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Spot and Support Dyslexia

See past the spelling mistakes to the memory difficulties behind dyslexia, and give pupils ways to hold on to what they're taught.

  • 17 minutes
  • 6 modules
  • 0.5 CPD hours
  • Certificate

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What you'll learn

  • Explain dyslexia as a difficulty with working memory, not just literacy
  • Spot early signs, including in children who read well but can't spell
  • Use digit recall forwards and backwards as a quick informal check
  • Cut down on what pupils have to hold in their heads during lessons
  • Check for visual stress and try coloured overlays

About this course

The usual response to a pupil who struggles with reading and spelling is more of the same: a lower spelling list, extra reading practice. For a pupil with dyslexia that rarely helps, because the difficulty is often with working memory, not effort.

You can often notice it early, sometimes long before a child is writing, and there are two quick checks to try in class: saying back a string of digits forwards and then backwards. You'll then learn everyday ways to lighten the load on memory, like short bullet-point instructions on a whiteboard on the desk, pre-teaching new words and plenty of picture clues. It also covers coloured overlays for visual stress and readers in tests.

Just as important is what it means for a pupil to find out why they've been struggling. Once they know there's a reason, many start to see themselves differently.

  • For early career teachers, middle leaders and 5 other roles. All phases.

6 modules

Open in order

  1. Introduction

    2 min

  2. Wrap up

    2 min

  3. What is it?

    1 question

    4 min

  4. How do you spot it?

    1 question

    3 min

  5. What can you do?

    1 question

    5 min

  6. What things should be in place?

    1 question

    4 min