Reading
Reading letter sounds
Words read letter by letter. The learner with dyslexia doesn't process these letters and their sounds quickly or efficiently.
- The reading pathway in the brain may have holes or gaps.
- When reading letters, students are connecting the letter to a sound. This process is known as the alphabetic principle.
- Multisensory instruction benefits all learners and is crucial for the learner with dyslexia. Daily drills that allow the learner to see the letter and give the sound while engaging in a kinesthetic or tactile activity heighten the learning process of the student with dyslexia.
Reflection
- How might the reading process be more complicated than you thought?
- How could you make one of your lessons more multi-sensory?
- What would make a word a good “keyword” when teaching letters?
Other resources
- Florida Center for Reading Research- Student Activities
- Sounds and Letters from Reading Rockets
- Made By Dyslexia: Dyslexia Awareness - Literacy
- Orton Gillingham Academy Approach Principles
Reading syllables
Syllables provide the building blocks for words because they rely on patterns, which determine the vowel sound.
- A syllable is a word or part of a word with one vowel sound.
- There are six syllable types in English. A specific pattern that reveals the vowel sound defines each syllable type.
- Tools like Microsoft's Learning Tools support the needs of learners with dyslexia by providing customizable support for each learner. These tools include breaking words into syllables with Immersive Reader.
Reflection
- Why is it important to break down words into manageable pieces like sounds and syllables?
- What are the different ways you can have children identify the number of syllables in a word?
- How can your reading instruction include work with the six syllable types?
Other resources
- Effective Reading Instruction for Students with Dyslexia - International Dyslexia Association
- Six Syllable Types from Reading Rockets
- Made By Dyslexia: Dyslexia Awareness - Literacy
- What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?
Fluency
Reading fluency is the ability to effectively and efficiently read through a text and access its meaning at the same time.
- Decoding is only a part of reading fluency. A learner with dyslexia can lose or miss meaning because so much energy is given to reading each individual word.
- Fluency can be built by adding structure, practice, and strategies around initial readings. Repeated readings and readings for the purpose of an inner narrative can also help build reading fluency.
- Technology tools such as Microsoft’s Immersive Reader also help model fluency.
Reflection
- How does slow or inaccurate decoding impact reading fluency?
- Why is fluency more than speed?
- What impact do expression, punctuation, and purpose have on the way one comprehends a text?
Other resources
- Engaging Small-Group Literacy Instruction from RAVE-O
- Florida Center for Reading Research - Student Center Activities
- Microsoft Learning Tools
Comprehension
A skilled reader can fluently recognize words and comprehend their meaning. Understanding the big picture is a dyslexic strength, but a learner with dyslexia may struggle with the isolated skills required to access comprehension.
- It's important to model the skills and processes that result in strong reading comprehension. Examples are making mental images text, visualizing characters, connecting ideas, and modifying those pictures and relationships as new information is encountered.
- Learners with dyslexia need to be taught how to become thinkers. Students using strategies such as thinking through, predicting, and questioning the links they're forming between the text and the world around them.
Reflection
- How can a teacher model strong comprehension while reading aloud?
- Name examples of dyslexic strengths a teacher can tap into when working on building comprehension skills.
- What role does background knowledge play in reading comprehension?
Other resources