What makes a classroom Dyslexia-Friendly?

They say what makes a house a home is the people you share it with. For children in
school, their home is a classroom for 8 hours of the day. It’s important that home is
warm and inviting for each student. A place to feel safe. A space where they are free to
learn, ask questions and think outside the box.

When students have a learning disability, it’s imperative their classroom provides these
features and more. When teachers know they have a student (or students) with dyslexia
(or other learning disabilities) it’s crucial they speak slowly enough for them to process
the information before moving on to the next task.

Not only do students need to hear clearly to keep up, but if they can’t read the words on
the screen, they’ll inevitably fall behind. Did you know there are specific fonts used
specifically for people with dyslexia? Font families such as Sans Serif include Arial and
Open Sans fonts that make the words legible. Check out what we mean by visiting our
website at www.dyslexiahouston.org to use our interactive tool for people with dyslexia.

Reading aloud in class or in front of a large group can be intimidating for everyone. For
students with dyslexia, reading aloud can seem impossible and cause insecurities.
Teachers and instructors need to keep this in mind when the opportunity presents itself
and take that opportunity to improve their student’s confidence instead of hindering
them.

Setting expectations is as important for students in Pre-K as it is for professionals on
their first day. Teachers can save themselves from heartache by using structures and
expectations to guide their classroom and keep them focused from distractions and
destruction.

No matter what strategy works best for the student, the teacher or the classroom, it’s
important all educators are inclusive and only accept inclusivity among their students.
The best way children learn is when they feel safe and confident to ask hard questions
that might not be hard for their peers.

Every student deserves love, care and opportunity. If you know a student with dyslexia
who is struggling in the classroom or falling behind, reach out to us at Dyslexia School
of Houston by emailing info@dyslexiahouston.org or calling (832) 767-0915.