“A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit”. These are the words by Francois Rabelais who was a major French Renaissance Writer way back in the 16th century. A child is God’s greatest gift and we should always encourage children to excel. We feel very scared when we are told that my son or daughter as it may be has….DYSLEXIA!
What is Dyslexia? It is defined as a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence. A Dyslexic child could find difficulty in learning to read, spell and write. Apart from that, they live with mental unhappiness when subjected to fun by their peers for their learning difficulty.
In my years of training, I’ve come across numerous children with varied problems and slow grasping ability. It is important to never let the child believe that he/she is weak or incapable. Parental support reinstating the child’s confidence and self-belief makes a huge difference. While you should not treat the child as ‘different’ overtly, do not mistake dyslexia for a child’s laziness or insincerity – instead create a positive and encouraging environment, where a dyslexic child can experience the feeling of success and self-value. Here’s how:
- When homework is given, it is essential to check that the child correctly writes down exactly what is required. Try to ensure that the correct worksheets and books are with the child to take home.
- Encourage your child to call up and check with his friends/peers so as to avoid confusion.
- Make a daily check-list for the child to refer to each evening. Encourage a daily routine to help develop the child’s sense of self-reliance and responsibilities. Self- Reliance is very important as it boosts self-confidence and avoids the child from feeling that he/she is not capable.
- Break information and data into smaller parts that can be easily remembered.
- Ensure the child is seated close to the teacher as that will help them pay attention and ask questions when there is difficulty.
- It helps to have kind and sympathetic classmates around you.
- Teachers can use different coloured chalks and markers for each line, if there is a lot of written information on the board; or underline every second line with a different coloured chalk or marker.
- Encourage the child to proof-read, for initial correction of spellings. Some children may not be able to correct their spellings instantly and simultaneously while writing, but they can be trained to look out for errors that might be there when proof-reading.
- In Math, some words that need to be understood well include: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Do not let the child unnecessary use a calculator. Instead, improve their mental ability to calculate.
- Encourage the child to better their handwriting and give more time and patience.
- Encourage the child to take up yoga and meditation. It increases the power to focus your attention and relaxes the brain, making the mind more stable and functional, making it easier to tackle dyslexia.
- How To Remember History Dates - 16 April2017
- Befriending Mathematics! - 9 April2017
- Be Stress-Free Before Exams! - 12 March2017
