3: Dyslexia Alexia

Dear Anne: My daughter has dyslexia—how am I supposed to homeschool her? Do I need a special curriculum or use the same books as my other students?-Dyslexia Alexia

Dear Dyslexia Alexia: I am in the same boat you are, homeschooling a kiddo with dyslexia. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to change your curriculum—just the approach to how you use it. For example, rather than give your daughter an assignment that requires her to read a book and write an essay, consider amending the assignment to reach the same goal through a different means; give her the book in audio version and ask her to deliver her essay either as an oral report or using tech that enables her to dictate her ideas into a document. The accommodations will depend on how her brain processes information. The best thing you can do to support your dyslexic student is to locate a speech and language therapist—either through your school district or insurance company—who can meet with your student weekly to to help her develop skills for learning new ways to process language, as well as recommend how to amend your learning approach at home. Yes, I did say “school district.” Not everyone knows this, but as a local taxpayer homeschoolers still have equal access to all the supports of their local school district—even if their children are not enrolled in public school. Some of the greatest thinkers, artists, and world leaders have been dyslexic. Homeschooling is a fantastic environment to customize a great education to any child’s needs. I encourage you to seek professional help to ensure you and your student are getting the support you need to help her achieve her best at home.