Decoding Dyslexia: Reading in the Real World
T h i s is wh at dy sl exic r e a ders s e e .
This is a 3 part blog series exploring the dyslexic experience. Here, I talk about overcoming dyslexia as a reader. I also talk about my personal history as a reader and mother of a dyslexic child, as well as writing to a dyslexic audience.
Reading with dyslexia can be down right defeating.
I have friends who slipped through the cracks of education, only to learn later that they have dyslexia. They dread reading and do almost anything to avoid it. Reading, for them, is a constant reminder of how they can’t measure up to the most basic educational standard.
Without early intervention, dyslexic readers can struggle for the rest of their lives. Not just in reading, but in every academic endeavor. It erodes self confidence and limits potential.
I have a friend who is a textbook case for bad homeschooling. He is dyslexic and could barely read at a second grade level upon entering public high school. He’s convinced he can never rise above a manual labor job. The most tragic part of this situation is that he’s absolutely brilliant. He could achieve anything he wanted if he believed in his potential and got a little help.
Reading is such a basic building block of our society. Kids who struggle in reading and don’t get help often struggle with self confidence. This deficiency becomes a tragic part of their identity.
When I entered third grade, my parents had me assessed for special needs in education. At that time, a big gap existed between the normal kids and the “special needs” kids. I didn’t qualify as special needs, so I was denied the extra help that would have undoubtedly curbed my reading problem. My parents went ahead an got me the reading glasses that did nothing to help.
In my case, I was blessed with a barrage of elementary school teachers who weren’t content to let me flounder. They went out of their way to help me. Over the years, educators have gone out of their way to accommodate kids in the gap, those not quite special needs and not quite “normal.” My son is one of those kids, and I’m glad he’s growing up in a time where the education system isn’t content to let him flounder.
Here are some things I learned along the way that can be applied to any dyslexic reader at any age:
Make reading a regular habit
My husband has a lot of sayings. One goes, “Practice makes permanent, and only the power of correct practice will prevail.”
The only way to get better at reading is to commit to the practice of reading. But for the dyslexic reading, the thought of reading regularly can seem overwhelming.
Imagine you want to learn to swim. Practicing regularly is a good way to do that. But diving into the deep end from the get-go is a bad idea. You start in the shallow end and get a teacher to show you the way. But first, you have to commit to regular practice. Reading is just the same.
Educators generally recommend for kids to read 20 minutes a day. It seems like a good starting point for adults, too. The following are some strategies that will help you from feeling like you’re diving into the deep end.
Read along with an audiobook
Audiobooks are the best thing to happen to literature, in my opinion. Not only can I get a lot of reading done on my commute, but it helps immensely when I want to read a physical book. Reading along with audio is one of the best ways to improve reading comprehension. Most audiobook tools let you control the speed, so you can slow things down if you’re having trouble keeping up.
Use an eye lighter
An eye lighter is a tool that helps you focus on a few lines of a page without getting distracted by the rest of the content. They look like a see-through ruler and are recommended by many dyslexia specialists. You can get them here.
Visualize text as you read
Visualization is a method used in many therapeutic disciplines and has been proven to improve reading comprehension for people with dyslexia. It involves using your imagination to visualize what you’re reading. It’s especially powerful when reading stories.
Re-read stories
Re-reading is a great way to improve word memorization and can speed up your ability to decode more complex words. I recommend finding a story you really love. This can make re-reading more enjoyable.
Minimize distractions
Dyslexic readers are easily distractible. It’s just a fact. Pick a time and place where you can be uninterrupted and feel you can fully commit yourself to reading. I do most of my reading after the kids are in bed. My son does his reading during his very busy little sister’s nap time.
Use specialty tools for dyslexia
We live in an incredible age for finding help with dyslexia. Some tools I’ve found helpful are Toobaloo and Speechify.
Toobaloo is a simple tool that gives auditory feedback. It is proven to help with fluency and pronunciation. It’s a funny little tool that reminds me of baby play phones.
Speechify is a text-to-speech software available for computers and mobile devices. As I mentioned earlier, listening while reading is hugely beneficial for the dyslexic reader. Many text-to-speech applications exist, but I find many of them to be too robotic-sounding to stomach. Speechify sounds like a real person reading out loud.
No matter what age you are or how much you struggle with dyslexia, reading is a worthy endeavor. I encourage you to pick content you’re excited about. No one likes reading a boring book, even the best readers in the world.
I hope you have found this blog series helpful. If you have questions or ideas about reading and writing that you want me to explore, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or send me a note on my contact form.