How Can I Help My Dyslexic Learner at Home?

Watching your dyslexic child struggle with reading is hard. The good news is there’s a lot you can do at home, in small daily moments, to help.

Read with your child

Make reading a joint venture. Reading aloud together (the sports page, a recipe, an instruction manual, a science magazine) shows your child how reading actually shows up in everyday life, not just in school.

Model the joy of reading

Let your child see you enjoy a novel, the newspaper, or a magazine. Try dedicating 15 device-free minutes after dinner where the whole family curls up on the sofa, each reading their own book. Struggling readers need to see that reading is worth the effort, not just another task to get through.

Read to your child

This matters even more for a struggling reader. Model how to decode or “unpack” a new word, point out small words hiding inside bigger ones, and ask questions as you go: who, where, why, when, how, and “what if?” This builds comprehension even while decoding is still hard work.

Listen to your child read

Fluent reading depends on building a list of words your child can recognize automatically, and that only happens when a word is read correctly, multiple times, ideally in context. Reading a word incorrectly short-circuits that process, so listening in lets you gently correct misread words before they become a habit. If a passage feels overwhelming and your child is losing the meaning, try alternating sentences: you read one, they read the next. It gives them a break while keeping them connected to the story.

Help your school support your child

Ask your child’s teacher if you can preview any in-class oral reading passages at home the night before. Take turns reading the section together. It builds understanding of the material and confidence for reading aloud in front of classmates the next day.

For longer reading assignments, audiobooks can help: most local libraries have large collections available for free.

Get evidence-based tutoring

Everyday support at home matters, but it works best alongside structured, evidence-based instruction. Online Reading Tutor uses the Orton-Gillingham method, and we’ve helped learners all over the world reach their reading goals.

Take our free 10-minute screener to find out where your child stands and what kind of support could help most.