How to Teach Learners With Dyslexia Well

A learner who can explain a complex process clearly in conversation but struggles to get the same knowledge onto paper is not showing a lack of ability. They may be meeting a barrier in the way learning, instructions or assessment have been designed. To teach learners with dyslexia well, particularly in further education, adult learning and workplace training, starts with seeing the learner’s strengths as clearly as their support needs.

Dyslexia is commonly associated with differences in reading, spelling and processing written language. It can also affect working memory, sequencing, note-taking and the speed at which someone can process information. These experiences vary widely. One learner may read slowly but communicate confidently; another may find technical vocabulary, written instructions or timed tasks particularly demanding.

The aim is not to lower standards. It is to make the route to those standards clearer, fairer and more accessible.

Teach learners with dyslexia by removing avoidable barriers

The most effective adjustments are often small changes made before the lesson begins. If instructions are delivered quickly, only once, and as a dense block of text, many learners will have to spend their energy decoding the task rather than completing it. A clear, structured approach gives every learner a better chance to participate.

Start by making lesson aims visible and specific. Explain what learners will know or be able to do by the end of the session, then break the activity into manageable stages. Numbered instructions, short sentences and generous spacing can make a significant difference. Avoid asking learners to find essential information buried in a long handout or crowded slide.

It also helps to give instructions in more than one format. Say them aloud, show them on screen and provide a written version that learners can revisit. This is not repetition for its own sake. It gives learners time to process the task and reduces the risk that a missed word becomes a missed learning opportunity.

Check understanding without putting someone on the spot. Rather than asking, “Does everyone understand?”, invite learners to explain the first step to a partner, annotate an example, or show a response on a mini whiteboard. These approaches reveal whether your explanation has worked while protecting confidence.

Plan for clarity, not simplification

Inclusive teaching does not mean making content less demanding. A Level 3 learner on a construction course, for example, may need to understand complex health and safety requirements. The professional expectation remains high. What may need to change is how new terminology is introduced, practised and recalled.

Pre-teach key vocabulary before a demanding text or demonstration. Give the term, a plain-English explanation, an image or practical example, and a chance to use it in context. Technical words become easier to retain when they are connected to real tasks rather than presented as a list to memorise.

Model the thinking process as well as the finished answer. If learners need to write a report, complete an observation record or answer an exam-style question, show them what a successful response looks like. Talk through how you identify the command word, select relevant evidence and organise the answer. A worked example is often more useful than telling learners simply to “be more detailed”.

Where possible, separate the difficulty of the subject from the difficulty of reading. If you are assessing a learner’s understanding of an electrical procedure, lengthy and unnecessarily complex wording can distort the result. Use precise language, but make the task wording direct. This supports valid assessment without reducing the knowledge or skill being assessed.

Give learners time to process and rehearse

Fast-paced teaching can unintentionally favour those who process language quickly. Build in short pauses after explanations and before questions. Allow time for learners to discuss an idea, jot down keywords or rehearse an answer before sharing it with the group.

This matters in online teaching too. In a virtual classroom, send key resources in advance where appropriate and use the chat, polls and shared documents as alternatives to rapid spoken responses. Recordings can be valuable for revision, provided learners know where to find the relevant section and the material is well organised.

Use technology purposefully

Assistive technology can increase independence, but it works best when learners are taught how and when to use it. Text-to-speech may help a learner access longer reading; speech-to-text can support planning and drafting; spelling and grammar tools can reduce the burden of transcription. Coloured overlays or changes to font size and spacing may also help some individuals.

However, no tool is right for everyone. A learner may find text-to-speech distracting, or may prefer to listen to short sections while following printed text. Technology should be offered as a choice, not imposed as a label. The focus should remain on the learning outcome and on helping the learner develop strategies they can use beyond your classroom.

Be mindful that digital materials can create barriers too. Slides packed with text, scanned PDFs that cannot be read aloud and resources with unclear file names are difficult to navigate. Provide accessible documents, use meaningful headings and make sure essential information is not conveyed through colour alone.

Build an assessment approach that is fair and rigorous

Assessment anxiety is common when learners have previously been judged mainly by spelling speed or written fluency. Clear preparation can change that experience. Share marking criteria early, unpack what each criterion means and provide opportunities to practise using it on an anonymised example.

Reasonable adjustments may be appropriate, depending on the assessment rules and the learner’s needs. These can include extra time, the use of a reader or assistive technology, or an alternative way to evidence learning where this does not alter the competence being assessed. Awarding organisation requirements and centre procedures must always guide decisions.

Give feedback that distinguishes between the quality of thinking and the accuracy of written expression. If spelling is not part of the criterion, do not allow it to overshadow a strong technical answer. At the same time, where accurate written communication is an essential professional requirement, teach it explicitly and provide structured practice. Fairness is not avoiding challenge. It is being transparent about what is being assessed and supporting learners to meet it.

Create a classroom where learners can ask for support

Many adults with dyslexia have spent years developing ways to hide difficulty. They may avoid reading aloud, delay asking questions or assume that they are “not academic”. A respectful classroom culture can interrupt that pattern.

Use inclusive routines for everyone rather than singling out one learner. Provide slides before the session where possible, allow note-taking in different forms, and offer time to revisit instructions. Do not require learners to read aloud without warning. If a learner discloses dyslexia, ask what has helped them previously and agree practical strategies together. They are the expert in their own experience.

It is equally important to hold ambitious expectations. Learners should hear that dyslexia does not define their intelligence, professional potential or ability to gain a recognised qualification. With skilled teaching, appropriate adjustments and consistent practice, they can demonstrate what they know.

For trainee and practising teachers, this is where reflective practice matters. Notice which explanations produce confident engagement, which resources create hesitation, and whose voices are missing from discussion. A lesson observation, learner feedback or review of assessment outcomes can offer useful evidence for improving your approach. Teacher Training UK’s Level 5 Diploma in Teaching encourages this connection between educational theory, classroom practice and the real learners in front of you.

When teaching is planned with clarity, choice and high expectations, learners with dyslexia do not have to spend their energy navigating preventable obstacles. They can direct it towards learning, contributing and moving confidently towards their next goal.