17 Learning Resources For Kids With Dyslexia
Author: Casey Wise
Last update: 3/3/2023
Introduction
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects between 5 and 15 percent of all Americans; that's roughly 14.5 to 43.5 million children and adults. In case you're unaware of what dyslexia is, it's a disorder that makes reading, parts of speech, and spelling harder, regardless of a person's ability or perceived intelligence. Sounds and learning how they correlate to letters and words becomes more of a task for a person with dyslexia compared to the average person, but that doesn't mean they can’t succeed in life or have successful careers. Thanks to modern technology and the availability of apps and resources, it’s much easier for those with the disorder to learn and improve their comprehension skills. In this article, we are going to explore 17 of the best learning resources for people with dyslexia; from reading tools to listening exercises, we've got you covered. Let's jump right in.
Resources
Dyslexia comes with many challenges, but one is actually putting pen to paper. At a young age, it can be hard to develop this particular skill, but luckily, Academised is here to help. With a bunch of online courses, lessons, and even the possibility of tutorship, those struggling to write can get the help they need to put their thoughts down in pen.
Define time is a wonderful game that challenges children's comprehension in a fun and engaging way. Whether you're struggling with homonyms, parts of speech, or pronunciation of particular words, Define Time makes the learning experience much more enjoyable. Racing against the clock also adds a real competition element; why not try it out yourself?
Released in September 2020, Starfall is a free public service game designed to help people with learning difficulties and dyslexia improve their comprehension skills. Starfall emphasizes the importance of phonemic awareness, systematic sequential phonics, and common sight words, all presented within a clear, colorful web platform.
Discipline is an often underrated part of the learning experience for people with dyslexia, and as much as the focus should be on enjoying the work you do, sticking to targets can really help. Easy Word Count helps reduce procrastination and monitors how much work actually gets done, making sure you hit those all so important milestones.
Creating a varied and interesting learning process for a child with dyslexia can be a challenge, but with the world of audiobooks being so accessible, content is never too far away. Spreadsong, a free app, can open up many avenues of inspiration and get your child interested in learning new things.
As a parent, it may sometimes be difficult to properly support your child when it comes to written work. Luckily, Paper Fellows is a fantastic site with a huge community of experts and professionals available on lots of different forums. Whether you're looking for advice or inspiration, check out what they have to offer.
The BBC's teaching and learning hub is filled to the brim with great resources for anyone - including maths and English aids for both kids and adults. The site is frequently updated with fresh content and has a fantastic range of lessons aimed at parent and child home learning.
Nessy is a fantastic learning resource aimed squarely at those with dyslexia. Nessy has been used in 10,000 schools worldwide and has readily available research and testimonials for interested parents. With games, phonic sound cards, and informative articles about the issues surrounding teaching a child with dyslexia, it's a must-visit site.
It's no secret that learning through play is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help any child retain information. Fun Brain is simple to navigate and broken into grade level and type - Books, Videos and Games. While other sites suffer from messy designs or outdated software, Fun Brain's simple look and varied content prove hard to beat.
Developed by the CAST team at Boise State University, this application was made to help kids when searching Google for information. Tailored to the skills and needs of children aged 6-11 years old, it's also a perfect match for anyone who needs a little helping hand when it comes to spelling. After all, we've all had the frustrating moment when you can't even partially remember the correct spelling for the world we're looking for.
Audiobooks are an excellent alternative for those who find reading challenging. If you've taken an interest in audiobooks, but you haven't got the budget for a paid subscription, then Project Gutenberg might just be the site for you. With over 60,000 pieces of work, Project Gutenberg offers an enormous catalog while being completely free. With constant updates, this site relies on hard-working people and crowdfunding, which if you find yourself able, you can contribute towards too.
Built on a philosophy that dyslexia isn't a difficulty but rather a different way of approaching the world, Omoguru's team of speech therapists, designers, typographers, and innovators are busy finding new ways to deliver a satisfying reading experience for people with dyslexia and those with other reading difficulties. Truly modern with a desire to find new solutions through science, Omoguru is well worth checking out and is already garnering plaudits.
College-Cram offers an army of experienced writers (all with Ph.D. and master’s degrees) to assist with or write essays for those who struggle. All papers are double-checked, and they offer 24/7 support if you have any questions. Additionally, with their quizzes and Smartacus Study Sheets™, they also can help build your confidence and reviewing skills.
Your child finding reading online difficult? Have no fear; NaturalReader is here! Simply upload a document or paste some text, and the tool will read it back to you in high quality, crystal-clear sound. You can even save the audio as an mp3 to enjoy it on the move. What's not to love?
The nicest looking resource on this list, Me Books is a beautifully illustrated app with the aim of inspiring a new generation of storytellers. Already used by millions the world over, the app is recommended by the United Kingdom’s National Literacy Trust and offers over 300 interactive books to enjoy. Kids can even narrate along with the patented Me Books "Draw and Record" feature.
Idea Sketch is a visual mind-mapping app to help users organize their ideas visually using webs. This is handy for those who have trouble formatting clear and concise thought processes in words and need a visual element added to their learning to help them unscramble their ideas and organize them better. Users can change font size, color, and the shapes of their word webs in the free version, with further editing options available in the paid version.
Perfect for students, SoundNote tracks what you type and draw WHILE recording audio. Now, if you lose the meaning - or have absolutely no idea what your notes mean a few days later - you can just tap the word, and SoundNote will jump to that point in the audio when you wrote it. Notes can be shared via email or downloaded to both Mac and PC.