Making the transition to school or uni can be challenging for all students, but offers extra challenges for students with dyslexia. These students will often have had tools and supports to get them through school that may not have made the transition with them. These are some simple steps you can take to support your students with dyslexia to achieve their best.

Get a tutor
The Access and Equity unit should be able to link you in with a tutor usually at no cost or a small cost that can help you. You can also access tutors through organisations such as the Tutor Association Australia or SPELD. Both organisations offer services in each State and Territory and fees apply.

Reading lists
• Everyone gets a reading list, but distinguishing the essential reading in that list from the useful-but- not-critical reading is really useful for students who can feel overwhelmed by a long list of heavy reading.
• Get in early! The more time your students who have dyslexia have with their reading list the more it will benefit them.
• Tailor your list. Providing guidance on key texts is very helpful to contextualise the reading for students who have dyslexia.
• Allow for deep focus. An in-depth study of a small number of texts is often more manageable than a broad study of many.

Procedures and processes
• When you require work that needs a sequence of steps to be followed, ensure your sequence is clear. Provide the steps verbally and in writing to allow students to refer to.

Assistive technology
• You might notice that some of your students use assistive technology to support their learning. This family of technologies is frequently growing and changing, talk to your student about what they use if you’re curious.
Variety is the spice of life – and learning
• Wherever possible, present your material in more than one way. If it’s projected or written on a whiteboard, talk the material through as well. Handouts, worksheets, overheads and videos are all great. It’s also important to note that many people who have dyslexia particularly struggle with whiteboards.
• Variety isn’t just important for mode of teaching delivery, but also for method. Using a variety of methods helps to avoid students feeling restricted to reading to find what they need. Diagrams are also great – lists, flow charts and concept maps are all useful.

Download Supporting Students with Dyslexia in Higher Education Factsheet

For more information on teaching and assessment strategies, see the Australian Disability Clearinghouse

Learn more about dyslexia and how you can help to provide a supportive environment at work and school in our other factsheets and at www.deardyslexic.com