understand and focus on the task in hand.
It can also be useful to use visual aids to accompany our verbal instructions. For example, checklists or diagrams can help our students visualize the process they need to follow. By combining verbalization and visualization, we increase the chances that our students will fully understand what is expected of them.
Encourage open communication and clarification of questions
We need to encourage open communication between us and our dyslexic students so that they feel comfortable asking questions or seeking clarification when necessary. Creating an environment where students feel safe to express their concerns is essential to their academic success. We should regularly remind them that there are no stupid questions and that asking for help is a sign of strength.
In addition, it’s important that we pay attention to our students’ non-verbal cues. Sometimes they may not dare to ask a question directly, but may show signs of confusion or anxiety. By being attentive to these signals, we can proactively intervene to offer help and clarify any ambiguity in instructions or content.
Show patience and understanding
Finally, patience and understanding are crucial when working with dyslexic students. These students can face challenges that may seem frustrating to them and to us. As educators, it’s essential that we remain calm and encouraging in the face of their difficulties.
Our positive attitude can have a significant impact on their motivation and self-confidence. We also need to recognize that the road to success can be long and full of obstacles for our dyslexic students. Every little bit of progress is worth celebrating, as it helps to boost their confidence in their abilities.
By cultivating a caring atmosphere where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than failures, we can help our students develop a resilience that will serve them throughout their educational journey and beyond.
