Spelling difficulties can be enduring in individuals with reading disabilities, sometimes even after reading has been successfully remediated. Addressing spelling difficulties is important, because poor spelling can hamper writing and can convey a negative impression even when the content of the writing is excellent.
Recent research has provided a clearer picture about reading difficulties and how to prevent them. This position paper of the International Dyslexia Association argues for reform in teacher preparation to reflect these research-based understandings.
Don’t know a morpheme from a phoneme? Find out what these and other words mean in this glossary of commonly used terms related to reading, literacy, and reading instruction.
Accommodations remove learning barriers in the classroom to provide every child with equal access to learning. An example is offering an audio version of classroom text for a student with dyslexia or visual supports for children with ASD. Modifications are changes to what a child is taught and expected to do in class. For example, a student who struggles with spelling may be tested on a different set of words than his peers.
Back-to-school time can be an exciting and challenging transition from the summer months. We’ve got some helpful tips, articles, and other resources for families and teachers — plus some recommended picture books to ease back-to-school jitters.
For some kids, reading isn’t easy. They might have dyslexia, a learning disability, or just learn differently. Because it helps to know you’re not alone, we’ve gathered together a list of recommended children’s books for kids that feature characters of different strengths and abilities who’ve found they don’t read like everyone else.
Bookshare, the world’s largest accessible digital library for people with print and learning disabilities (such as dyslexia), provides free membership to qualified U.S. schools and students, thanks to an award from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education. Get access to more than 43,000 digital books, textbooks and teacher-recommended readings to help your child succeed and enjoy reading independently.
Jill Lauren’s That’s Like Me! is a book about 15 students with disabilities who face challenges in school but express their creativity and talents through hobbies. In the foreword, excerpted here, children’s book illustrator Jerry Pinkney describes growing up with two personas: Jerry the gifted artist and Jerry the struggling reader.
Dav Pilkey is the best-selling author and illustrator of the wildly popular Captain Underpants and Dog Man graphic novel series, as well as many picture books, including Dog Breath and The Hallo-Wiener. He won a Caldecott Honor for his picture book The Paperboy. Pilkey has spoken out publicly about his own struggles growing up with ADHD and dyslexia, and how drawing, telling stories, and creating original comic books channeled his creativity and gave him confidence.
Dictation is an assistive technology (AT) tool that can help kids who struggle with writing. Kids can use dictation to write with their voices, instead of writing by hand or with a keyboard — helpful for kids with dysgraphia, dyslexia and other learning and attention issues that impact writing.
Discover what kinds of books are especially popular with children who struggle with reading. The recommended books are based on a Reading Rockets survey of parents and educators of children with learning and attention issues, including dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt, educators who find themselves working with students either within or outside of school walls or both have an increased need for digital content and access to books. Many organizations and publishers who already make it their mission to support readers are doing even more to assist educators, caregivers, and families in light of the pandemic.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the key federal education law that serves students with learning disabilities. Being informed will help you support your child’s learning needs and advocate for his or her success. This guide takes you through the special education process — a process that is the same regardless of your child’s particular difficulties or disabilities. Special emphasis is placed on the category of Specific Learning Disability (which includes dyslexia) — one of the 13 disability categories defined by IDEA. Throughout this guide you will find personal stories that relate the experiences of parents like you, terms to know, and practical tools such as checklists, sample letters, and questions to ask.
The knowledge and skills base required for teaching reading well is extensive. This outline of a proposed curriculum for teacher education programs in reading covers knowledge of reading development, language structure, and strategies for instruction and assessment.
Founded in 1948 as Recording for the Blind, Learning Ally serves more than 300,000 K-12, college and graduate students, veterans and lifelong learners — all of whom cannot read standard print due to blindness, visual impairment, dyslexia, or other learning disabilities. Learning Ally’s collection of more than 65,000 digitally recorded textbooks and literature titles — downloadable and accessible on mainstream as well as specialized assistive technology devices — is the largest of its kind in the world.
Browse our selected list of books about intervention and effective literacy instruction for children with learning differences, including dyslexia and executive function challenges.
The National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL) is a partnership among literacy experts, university researchers, and technical assistance providers, with funding from the United States Department of Education. The center’s mission is to increase access to, and use of, evidence-based approaches to screen, identify, and teach students with literacy-related disabilities, including dyslexia.
Dyslexia, autism, developmental language disorder, executive function challenges, and ADHD are all expressions of our human neurodiversity. This section addresses common learning differences, what it means for learning to read, and how teachers can support students in their classrooms.
