Helping Dyslexic Children Read Similar Letters and Numbers

Dyslexic children often have problems reading because they reverse letters in words or reverse the order of letters. Also, specific letters seem to be a problem for students. These letters are either reverses or each other, or made in similar fashions when writing. In a dyslexic child, the brain transforms or flips the letters. This can also occur with numbers that look similar.

The three most common combination letter problems are b and d, m and w, and p and q. Lower case b and d are mirror opposites of each other. Lowercase m and w are flipped, and problems reading with c and e occur due to the finishing mark in the e. The most confusing numbers are 6 and 9, as they are flipped. Each of these problems have a simple solution that can be taught to students.

Letter b and d

As discussed previously, the letters b and d are mirror images of each other. Teachers often use the ' bed' technique to teach students the difference in the two letters. teach students to make a b with their left hand, for the beginning of the word bed. With the left hand, they make the letter d. By remembering b is on the left and at the beginning of bed, and d is on the right or at the end of bed. I explain to my students to imagine the e in the middle. After multiple practices, students are able to do this on their own.

Letters m and w

This is a simple technique, but I taught my students to draw ears on all their m's for mickey mouse. We practice this as a class, doing it together with a reading assignment. Letter w stands alone. Disposing of old habits takes practice, so repeated m mouse ears, leads children to learn to do the trick on their own. Granted, our papers and books are marked up, but pencils can be erased! I also try to teach the distinct different between a lower case m and a w. And m is curvy, like a mouse ears, while a w is not. This seems to get the point across. We have even taken cut out w's and flipped them to see that they have no curvy mouse ears.

Letters p and q

This visual trick only works if the words are on the black board, Smart board, or are posted somewhere in the classroom. I call it the pretty quick trick. I write the words pretty quick on a poster board where it can be seen by all students. I write the p in pretty in pink. As of yet, we haven't decided on a color for q. My students suggested that q is for quicksand, so our q is brown and is sinking. The students look at the chart when confronting a p or q. We also go over a class reading, and mark p's in pink and q's in brown for quicksand.

Numbers 6 and 9

I created this trick for my classroom when I had two dyslexic students. Both were repeatedly answering wrong on simple math problems and eventually I discovered it was due to the mix up of 6 and 9. I called the trick the ' socks, hat trick. I explained to my students that 6 wore socks on his circle and 9 wore a hat on his circle. The students learn this quickly.

By using these and other tricks, a dyslexic student can find reading to easier. Eventually, they might even say it is fun!

http://www.dyslexia-parent.com/hints.html
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/dyslexia.shtml