Every child in California has unique learning needs, which is why parents must advocate for their children to have those needs met at their school. If you have a child with dyslexia, you’re likely aware of how your child benefits from additional accommodations when learning how to read and write. You can work with your child’s school to create a plan that will provide for their needs and help them overcome the challenges associated with dyslexia.
Learning with dyslexia
As a parent of a child with dyslexia, you may be concerned about how your child’s school will make accommodations to provide a functional learning environment. As you may know, dyslexia can create challenges for your child as they are learning to read. Dyslexia affects around 20% of students, so it is important that teachers learn how to work with these students to help them thrive in the early years of education.
A common misconception is that dyslexia is a visual processing disorder; however, it is actually a language-based learning disability. Some teachers who aren’t familiar with dyslexia may assume that a child has issues with their eyesight or visual coordination instead of difficulties connecting sounds to letters in print. An educational strategy that assists your child with learning phonics can help them learn to read. However, a program of this nature can look different for each child, even among children diagnosed with dyslexia.
Creating a learning strategy
Dyslexia may come with challenges, but it in no way is indicative of your child’s potential or level of intelligence. Children with dyslexia simply learn differently. This means that your child’s teachers must work with you to create a learning environment that is conducive to helping your child move forward in their education.
If a child with dyslexia does not yet have an Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”), it may be important to work with their school to have one put in place. This detailed program can act as a map to help educators ensure that your child’s needs are met at school. An IEP can also provide students with services and include information regarding the additional assistance needed to help your child reach their potential while navigating the challenges that come with dyslexia.
Help for parents
If you’re concerned that your child’s educational needs are not being met, you have the right to seek legal advice to better understand what steps you can take to advocate for your child. California schools are responsible for accommodating children with dyslexia and other learning challenges. Not following an IEP and not providing what a child needs to thrive at school can lead to further educational challenges in the future.