5 Things we learned about kids with dyslexia on the first day of the new school year…

It’s a time for crunchy leaves, pumpkin-spiced everything, and a whole new set of classroom highs and challenges. But that first day back in school might have been a little more taxing for your dyslexic learners, or those with other neurodivergent needs. ? ?

Here are five things we learned as we headed back through the school gates this year! ? ? ?

Last year’s results may not feel so far away to these learners…

The new school year is a fresh start for everyone, but a lot of kids with dyslexia might not be able to get over a challenging report card or low results so easily, especially if achievement has been impacted. It’s hard: low grades can shatter their confidence and really heap the pressure on.??

It helps if teachers can emphasise that every assignment is a clean slate— it’s all about learning and building from last year, not letting it dictate their story. ? ?

Reading has, unfortunately, slumped a little.?

Those long, sunny days have a hidden downside: reading skills tend to degrade over summer , and when students come back to class, getting to grips with books again can be a tough process. Pay special attention to kids who come to class with IEPs and EHCPs (or IEPs and 504s over in the United States) as they might experience the effects of the ‘summer slide’ more than most, and getting in with the right support early can change the course of a whole school year. ? ?

?? What kind of reading support fits your needs the best? ?

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Meet and greet activities need to be accessible! ?

A good old-fashioned icebreaker game is a start-of-the-year staple, but spare a thought for learners who don’t feel confident in reading and writing under pressure, or want to put their skills in front of whole-class forums. Activities like Stars or Letter to My Teacher are great when everyone’s on board, but can be anxiety-inducing if they’re not.?

Try to choose talking games over reading and writing ones. Parents can also send class teachers an email in the run-up to the start of the school year to discuss these kinds of needs and preferences in more detail.???

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Not everyone adapts to the change in the same way. ?

Some kids bounce out of bed on the first day of the new school year, some groan as their alarm goes off… and some feel lost, adrift, and struggle with the change in routine and expectation. You might especially experience this in dyslexic students who have a co-occurring condition like ADHD, or are Autistic. Be as supportive as possible, lay out plans and deadlines ahead of time to avoid rushing or surprises, and encourage them to be kind to their mind as they get used to the new normal again. ? ?

?? 7 tips for parents supporting kids with ADHD during back-to-school season! ?

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‘I Can’ language is more powerful than you think!?

It’s unfortunately still pretty common to hear kids with reading needs? talk about themselves in a very negative way. Reading struggles have a huge impact on their self-esteem and learning confidence. So it can be helpful to encourage them to re-frame their thinking around their reading support instead, and things they feel like they can’t do yet around more positive, ‘I can’ statements:??

I can…?

• …read whatever I like when I’ve got the right reading support!?

• …take on the library with confidence now!?

• …make progress my own way!?

• …inspire other learners with reading needs!?

• …support peers in getting to grips with assistive tech!?

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So here’s to a brighter learning future for the dyslexic students in the class of 2024, and the educators who guide them. May you especially get to drink your coffee whilst it’s hot (unlikely), may your lunch breaks be uninterrupted (very unlikely), and may you always have every glue stick returned at the end of class (a miracle).?