Dyslexia affects roughly 1 in 5 people. If you tutor long enough, you will work with dyslexic students - many of whom haven't been formally diagnosed.
Dyslexia is not a sign of low intelligence. Dyslexic students often have strong verbal skills, creative thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Their challenge is specific: processing written language. Letters and words don't "click" the way they do for typical readers.
With the right approach, dyslexic students can make dramatic progress. Here's how to tutor them effectively.
Understanding dyslexia
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that primarily affects reading, writing, and spelling. It's neurological - the brain processes written language differently.
What dyslexia IS:
- Difficulty decoding words (sounding them out)
- Slow, effortful reading
- Poor spelling despite good verbal vocabulary
- Difficulty with phonemic awareness (hearing individual sounds in words)
- Letters or words appearing to "move" or "jump" on the page
- Reading comprehension that's lower than listening comprehension
What dyslexia is NOT:
- A vision problem (though vision should be checked)
- Laziness or lack of effort
- Low intelligence
- Something children "grow out of"
- Reading backwards (this is a myth)
Important: You're a tutor, not a diagnostician. If you suspect dyslexia, suggest the parent discuss it with their child's school or a specialist. Don't diagnose.
The gold standard: structured literacy
The most effective approach for dyslexic learners is called structured literacy (sometimes called Orton-Gillingham or multisensory instruction). It's explicit, systematic, and engages multiple senses.
Core principles:
Explicit: Don't assume anything. Teach every rule directly. "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking" - say it, explain it, practice it.
Systematic: Follow a logical sequence. Don't skip steps. Start with single letter sounds → blends → digraphs → syllables → words → sentences.
Multisensory: Engage sight, sound, touch, and movement simultaneously. See the word, say the word, trace the word, hear the word - all at once.
Cumulative: Each lesson builds on the last. Constantly review previously learned material before introducing new content.
Diagnostic: Continuously assess what the student knows and doesn't know. Adjust your pace based on mastery, not a fixed curriculum.
Practical tutoring strategies
1. Multisensory phonics
For every new letter-sound or spelling pattern, use all senses:
See it: Write the letter or word on a whiteboard or card.
Say it: Student says the sound out loud.
Trace it: Student traces the letter with their finger - on the table, in sand, in the air, on textured paper.
Write it: Student writes the letter or word.
Hear it: Student listens to you say the sound and repeats it.
Example exercise:
Teaching the "sh" sound:
1. Show a card with "sh"
2. Say "sh makes the /sh/ sound, like in ship"
3. Student traces "sh" on the table while saying /sh/
4. Student writes "sh" three times while saying the sound
5. Give 5 words: ship, shop, shut, fish, wish - student reads each, underlining "sh"
This feels slow. It is. But for dyslexic learners, this multi-pathway approach is dramatically more effective than just reading words on a page.
2. Decodable texts
Don't give a dyslexic student a grade-level book and ask them to "try their best." Use decodable texts - books specifically written using only phonics patterns the student has already learned.
If the student has learned short vowels and consonant blends, their book should only contain words with those patterns. This ensures they can successfully decode every word, which builds confidence and reinforces skills.
Move to the next level of texts only when the current level is fluent.
3. Sight word practice
Some English words don't follow phonics rules (the, was, said, could). These must be memorized as whole units.
Effective sight word techniques:
- Flashcard drill (brief, daily)
- "Look, say, cover, write, check" - student sees the word, says it, covers it, writes from memory, checks
- Write the word in different colors
- Build the word with letter tiles
- Use the word in a sentence immediately after learning it
Limit to 3-5 new sight words per week. Review previously learned words every session.
4. Spelling strategies
Spelling is often the hardest area for dyslexic students. Traditional methods (memorize a list, take a test Friday) don't work.
What works instead:
Simultaneous oral spelling (SOS): Student says the word, says each letter while writing it, reads the word back. "Cat. C-A-T. Cat." The verbal and written channels reinforce each other.
Syllable division: Teach students to break long words into syllables before spelling. "Remember" → "re-mem-ber." Spell each syllable separately.
Morphology: Teach prefixes, suffixes, and root words. "Unhappiness" = un + happy + ness. Understanding word parts makes spelling logical rather than random.
Spelling rules: Explicitly teach rules that typical readers absorb unconsciously. "When adding -ing to a word ending in silent e, drop the e: make → making."
5. Reading fluency
Dyslexic readers are often slow and choppy. Fluency practice helps:
Repeated reading: Read the same short passage 3-4 times. Speed and accuracy improve with each reading. Track words-per-minute to show progress.
Paired reading: You read a sentence, student reads the next. Model fluency - speed, expression, pausing at punctuation.
Audio-assisted reading: Student reads along while listening to an audiobook at a slightly faster pace. This trains their eyes and brain to process text more quickly.
6. Reading comprehension
Many dyslexic students have strong comprehension when they listen but struggle when reading. The bottleneck is decoding, not understanding.
Strategies:
- Pre-teach vocabulary before reading
- Discuss the topic before reading (activate background knowledge)
- Read the text aloud to the student first, then have them read it
- Use graphic organizers (story maps, timelines) to structure understanding
- Ask comprehension questions orally, not in writing
As decoding improves, comprehension follows naturally.
Lesson structure for dyslexic students
A 60-minute session:
Review (10 min): Flashcard drill of known sounds, sight words, and spelling words. Quick and confidence-building.
New phonics concept (15 min): Introduce one new pattern using multisensory methods. Practice with word lists and sentences.
Reading practice (15 min): Decodable text at the student's current level. Focus on fluency and accuracy.
Spelling practice (10 min): SOS method with words using today's pattern plus review words.
Comprehension or writing (10 min): Discussion of what they read, or a short writing exercise using learned words.
Key principle: Never rush. Mastery before moving on. A dyslexic student who fully masters one phonics pattern has a better foundation than one who's been exposed to ten patterns but mastered none.
Tools and resources
For structured literacy:
- Wilson Reading System - structured program for dyslexic learners
- Barton Reading and Spelling - designed for non-teachers to use
- Orton-Gillingham approach - the foundational method (many programs are based on it)
For practice:
- Letter tiles or magnetic letters (for word building)
- Sand trays or textured surfaces (for tracing)
- Colored overlays (some dyslexic readers find colored paper easier than white)
- Audiobooks (Audible, Libby from your library)
- Text-to-speech tools (for homework support)
For assessment:
- Running records (track accuracy and self-corrections)
- Words-per-minute tracking (measure fluency progress monthly)
- Spelling inventories (identify which patterns are mastered)
Working with parents
Parents of dyslexic children are often anxious. They've seen their child struggle and may have been told conflicting things by teachers, doctors, and the internet.
What to communicate:
- Dyslexia is not their fault or the child's fault
- Progress will be real but may be slower than they hope
- Consistency matters more than intensity - 4 sessions per week of 15 minutes beats 1 session of 60 minutes
- Home practice is essential: 10-15 minutes of reading together daily
What to suggest at home:
- Read aloud to the child every day (even if they can read themselves - it builds vocabulary and comprehension)
- Audiobooks alongside physical books
- No timed reading tests at home (these cause anxiety)
- Celebrate effort and progress, not grades
Zutor tip: Use lesson notes to track which phonics patterns, sight words, and books you've covered. Share progress with parents monthly using Zutor's report card feature. Visible progress keeps parents engaged and confident in the process.
When to refer
Some dyslexic students need more than tutoring:
- Educational psychologist: For formal diagnosis and accommodation recommendations
- Speech-language pathologist: If oral language issues accompany the reading difficulty
- Occupational therapist: If handwriting is significantly impaired
- School special education team: For IEP or 504 plan accommodations
A formal diagnosis can unlock school accommodations (extended test time, audiobooks, text-to-speech) that make a huge difference.
Rates for dyslexia tutoring
Specialized dyslexia tutoring commands premium rates:
- General reading tutoring with dyslexia awareness: $40-70/hour
- Structured literacy / Orton-Gillingham trained: $60-100/hour
- Certified dyslexia specialist: $80-130/hour
If you're interested in specializing, consider getting Orton-Gillingham training or a similar certification. The investment pays for itself quickly through higher rates and a steady stream of referrals - parents of dyslexic children actively seek out trained tutors and recommend them to other families.
Every dyslexic student can learn to read
Dyslexia is a lifelong difference, but it's not a barrier to success. With the right instruction - explicit, systematic, multisensory, and patient - dyslexic students can become confident, capable readers.
Your role as a tutor is to provide what the classroom often can't: individualized, structured instruction at exactly the right pace. That makes all the difference.
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