Top tips to prepare for the return to school
For children, the school holidays are the best thing since sliced bread. All day at home, with no early start, its heaven.
But for dyslexic children at school, essential routine and structure may relax. We recommend gradually reintroducing this back into their day, so they’re ready for the first day back. Here’s how.
Return to routine
Routine is important for dyslexic learners. Introducing a routine before returning to school will help ease any anxiety your child might feel about going back.
It is best to gradually transition to a school-year routine to help your child adapt smoothly into school life.
Routine tasks such as setting the alarm clock, eating at a set time and reintroducing bedtime are all essential.
Reading practice
Reading might be the last thing on a child’s mind during the school holidays. There are so many entertainment options readily available.
However, maintaining that momentum is essential for a dyslexic learner.
Try encouraging summer reading and continue it into the school year, selecting books of interest at an appropriate reading level.
Not a fan of books? Why not try and get your child to write a recipe or read out instructions to a game?
Take a visit to your local library to choose something different, make reading exciting. If you haven’t got a library nearby, search for dyslexic friendly books on Amazon for their recommendations by age.
Memory boosters
Rainy day? Why not play a round of Bingo?
Engage your child in memory-boosting activities or games that enhance their recall skills. Get into the practice of playing these games, so your child is ready for school to start.
Get inspiration from our blog on word games that dyslexic children can play at home. We share a selection of ways you can help dyslexic learners understand how to interpret words and letters over the summer holidays.
Develop organisational skills
For any child, organising workloads can be an intimidating task. We recommend helping your child to develop their organisational skills through the use of calendars and planners.
These will help them to break tasks down into smaller chunks, helping those who struggle with time management.
This also contributes to the transition of primary school to secondary school, helping the workload to seem less daunting.
Organised supplies
‘Dad, where’s my pencil sharpener?’
Every year your child might need some support getting new stationery, for some of us it is a weekly occurrence. Either way, helping them get organised for back to school is important.
Assist your child in organising school supplies for easy access, promoting efficient notetaking, and studying.
Open communication
Finally, and more important than any other tip, is being there for your child. Supporting their mental health.
Create a time and space where your child can talk openly about any worries they might have. Quite often, this is easiest done whilst carrying out a shared activity, such as baking a cake.
Dyslexic or not, all children will feel some level of worry about going into a new school year. Help your child to understand that it’s completely normal to feel worried and that you are there to help them practically and emotionally.
Our blog, 5 ways to support your child’s mental health shares how you can create an ongoing, open conversation with your child.
Conclusion
Back to school is a big event in the yearly calendar. For dyslexic learners, who are more likely to feel worried and anxious about the return, there are lots of easy, practical steps you can take to support them. Getting into a good routine, keeping up reading practice, playing memory games, and supporting your child both practically and emotionally will help them grow and develop into the dyslexic superhero they were born to be.
About Dyslexia First
At Dyslexia First we want to help those who are living with dyslexia to enjoy life and the opportunities it brings. We are relentlessly positive about dyslexia.
If you would like to talk further about dyslexia and discuss assessment for children or adults, please get in touch.
Getting assessed by a qualified practitioner is crucial to getting the correct diagnosis and accessing the help and support you need for your child. Always check an assessor’s qualifications at: SpLD Assessment Standards Committee website.
Editors note: This post was originally published in 2023 and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
