The following tips & strategies were designed to help parents and families who live with a child affected by learning disabilities. As you scroll down, you will see we have provided useful tips that may work with certain individuals, and for others, different strategies are required. 

Overall Homework Strategies

• Show/help a child with homework is better than letting him agonize through it himself.
• It may take several explanations and reviews for the child to master it.
• Make sure the student understands the directions before she does the work.
• Break assignments into smaller pieces.
• Start the first few problems together.
• Consider allowing the student to use a word processor/laptop. This allows the child to focus on ideas rather than letter formation or handwriting.
• It may be helpful to provide the parents with class assignments and their due dates, expectations, etc.
• Create a homework book for the parents and teachers to use to communicate the work, the behavior and the expectations. Include in it the names and telephone numbers of classmates in case there are any questions about homework or assignments.
• Be consistent and post rules/regulations and boundaries in the classroom where the child can see.
• When using the blackboard use color-codes to prioritize work.
• Leave space between words and allow the information posted on the blackboard to stay written for extended periods.

Reading Disability (dyslexia)

• Steps involved in reading include decoding(phonological dysfunction appears to be the root problem for most people with dyslexia), comprehension and retention.
• Check to see if child is reading often. If not, have the child read to you in private.
• Teach phonics from the beginning.
• Point out words which are everywhere.
• Give reading material at a level which encourages a sense of mastery.
• Use multi-sensory approach (make letters in air, make letters with clay).
• Teach to sight read commonly used words (Fry’s Word List – http://www.makereadingfirst.com/word_list.pdf
• Lessen the stress of reading out loud.
• Allow the student to practice the passage in advance, do not correct minor mistakes and make sure no one criticizes.
• Utilize books on tape to familiarize the child with material s/he will read.
• Keep reading to the child.
• Provide reading in advance and go over difficult words.
• Give the class 20 minutes of reading every day.
• Allow the child to read “under their breath” .
• Consider using pastel-coloured paper.
• Use large print.
• Keep it fun!

Mathematics Disorder

• Break instructions into small chunks.
• Give instructions slowly.
• Distribute practice into multiple, short sessions (15 minutes each).
• Allow the student to master smaller groups of calculations at a time.
• Emphasize that there are many of the same problems that are just in a different order (2x3=3x2).
• Consider accommodative strategies such as a calculator.
• Have the student explain the math process to themselves or to others.
• This helps clarify and integrate the material.
• Have students self verbalize what the problem is asking them to do.
• Teach the child to talk himself through each step of a problem.
• Use words to describe what most of us “see”. For example, most of us see something with three sides and instantly visualize a triangle. Students with visual-spatial problems may need to be told “I have counted three sides. This must make a triangle.
• Supplement instruction with concrete manipulatives.
• Use graph paper for those with graphomotor problems.
• Use lots and lots of space in handouts.
• Encourage students to show their work in a vertical fashion.

Writing Disorder

• Consider liberal use of laptop.
• Give extra points for neatness but minimize deductions for messiness (let’s keep it positive).
• Provide student with alternative ways of getting notes (copy of peer’s notes, teacher’s notes).
• Consider referring the child to occupational therapy for handwriting problems.
• Give exams orally, or allow use of a scribe (remember, the goal is the child’s knowledge, not writing skills).

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