A student participates in a classroom discussion and clearly understands the lesson. But when it is time to read the assignment and write the answers, the student struggles to get started. By the end of class, only a few questions are completed.
Another student spends so much time copying notes from the board that they miss most of the teacher's explanation.
These are situations general education teachers may encounter when working with students with Dyslexia.
Dyslexia primarily affects accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Students may also experience difficulties with written expression, although these challenges vary from student to student. A student can understand grade-level concepts and still have difficulty completing assignments that require extensive reading or writing.
General education teachers play an important role in helping students access classroom instruction. While reading specialists provide targeted intervention, classroom teachers are responsible for making everyday lessons, assignments, and assessments accessible.
The good news is that many effective strategies do not require creating an entirely different lesson. Often, small changes in how information is presented, how assignments are organized, and how students demonstrate their knowledge can make a meaningful difference.
Below are practical strategies teachers can use across elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.
1. Make Reading Assignments More Accessible
Reading is required in nearly every subject. Students must read textbooks, worksheets, instructions, online materials, and assessments. For students with Dyslexia, the amount of reading required may make it difficult to keep up, even when they understand the subject.
Strategies teachers can use:
Provide digital copies of reading materials that are compatible with text-to-speech.
Allow students to use audiobooks or text-to-speech when the objective is learning subject content rather than assessing independent reading.
Introduce important vocabulary before assigning a reading.
Divide longer reading assignments into manageable sections.
Provide guiding questions to help students identify important information.
Give students access to reading materials ahead of time when possible.
Avoid unexpected requests to read aloud in front of classmates.
Classroom example: Seventh-grade science
Students are assigned four pages about ecosystems.
Rather than simply assigning the reading, the teacher provides three guiding questions:
What is an ecosystem?
How do plants and animals depend on one another?
What happens when an ecosystem changes?
Students receive an accessible digital version of the reading and can use text-to-speech if needed. Before independent reading begins, the teacher introduces five important vocabulary words. This approach allows students to focus on understanding the science concepts instead of spending all their effort decoding unfamiliar words.
Try this tomorrow: Choose one upcoming reading assignment. Identify three important concepts students should understand and provide those questions before they begin reading.
2. Help Students Organize Written Assignments
Writing can be particularly challenging for some students with Dyslexia. A student may have excellent ideas but struggle to organize thoughts, spell words, construct sentences, or get started with a blank page. Graphic organizers, sentence starters, and writing templates can help students organize their ideas before beginning a written response.
Strategies teachers can use:
Provide graphic organizers for paragraphs, essays, and reports.
Offer sentence starters to help students begin writing.
Allow students to explain ideas verbally before writing.
Provide examples of completed assignments.
Break writing projects into smaller steps.
Allow typing or speech-to-text when appropriate.
Separate drafting from editing so students can focus on one task at a time.
Classroom example: Fifth-grade social studies
Students are asked to write a paragraph explaining why a historical event was important.
Instead of providing a blank page, the teacher gives students a simple paragraph organizer.
Paragraph Planning Tool
Main Idea
The event was important because...
Supporting Detail 1
One reason was...
Supporting Detail 2
Another important detail was...
Closing Sentence
This event changed...
Students complete the four sections before writing their paragraphs.
Some students may benefit from discussing their responses with a teacher or partner first. Others may use speech-to-text to develop an initial draft. The goal is to help students organize their thinking while continuing to develop their writing skills.
Try this tomorrow: For your next writing assignment, provide a simple organizer or three sentence starters. Give students an opportunity to discuss their ideas before writing.
3. Break Multi-Step Assignments Into Clear Directions
A student may understand an assignment but struggle to remember all the steps required to complete it. This can become particularly challenging in middle and high school, where assignments often involve several tasks. Providing directions in a clear, numbered format helps students work more independently.
Instead of writing:
Read pages 45–49, identify the author's main argument, find supporting evidence, and write a paragraph explaining whether you agree with the author.
Try this format:
Assignment: Understanding the Author's Argument
Read or listen to pages 45–49.
Identify the author's main argument.
Find two details that support the argument.
Complete the paragraph organizer.
Write your paragraph.
Check that you answered the question.
Students can check off each step as they finish. Teachers can also model the first step before asking students to begin independently.
Other ways to make directions easier to follow:
Give written directions along with verbal instructions.
Keep directions in the same location for each assignment.
Highlight important words or instructions.
Show students an example of completed work.
Check that students understand what they need to do first.
Avoid putting several unrelated instructions into one long paragraph.
Try this tomorrow: Take one assignment with several directions and rewrite it as a numbered checklist.
4. Implement IEP and 504 Accommodations During Daily Instruction
Many students with Dyslexia have accommodations documented in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. These accommodations are not limited to tests. They may also apply to classroom instruction, homework, assignments, and other school activities. The challenge for teachers is often understanding what an accommodation looks like during an ordinary school day. Here are examples of how common accommodations can be implemented.
Extended Time
What it means: The student receives additional time for specified assignments or assessments.
What it looks like in practice: A student has extended time on classroom assessments. Before the test begins, the teacher determines where and when the student can use that time. If the class period ends before the student finishes, a plan is already in place.
Extended time should not depend on the student having to ask for it each time.
Text-to-Speech
What it means: The student can use approved technology to have written material read aloud.
What it looks like in practice: Before assigning an online article, the teacher confirms that the document works with the student's text-to-speech software. The student can access the material independently during the lesson.
Copies of Teacher Notes
What it means: The student receives notes or an outline rather than being required to copy everything during instruction.
What it looks like in practice: Before a history lesson, the teacher provides an outline with important dates, vocabulary, and headings. The student follows along, adds examples, and participates in the discussion instead of trying to copy every word from the board.
Chunked Assignments
What it means: Longer assignments are divided into smaller sections.
What it looks like in practice: Instead of handing out a worksheet containing 30 questions with no checkpoints, the teacher identifies three sections. The student completes the first section, checks in as appropriate, and moves to the next.
The learning expectations remain the same unless the student's plan specifies a modification.
Speech-to-Text
What it means: The student can use approved dictation technology for written responses.
What it looks like in practice: During a social studies assignment, the student dictates an initial response, reviews the transcription, corrects errors, and submits the finished work.
A helpful planning question
Before beginning a lesson, ask: "Does this activity require an accommodation listed in the student's IEP or 504 Plan, and have I prepared what is needed to provide it?"
5. Make Tests and Assessments Accessible
Tests can present challenges when students are expected to read lengthy questions, process written directions, and produce written answers within a limited time. Teachers should consider what knowledge or skill the assessment is intended to measure. For example, a student may understand the water cycle but struggle to read the questions on a science test. When the purpose is to assess science knowledge, approved reading accommodations can help the student demonstrate understanding.
However, if the assessment is measuring independent reading skills, reading the text aloud may change what is being assessed.
Strategies teachers can use:
Review the student's testing accommodations before preparing the assessment.
Provide approved text-to-speech or read-aloud support when permitted.
Arrange extended time and appropriate testing locations in advance.
Provide clear directions and accessible formatting.
Allow approved alternative response methods.
Avoid penalizing spelling errors when spelling is not part of the skill being assessed.
Confirm that accommodations are permitted for the particular assessment.
Classroom example: High school biology
A student is preparing for a biology test that includes vocabulary, diagrams, and written responses.
The teacher reviews the student's accommodations before the assessment and prepares the approved digital testing format.
The student uses text-to-speech for eligible questions and types responses instead of handwriting them.
The teacher can then evaluate the student's understanding of biology without unnecessary reading and handwriting barriers interfering with the results.
Try this tomorrow: Review an upcoming test and identify whether any part of its format could prevent a student from demonstrating the skill you intend to assess.
6. Reduce the Amount of Copying Required
Copying information from a board, textbook, or presentation can take considerable time for some students with Dyslexia. A student may focus so much attention on copying words accurately that they miss the teacher's explanation.
Strategies teachers can use:
Provide copies of presentation slides.
Share guided notes before instruction.
Allow students to type notes when appropriate.
Provide important vocabulary and definitions in advance.
Use outlines with key information already included.
Avoid requiring students to copy lengthy directions from the board.
Classroom example: Eighth-grade history
The teacher is presenting a lesson on the American Revolution. Rather than expecting students to copy every slide, the teacher provides guided notes with headings and important dates already included.
Students are asked to add three pieces of information:
One major cause of the Revolution.
One important event.
One consequence of the war.
The student can focus on listening, understanding, and participating in the discussion.
Try this tomorrow: Provide a one-page outline for an upcoming lesson instead of requiring students to copy all the information.
7. Teach Students to Use Assistive Technology
Assistive technology can help students with Dyslexia access information and complete assignments more independently. However, simply providing access to a tool does not mean a student knows how to use it effectively. Teachers should provide opportunities to practice using technology during everyday assignments.
Text-to-Speech
Text-to-speech reads digital text aloud. Students may use it for textbooks, online articles, worksheets, and other reading materials when appropriate.
How to introduce it:
Select a short, accessible reading passage.
Demonstrate how to start and stop the reading.
Show the student how to adjust the reading speed.
Allow the student to practice independently.
Check whether the tool helped the student understand the material.
Speech-to-Text
Speech-to-text converts spoken words into written text.
Students may use it to develop written responses, organize ideas, or complete longer assignments.
How to introduce it:
Begin with a short response of two or three sentences.
Model speaking clearly and using punctuation commands.
Have the student dictate a response.
Review the transcription together.
Teach the student to make corrections before submitting work.
Audiobooks and Accessible Textbooks
Audiobooks allow students to access grade-level content without relying entirely on independent decoding. Students may benefit from listening while following along with the text.
Some resources schools and families may explore include:
Bookshare: www.bookshare.org
Learning Ally: www.learningally.org
Built-in accessibility features on school computers and tablets.
Availability and eligibility vary by program.
Assistive technology supports access to learning. It does not replace appropriate, explicit reading instruction for students who need intervention.
8. Support Homework and Independent Assignments
Homework can become especially challenging when students with Dyslexia are expected to complete lengthy reading or writing assignments independently. An assignment that takes classmates 20 minutes may take considerably longer for a student who struggles with decoding, spelling, or written expression. Teachers should consider whether the homework measures the intended skill or primarily measures how long the student can work through reading and writing demands.
Strategies teachers can use:
Provide written homework directions in an accessible format.
Make assignments available through a consistent online location.
Allow approved assistive technology at home.
Break longer assignments into smaller steps.
Provide examples of completed work.
Follow documented accommodations for extended time or adjusted workload.
Communicate with families when homework consistently takes much longer than expected.
Classroom example: Sixth-grade English
Students are assigned a reading passage and five written comprehension questions. The teacher provides an accessible digital version of the passage and allows approved text-to-speech. Students receive a simple response organizer with space for each question. If the student has an accommodation allowing typed or dictated responses, the teacher ensures those options are available for homework. The student is still responsible for demonstrating comprehension, but unnecessary barriers are reduced.
Try this tomorrow: Review one homework assignment and consider whether students can access the directions, reading materials, and response format independently.
9. Ask Students What Is Working
Students with Dyslexia are often the best source of information about which classroom supports are helpful.
A student may find text-to-speech useful for science but prefer reading shorter passages independently. Another may benefit from typing assignments but dislike using speech-to-text in a busy classroom.
Teachers should create opportunities for students to provide feedback without drawing unnecessary attention to their learning needs.
Questions teachers can ask:
Which part of this assignment was most difficult?
Did the reading support help you understand the material?
Was the writing organizer useful?
Were the directions easy to follow?
Is there a tool or strategy you would like to try?
What could I change to make this assignment easier to access?
These conversations can happen during a brief check-in, conference, or private discussion.
Classroom example: Ninth-grade English
A student has access to speech-to-text but rarely uses it.
During a private conversation, the teacher learns that the student does not feel comfortable dictating responses in front of classmates.
The teacher works with the student and appropriate school staff to identify a more private way to use the accommodation.
The support has not changed, but the way it is provided now better meets the student's needs.
Student feedback is useful when reviewing accommodations, but changes to documented accommodations should be made through the appropriate school process.
10. Work With Reading Specialists and Special Education Staff
General education teachers are not expected to provide specialized Dyslexia intervention without the appropriate training. Their role is to provide accessible instruction, implement accommodations, monitor classroom performance, and communicate concerns. Reading specialists and special education staff can help identify instructional strategies, recommend supports, and address persistent difficulties.
When seeking additional support, specific examples are more useful than general statements. Instead of saying "The student is struggling in class.", Provide information such as: "The student participates in science discussions and accurately explains the concepts verbally. However, the student completes only three of ten written questions independently. When the questions are read aloud and responses are dictated, the student demonstrates a stronger understanding of the material."
This information helps the team identify whether reading, writing, or another demand is interfering with classroom performance. Teachers should also share information about accommodations that are working well. A student who consistently completes assignments using text-to-speech may be demonstrating that the accommodation is helping them access the curriculum. Accommodations and specialized instruction serve different purposes. Students may need both to make meaningful academic progress.
11. Build Supports Into Everyday Classroom Routines
One of the most useful approaches is to make accessibility part of regular classroom planning. Not every strategy requires a separate lesson or an individualized worksheet.
At the beginning of class:
Post the agenda.
Explain the learning objective.
Review important vocabulary.
Make directions available in writing.
Confirm students have access to necessary materials and accommodations.
During instruction:
Model new tasks before assigning independent work.
Provide examples and visual supports.
Give students opportunities to ask questions.
Check understanding throughout the lesson.
Avoid unnecessary copying.
During independent work:
Provide clear steps for assignments.
Make approved assistive technology available.
Offer organizers and templates when appropriate.
Use checkpoints for longer assignments.
Monitor whether students are able to begin and complete tasks.
At the end of class:
Review homework expectations.
Confirm assignments are recorded accurately.
Remind students where to find digital materials.
Check that students know how to access needed supports.
These practices can benefit many students, including those without Dyslexia. However, general classroom supports do not replace individualized accommodations required by an IEP or 504 Plan.
Getting Started: Three Changes Teachers Can Make This Week
Supporting students with Dyslexia does not require changing every classroom routine at once. Start by identifying the situations where students are experiencing the greatest difficulty.
This week, consider making three changes:
1. Review accommodations. Look at the IEPs and 504 Plans for students in your classroom. Identify what you need to prepare to provide the accommodations during upcoming lessons and assignments.
2. Make one assignment more accessible. Choose an upcoming reading or writing assignment. Add an accessible reading option, a graphic organizer, or a step-by-step checklist based on student needs.
3. Ask for student feedback. Check in privately with a student about which supports are helping and what continues to be difficult.
After trying these strategies, pay attention to whether students can begin assignments more independently, participate more fully, and demonstrate their understanding. The goal is not to remove appropriate academic challenges. It is to make sure that difficulties with reading and writing do not unnecessarily prevent students from learning and demonstrating what they know.
