Turning Dyslexic Children into Avid Readers

For dyslexic children, reading is a pain, a chore that they must tackle in front of classmates and teachers who may not always understand the way they see the world. However, lower grades in class aren't the only problem a dyslexic child faces when he/she's unable to comprehend reading assignments. A dyslexic child also misses out on the love of books that so many other children get to experience from a young age.

I am a Literature major, and I'm also the sister of a dyslexic child. Throughout the years, I have been my brother's tutor in reading and math, and while I have hit many speed bumps along the way, I have learned from my attempts to force my brother into becoming an avid reader. From my experiences, I've drawn together a few tips for helping dyslexic children develop a love of the written word.

• Interesting Content: Finding the Right Type of Book

This seems like a given, but it's an aspect of reading worth discussing with your child. Without interest there can be no passion for a subject, so it's important for all children, dyslexic or not, to find out what sort of books they find the most interesting. Sometimes, however, their interests are developed around what they find easiest to read.

If the dyslexic child in your life finds picture books too babyish, test the reading waters with short nonfiction. Science and history books often contain illustrations and photographs to explain what the text is saying, much like a newspaper. The pictures are as entertaining as the content and will make your child want to continue reading to get the whole story.

If they opt for fiction instead, help them find books with shorter chapters and many broken paragraphs. Longer paragraphs strain dyslexic children, and longer chapters can become frustrating when they can't be read in one sitting.

• Reading by Grade Level: Don't be Afraid to Work Your Way Up

Often times, we want children to have reached what's standard (read: normal) for their grade level. This doesn't exclude reading levels, but dyslexic children have a hard time with comprehension and are usually below grade-level. While the goal is always to increase a child's comprehension, parents shouldn't fear letting their child read below level in order to keep him/her enjoying the reading process. So maybe your kid's getting a bit too old for those old nature books, pleasure reading is still reading, and all reading leads to progress in comprehension development.

• Can Video Games be Reading Aids?

The answer is yes! Experts have noted the effects of video games on coordination and mental sharpness, but little has been said about the written content found in video games. Do your research: what games recommended for your child's maturity level have solid stories and force gamers to solve word riddles? You'd be surprised to find that many games, even ones not intended to educate, have plenty of written dialogue that has to be read for players to continue to solve the game. Video games provide engaging entertainment and let dyslexic children read material that they not only enjoy but that also gives them a feeling of self-confidence when they level-up. Best of all, video games always feel like a luxury, never a chore.

• Magazines, Comics, and Graphic Novels

Magazines, Comics, and Graphic Novels are huge hits among dyslexic children. Here's why: when a dyslexic child sees a large mass of words, the text becomes easily jumbled, nearly impossible to read at a quick rate. The slower a person reads, the more quickly they lose interest. The smaller the mass of words in a text, the easier it is for dyslexic children to put letters in their proper order. To you, an issue of Sonic the Hedgehog or the Sunday Comics page out of The New York Times might simply be breakfast table reading, but for a child with dyslexia, short dialogue bubbles and two sentence description boxes can make reading so easy it's actually fun.

Another self- confidence boosting bonus to kids getting into comics: dyslexic children have a hard time writing long stories, but, if they're into comics, they can be easily encouraged to write and draw their own.