This is general information. A diagnosis should come from a qualified professional, such as a psychologist or a specialist in learning disabilities.
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that mainly affects reading, and often spelling and writing too. It is not a sign of low intelligence or lack of effort. Children with dyslexia can learn very well when teaching and support suit the way they learn.
How Indian law describes it
The Schedule to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 lists “specific learning disabilities”, defined as a group of conditions involving a deficit in processing language, spoken or written, that can show up as difficulty in understanding, speaking, reading, writing, spelling or doing mathematical calculations. It names dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and developmental aphasia as examples. This matters because a certified benchmark disability opens doors to protections such as exam concessions. See the disability certificate and UDID card.
If you are worried about your child
- Talk to the class teacher, and ask what they have seen and what they have tried.
- Ask the school whether a learning assessment is possible, or ask your doctor or a psychologist for a referral.
- Keep samples of reading, spelling and writing, and note when the difficulties appear.
What helps most: structured literacy
The International Dyslexia Association says structured literacy approaches are more successful than many typical literacy practices for children with dyslexia and other literacy difficulties. Structured literacy teaches reading in a highly explicit, systematic way. It includes sound awareness, decoding and spelling, and builds up to comprehension and written expression. It is taught directly and practised, not left to be picked up incidentally.
Tiered support in school
Many education systems organise support in tiers. Tier 1 is good teaching for the whole class, using structured and multi-sensory methods. Tier 2 is small-group support for children who need more. Tier 3 is intensive individual support for children who still struggle. Ask where your child is, and how progress will be checked. See how to write measurable IEP goals.
Classroom accommodations
Accommodations let a child learn and show what they know without being held back by reading and writing. Examples that teachers often use include:
- extra time for reading, writing and tests;
- audiobooks, and text-to-speech software that reads text aloud;
- speech-to-text software for writing;
- large-print worksheets and coloured strips or bookmarks to follow a line of text;
- copies of notes, and visual schedules that are also read aloud;
- assessment of understanding in other ways, such as oral answers.
Two cautions: accommodations are not a substitute for teaching reading, and not every accommodation helps every child. For example, extra time is popular, but may not improve every student’s performance, so choose what suits your child and check that it helps.
Exams in India
Section 17 of the RPwD Act asks governments to make suitable changes to the exam system, such as extra time and the facility of a scribe. For CBSE students with a certified benchmark disability, see exam concessions for students with disabilities. Start the process early.
At home
- Read aloud together every day, and let your child enjoy stories without the pressure to decode.
- Keep reading practice short and regular, with plenty of praise for effort.
- Notice and build on strengths, such as speaking, drawing, building or problem-solving.
- Watch your child’s confidence. Repeated struggle can lead to anxiety and avoidance, so tell the school if reading is causing distress.
More on learning differences
- Early signs of reading difficulties
- Getting a learning assessment in India
- Reading at home with a child with dyslexia
- Structured literacy in the classroom
- Assistive technology and accessible books
- Dyslexia and learning several languages
- Dysgraphia: handwriting difficulties
- Dyscalculia: struggling with maths
- Homework and study routines
- Confidence and emotions
Sources
- Understood, Classroom accommodations for dyslexia.
- Council for Exceptional Children, Teaching Exceptional Children, Structured Literacy and Typical Literacy Practices (2017), published via Reading Rockets.
- International Dyslexia Association, dyslexiaida.org.
- Education Bureau, Hong Kong, Support measures for specific learning difficulties.
- Government of India, The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, Schedule and Section 17.
This guide is general information, not legal, medical or professional advice. If something here does not match your situation, please speak to a qualified professional.