How to help students with dyslexia in an online classroom

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a language-based reading and comprehensive specific learning difference (SPLD). It causes problems reading because of difficulties distinguishing speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words; hence, decoding the language is what causes the issues. Persons with dyslexia have normal brains and vision, and with specialized education programs, the majority of people with dyslexia can excel in school. Early examination and emotional support, however, are critical for the best possible outcome. Teachers and tutors can help a tremendous amount if they provide tools and support for students with dyslexia in the online classroom.

How to identify students with dyslexia?

It is estimated that 1 in 10 students have some form of dyslexia or other SPLD, so there is likely at least one or two students with a learning difficulty in an average classroom. Recognising the signs of dyslexia can help educators get the best help for their students, as well as equip themselves with the right tools to help the development of their students.

Some characteristics of students with dyslexia are:

Low self-esteem, especially when having to read or otherwise perform in front of their peers
Poor organisational skills, which include misplacing their books or homework
Poor consistency in writing and comprehension, including misunderstanding basic exercises (eg. confusing underline and circle)
Overall slow reading and writing performance

Tips on how to work with students with dyslexia

Even if the learning material is non-specific to any learning difficulties, it can still be adjusted to fit the needs of students with dyslexia. Similarly to a regular classroom, the online classroom environment can also be adjusted to accommodate learners with dyslexia.

Set up the classroom environment

Setting up the classroom environment includes reducing noise and distractions, such as too many visual inputs. If a classroom or worksheet is too busy with images and small exercises, students with dyslexia can often get overwhelmed and distracted, which slows down learning. Try using a different coloured background and text colour, and hide any other tasks that are not currently needed.

Communication

When it comes to communication and interaction, students with dyslexia need clear, easy-to-follow instructions. When assessing students, make sure to give clear, unambiguous feedback, as well as lots of positive feedback.

Classroom tasks

When working with students with dyslexia, it is important to separate the classroom material into smaller tasks. This way, students can hold their focus for longer periods and are less likely to get distracted. Include an overview and repetitive practice after each topic. Recap often, and use a slow, yet lively pace.

Homework and independent study

Giving independent practice to students often helps in teaching them how to stay focused, as well as teaching them valuable time management skills. Students with dyslexia often benefit from asynchronous lessons and voice notes, which help in understanding tasks faster.

How Lessonspace tools can help

At Lessonspace, we are committed to making sure we provide an online learning environment for everyone. Most Lessonspace features are made to help both students and teachers have the best online learning experience. From our education experts, here are some tips and tricks on how to help students with dyslexia learn online on Lessonspace:

Audio and microphone tools

To help reduce distractions, Lessonspace provides an Advanced Noise Cancellation feature, which uses artificial intelligence to reduce background noise in most environments. If you’re in a busy place or have a noisy environment, make sure that both you and other students turn on noise cancellation.

Alternatively, as a teacher, you have the option to mute students who are not actively speaking, to help reduce distractions and noise in the online classroom. When giving students individual tasks, mute all students to create a focused and quiet environment.

Leading Mode

Students with dyslexia need clear, understandable instructions. Use the Lessonspace Leading Mode function to help students navigate the online environment. This helps teachers guide students to the correct whiteboard, which helps reduce anxiety and the risk of falling behind while searching for the correct page.

Whiteboard tools

Cover any parts of the whiteboard using shapes and figures. This way, only the task in the focus will be visible, reducing any unnecessary distractions. Use two “L” shaped objects to hide anything around the exercise. Research has also shown that changing the page or whiteboard background to a yellow-toned shade helps maintain focus when reading.

*Pro tip: If you have a PDF with a white background, try removing the background to make it transparent. This way, changing the background colour of the whiteboard will apply to the PDF page as well. *

Asynchronous lessons and lesson recordings

Students with learning difficulties often benefit from asynchronous learning, as they can easily repeat exercises and listen to the teacher's explanation again. You can share the lesson recordings with students, so they can reference the learning material later, or create a pre-recorded lesson with instructions and timed exercises.

To learn more about Lessonspace and the tools provided for the best online classroom experience, visit our Features page or reach out to us at info@thelessonspace.com.