(And Accommodations that Parents Can Request to Help Their Fiddlers Play Beautiful Music!)
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- Reading Strategies
- Working Memory Strategies
- Processing Speed Strategies
- Writing Strategies
- Strategies for Overcoming Emotional Challenges
- Strategies for Capitalizing on the Dyslexic Advantage
Reading Strategies
♪ Remember that offering (or asking for) accommodations for students with dyslexia is not “cheating,” lowering the bar, or watering down the curriculum.
Rationale: Fiddler crabs with dyslexia must work ten times harder than students with neurotypical brains. They are not being lazy. Their brains are physiologically wired in a way that makes processing language very difficult for them. Shortening homework assignments or offering helpful technology is not “lowering the bar.” It is like giving glasses to a child with blurry vision. It would not be kind to tell a child with compromised eyesight to “look harder” or scold them for not “seeing” without offering them the appropriate glasses. The same is true for individuals with dyslexia.
♪ Provide targeted, intensive (4-5 times a week), and systematic reading instruction from a trained dyslexia tutor as soon as possible.
Rationale: The earlier your fiddler can get identified with dyslexia and receive intervention, the better. Dyslexia is not something that your fiddler crab will grow out of, although they can learn to read with the right kind of help. You will need to advocate to get the right services for them or hire a tutor outside of the school system. This will require time after school, financial investment, and personal sacrifice, but know that you are helping your fiddler develop critical life skills that will strengthen that little claw and help them thrive.
♪ Avoid switching reading programs too quickly. Do your research, read reviews, and wisely select the program that is based on science and your child’s learning style. Then be patient!
Rationale: It takes a long time to build the neural pathways for reading in someone’s brain, so don’t give up too soon (and don’t let your fiddler crab give up!). Find an accredited program that works for your child and stick to it. There is no quick fix for dyslexia; it may take years to see a difference! There is a list of accredited programs on the Resources page.
♪ Make sure your student with dyslexia is reading the same rich texts as their neurotypical peers by giving them access to audio books. (Avoid giving them watered-down copies or leveled reading material.) Make sure they also have access and plenty of time to listen to age-appropriate audiobooks just for fun!
Rationale: Remember that dyslexia affects the area of the brain that turns language into print; many fiddlers with dyslexia are more than capable of grasping complex themes and will offer profound insights in your class discussions — just be sure to give them plenty of time to find the right words to express their thoughts. (Also remember that there are MANY ways for dyslexic students to share reflections such as art, drama, writing, music, dance, etc…)
♪ Encourage them to underline or highlight each word as they read it from left to right.
Rationale: This may help your fiddler with tracking.
♪ Download Open Dyslexia or Bionic Reading Fonts on your computer.
Rationale: These specialized fonts are created to help students with dyslexia. You can also enlarge the text on assignments and documents to a comfortable size such as 16 or 18 pt. or purchase large print editions of books. They may also just prefer regular size and print. Ask your student what works best for them!
♪ Work with your student’s IEP team to get the proper resources to help your student gain access to reading material.
Rationale: Many school systems will provide access to Learning Ally, Bookshare, and Clusive–great resources that provide audio versions of most texts. There are also portable scanning pens that can read text aloud. Again, you may need to advocate to get these necessary accommodations for your fiddler! (Good news: Natural Reader is a free online extension that reads material on the computer out loud. Students can even hear their own writing read aloud.)
♪ If you are a parent or teacher and want to help your fiddler practice reading in a safe, one-on-one setting, talk to their specialized dyslexia tutor about finding reading material that only includes material that contains sound and letter patterns that they have been taught.
Rationale: Reading should be “fair!” Reading texts with controlled vocabulary will build confidence and unlock learning. (Remember, for many fiddlers keeping up with the classroom “pace” of decoding and reading is much like turning up a treadmill before a runner has gained the necessary strength and stamina. The results are the same, too!) If you are reading phonetically “safe” material with your student, be sure to ask the tutor how to best correct errors in a kind and helpful manner.
♪ Avoid forcing kids with dyslexia to read out loud in front of others if they do not feel comfortable doing so.
Rationale: Anxiety and shame make reading an even greater challenge.
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Working Memory Strategies
♪ Reduce the number of problems and the length of reading and writing assignments.
Rationale:Because “mental workbench space” may be limited in many students who have dyslexia, it should not be clogged up with unimportant information. Require mastery of only the most important information with videos, hands-on lessons, and graphic organizers. Quality over quantity!
♪ Provide multiple modes of learning for your fiddler.
Rationale: Research shows that students are better able to store information in their long-term memories when it is linked to the five senses. Try shaving cream, sandpaper, or anything tactile; incorporate visual images and art; include music and audiobooks; engage your learner using taste and smell. Find the one that works best for your fiddler and use it!
♪ Use cognitive hooks (mnemonics).
Rationale: Our brains are wired to remember the unusual, the extreme, or the funny. Create a hook so that if they can’t remember the vocabulary word or math concept, they can remember the silly story, song, or trick you taught them to go with it!
♪ Provide a menu of answers to choose from (a word bank) for fill-in-the-blank tests and assignments. This even applies to essay questions where you can include phrases or concepts that the students can incorporate into their responses. Also, give them access to the online thesaurus.
Rationale: Because word retrieval can be very difficult for dyslexic learners, providing access to the words and concepts allows them to adequately show what they know.
♪ Lead the child to figure out the information through clues rather than telling them the answer.
Rationale: When you push them to retrieve information from their working memory, they are actually building brain muscle.
♪ Provide adequate wait time after you ask a question. (Even if they quickly say, “I don’t know.”)
Rationale: Students with dyslexia often learn to avoid answering questions because it takes them longer to respond and the “listener” gives up. Tell them that you want them to go into their mental storeroom and try to retrieve the information. Give them at least 5 seconds before you offer “help.” Sometimes this seems like it takes forever! Be patient. Praise successful retrievals!!
♪ Intentionally teach study skills.
Rationale: Your job is not only to teach and assign work but to come alongside your student and help them study. Homework for fiddler crabs with dyslexia should never be “study for the test.” Teach them test-taking hacks such as the slash-and-trash method of eliminating all the wrong answers until they find the correct one.
♪ Encourage them to wait for the mental “click” they feel (much like the sensation they feel when fastening a seatbelt) when they know an answer is right rather than impulsively guessing.
Rationale: Many students with dyslexia get into the habit of haphazardly guessing in order to keep up with their peers. Teach them to patiently wait until they KNOW the answer is correct. (This only applies to concepts you have studied together and know they can retrieve successfully!)
♪ Avoid expressing frustration when they forget…again. Provide patient repetition.
Rationale: It’s hard to teach the same thing over and over again, but each day you lovingly teach them to “remember,” their working memory table space will get just a little bit bigger.
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Processing Speed Strategies
♪ Slow processing speed can affect visual, auditory, motor, and verbal response time (or any combination of the above). When a child is slow to respond to verbal information, his friendships may also be affected. He or she may not be able to jump into a group conversation or answer personal questions in a timely manner. In fiddler crabs with slower processing speeds, the inability to read fluently or recall math facts quickly has nothing to do with motivation, willpower, or effort.
Rationale: Many neurotypical individuals with quicker processing speeds have a hard time understanding how tasks that seem so intuitive and simple can be so difficult for those with slower processing speeds. Although it is tempting to scold, telling a student to just “try harder” or “look again” is not helpful or kind. Fiddlers with slow processing need accommodations, encouragement, and support.
♪ Rather than having students with dyslexia take notes, give them a copy of the teacher notes with a few blanks to fill in or let them take an audio recording or a video of the lecture.
Rationale: Although processing speed has nothing to do with intelligence, kids with slower processing speeds are at a huge disadvantage in the school system. Often, they are not given the time they need to understand concepts and are just pushed along to keep up with others. While everyone else’s mental “computer” has taken the notes or completed the problem, kids with slower processing speeds are still “dialing up.” The class moves on before the student has a chance to grasp the material, leaving the student confused and overwhelmed. Well-meaning teachers and parents urge them to work faster and try harder, but they are already trying as hard as they can. This can cause discouragement, anger, and resignation. It may also cause fiddler crabs to miss new information, score lower on tests, and erroneously start believing that they are “dumb.”
♪ If you are asking them a question in front of their peers, it may be beneficial to give them the question ahead of time so that they have adequate time to process and prepare.
Rationale: It may take much longer for kids with slower processing to “find” the words they are looking for when articulating their thoughts in class. Slow processing speed also causes gaps in learning; the student is trying to play a game of mental “catch-up” and misses the information being discussed. These gaps can cause them to give incorrect answers, which in turn can increase anxiety. You will need to be especially sensitive when fiddlers with slow processing are answering or reading in front of others so that you will not cause embarrassment or shame. Talk to the student privately to figure out how to handle questions and reading out loud in class. You may work out a secret signal they can use to “tell” you they are ready to be called on such as rubbing their nose or pulling on their ear.
♪ Avoid the temptation to inadvertently “punish” children with slower processing speed for not finishing their work by making them miss preferred activities such as recess, lunch, art, or gym. Please do not put them out in the hall to complete work.
Rationale: Making students with dyslexia finish their work during a “fun” activity is a common and understandable error among adults who misidentify processing issues as laziness or do not want to “let them off the hook” or “dumb down the curriculum.” It may also be an innocent mistake made by well-meaning teachers who just need their slow processer to complete an assignment. Whatever the reason, habitually missing preferred activities will only frustrate your fiddlers and force them to resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as cheating or giving up. In fact, over time they may not be getting their work done because they aren’t trying their best anymore. After years of frustration, this is an understandable reaction. However, punishment is still not the answer. You will need to be creative and kind in how you help them succeed in the realistic and achievable amount of work you give to them. This may mean suggesting tutoring after school, pairing the student with a friend in a non-shaming way, or discussing processing speed (and the fact that it is not connected with intelligence) with classmates, parents, and other teachers.
♪ Consider using a non-standardized grading system where the child uses self-evaluation, growth, and the attainment of personal goals to determine their grade.
Rationale: Remember that there is a neurological cause behind language processing deficits, and it is unfair to judge students with dyslexia using the same standards as their neurotypical peers. Find creative ways to help your fiddler measure growth and success. For example, on multiplication times tables or spelling tests, help the student create their own personal goal such as “I will get 40 out of 100 multiplication facts” or “5 out of 10” spelling words. Then challenge them to beat their personal goal next time.
♪ Provide three to five seconds or more of intentional “wait time.” Wait time is the pause after a question is asked when the teacher gives students a chance to think of their responses before calling on someone to respond.
Rationale: Wait time will not only give your fiddlers a chance to generate a response, but it will also lead all students in the classroom into deeper processing. Research shows that student involvement and the depth of their responses are positively correlated with sufficient wait time.
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Writing Strategies
♪ Provide a sample of a previous student’s completed work, essay, or project. (This even includes an example of a properly structured math worksheet!)
Rationale: Because kids with dyslexia are often big-picture thinkers, seeing the final product will be hugely beneficial. Have your fiddler crab “grade” the student sample using the same rubric that you will use to grade their work. This will help them focus on the details. (See Lesson Plans) It will also give them a clear structure to follow in their own work.
♪ Chunk assignments into small, achievable steps.
Rationale: By analyzing the various parts of the sample and then helping them break their assignment into small chunks, you are modeling critical executive functioning skills. By assigning the project one “chunk” at a time, you are also enabling them to succeed. (Hint: Use a sample that is strong but not so strong that it is unachievable or discouraging.)
♪ For longer writing assignments, begin by taking dictation from the student and using guided questioning to help them tackle the assignment.
Rationale: Serving as their “secretary” will allow you to ask questions that will help the student elaborate on their ideas. It will also set the expectation for how much detail you want them to include and allow you to model the thinking behind the writing. Speechnotes is also a free Google extension that allows students to dictate their writing assignments — let them try it!
♪ Allow your student to use the underlining accommodation.
Rationale: With this accommodation, students are encouraged to write freely and express themselves using higher-level thought processes and vocabulary; they are also told to underline any word that they are not sure how to spell. Tell them that you would rather they write the word “colossal” and spell it wrong than use the word “big” to play it safe. You are interested in their thoughts! With the underlining accommodation, underlined words are considered off-limits for teacher correction — unless the teacher notices the underlined word is correct and wants to praise the student. Students who are graded on content rather than spelling and punctuation give much more in-depth responses.
♪ Install Premium Grammarly, Ginger, Scribens, or Pro Writing Aid on their computer (or suggest these helpful online tools to their parents). You may also have them copy and paste their essay into Natural Reader and correct mistakes as it is being read aloud to them.
Rationale: Corrective grammar, punctuation, and spelling extensions are to dyslexia what corrective lenses are to visual impairment. These helpful tools will also teach your student grammar and punctuation rules as they make corrections. They also enable fiddlers to capture their higher-level thoughts on paper, and they enable teachers to grade student work based on content rather than punctuation and grammar.
♪ Before the student turns their homework in, give them time in class to proofread it. You may also want to require them to ask a parent, teacher, or peer to proofread it before they turn it in.
Rationale: It is very challenging for kids with dyslexia to create and correct at the same time. Help them build the habit of proofreading by giving them time in class or allowing them to ask for help before they turn it in. Rather than having them proofread the whole paper, you may want to pencil the number of mistakes in the margin after each line (for example, “2 missing capital letters, 1 spelling” in line one). Make sure the mistakes you note are ones that they have been taught. Then encourage the student to go on a line-by-line “I Spy” mission to find and destroy all mistakes! Encourage them to also notice the things they got right.
♪ If you are an English teacher, choose only 1 or 2 new punctuation or grammar skills to teach from their essay (even if their paper is riddled with errors).
Rationale: Remember — quality over quantity! They will be much more likely to remember if you teach a few concepts well. Create a Language Guide on Google Docs to keep a record of learned skills. Before they turn in their next paper, give them time in class to systematically check their paper for each learned skill.
♪ Make sure your grades reflect the content of the subject you teach.
Rationale: If you teach science or history, grade the students only on their knowledge of the subject and not on their neatness, spelling, or punctuation. Base your rubric on content, following directions, and thoughtful ideas. You will probably need to make a conscious effort not to lower the grade due to punctuation errors and misspellings! Remember: dyslexia is a language processing issue, so let them shine in other content areas without penalty.
♪ Consider giving a non-traditional assessment such as an oral or project-based exam.
Rationale: Whenever possible, have your fiddlers express content using their natural strengths and abilities. If they love to cook, their World History assessment could be to create a recipe book and dishes from other cultures. Capitalizing on their strengths will build confidence and allow them to shine.
♪ Notice and lavishly praise flawed brilliance.
Rationale: Your student needs to realize that learning is about ideas, NOT punctuation and spelling. Their ideas are their huge claw and should be recognized and celebrated.
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Strategies for Overcoming Emotional Challenges
♪ Make sure your student has someone to talk to who understands what it is like to have dyslexia.
Rationale: This is especially critical during the school years. A therapist, adult with dyslexia, guidance counselor, or compassionate teacher can literally be a lifesaver. Make sure they have someone in their corner at school who understands and will advocate for them.
♪ Give your fiddler crab plenty of opportunity to use its big claw.
Rationale: Finding a safe place where they are successful is essential for their mental health! Let them shine in their area of personal interest (sports, art, games, drama, music, etc.)
♪ Whether you are a teacher or parent, make sure you take time to “play” with and get to know your child with dyslexia.
Rationale: Because schoolwork can take so much longer for kids with dyslexia, they may feel like little “homework machines.” The daily grind and ensuing nightly battles can end up in tears – for everyone. Set aside time each day for relationship building. Even a silly five-minute break can do wonders. A game of War using a deck of cards, a water bottle flipping contest, or a Floppy Sock tournament can help reset both of you! Taking frequent breaks to play with and get to know your fiddler will convince them that they are much more to you than their performance.
♪ Introduce your student to Jordon Toma, creator of Just a Kid with an IEP.
Rationale: Jordan has been known to create personalized, inspirational messages for students with IEPs. This is a great tool to have in your back pocket for especially discouraging times. (Remember how much he helped Kenyon!)
♪ Make sure to read the Meet Fiddler stories in this book out loud to your fiddlers…and then encourage them to write their own.
Rationale: Knowing they are not alone is essential for healing and growth. Hearing the stories of other kids with dyslexia who struggle will do wonders for self-esteem, confidence, and motivation. After reading the Meet Fiddler stories, ask your fiddler to tell you his/her/their story! Many fiddlers have never articulated how it has felt to have dyslexia in school. Sharing their experiences and feelings can be life changing. (Make sure to offer them options: they can write the story themselves, dictate it to you, use speech to text, or do any combination of the above.)
♪ Watch Journey into Dyslexia on Amazon Prime with your student to see the big claw-little claw dynamic of dyslexia in the lives of many successful businesspeople, athletes, artists, and advocates.
Rationale: ALWAYS find ways to discover and highlight the “big claw” strengths of dyslexia by allowing them to read books, conduct research, or create projects that cater to their interests. Encourage them to research the dyslexic “advantage.” See the back of this book for a complete assignment. Most students do not understand dyslexia and its associated gifts. Help them discover the beauty and strength of dyslexia!
♪ Gently explore the root cause of fiddler misbehavior, unhealthy coping strategies, or defense mechanisms.
Rationale: Defiance, class clowning, cheating, giving up, lying, and avoidance are a few common and understandable behaviors that may occur in situations where there is not an understanding teacher, coach, parent, or professional. If you notice some of these behaviors occurring, ask your student about them in an information-seeking, non-judgmental way. For example, maybe they are struggling because when they don’t get their work done at school, their teacher makes them sit in the hallway (which is humiliating) or they miss recess (their only break for the day)!
♪ Be prepared to advocate for your fiddler daily–especially in situations where other relatives or professionals do not understand and falsely blame or punish them for being lazy or not trying.
Rationale: We have learned from Wright, Kenyon, Katharine, and Josh that going to school can be painful, frustrating, and emotionally damaging for kids with dyslexia. More than anything else, your fiddler will need YOU to believe in them and fight for them.
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Strategies for Capitalizing on the Dyslexic Advantage
♪ Intentionally teach and celebrate neurodiversity in your classroom and family!! Marvel at the biodiversity of different animals. Purchase a copy of Erin Human’s Diversity is Beautiful poster and hang it up in a prominent place. Read this book aloud to neurotypical family members or students while your fiddler is present.
Rationale: Kids in school are wired for conformity and comparison — both killers of creativity and confidence. Embracing neurodiversity will not only encourage your dyslexic learners but your neurotypical learners as well.
♪ Read fiction books with neurodiverse characters. Make sure to follow up by sharing the brain science behind various “difforders” so that all your students realize that thinking differently doesn’t mean you have a lower IQ.
Rationale: It is critical that ALL your students — not just the ones with dyslexia — understand neurodiversity. The shame kids with dyslexia experience in school is based on misperception. Dispelling false assumptions will boost confidence and enable them to accept and embrace their beautiful brains.
♪ Assign projects that draw on narrative reasoning/story-telling skills such as podcasts or movie-making.
Rationale: Many people with dyslexia demonstrate amazing storytelling abilities because their brains are wired to see the big picture. (Just look at the autobiographies written by students in The Dyslexic Fiddler Crab!) Give your students a chance to shine by taking the writing piece out of the storytelling. You may do this by assigning an audio or visual project (podcast, movie), by taking dictation, or by allowing your student to use speech-to-text software. Look for the brilliance beneath punctuation, grammar, and spelling mistakes. You will find gold!!
♪ Provide plenty of opportunities for your students to interact with hands-on materials such as model-building, Legos, and K’nex, or computer games such as Roblox, Minecraft, Math Playground, or ABCya.
Rationale: Fiddlers with dyslexia are often gifted with material reasoning skills. Material reasoning is the ability to create a 3D model of objects in the mind.
♪ Provide leadership or group problem-solving opportunities for kids with dyslexia.
Rationale: Remember, kids with dyslexia have big-picture thinking skills and can connect different areas of the brain to come up with novel solutions to problems. This is called interconnected reasoning. Remember, many fiddlers have the skill sets of CEOs — allow your fiddler to be the CEO in your classroom.
♪ Discover the “hidden gift” of dyslexia: dynamic reasoning.
Rationale: Dynamic reasoning is the ability to predict future events by analyzing past trends. Dyslexic athletes say that the game slows down and they are able to “feel” the next play. Dyslexic entrepreneurs can “read” the market in order to create products that will sell. Dyslexic scientists can analyze past data to make accurate hypotheses. Look for this hidden strength in your fiddlers!
♪ Offer top-down instructions for all assignments. Then chunk the assignment into manageable units.
Rationale: Big-picture thinkers thrive when they know where they are headed, and most fiddlers will benefit from seeing the final product first. See the back of this book for three assignments that are written in a top-down manner and then broken into chunks.
♪ Assign a research project on dyslexia and the dyslexic advantage.
Rationale: Many students with dyslexia do not understand what dyslexia is; they have just experienced the devastating effects of it in the classroom. Knowledge has the potential to transform fiddlers from feeling like “victims” to becoming powerful advocates for dyslexia.
♪ Give your fiddlers the opportunity to tell or write their autobiographies after reading the stories in this book.
Rationale: Many students with dyslexia have never had the opportunity to share their experiences with anyone. Let your fiddlers become dyslexia advocates by sharing their powerful stories with family members, at staff meetings, and in school assemblies. You will discover wisdom, determination, and unbelievable courage.
Now watch in breathless wonder as your fiddler plays their own unique brand of beautiful music!
The Dyslexic Fiddler Crab 