Summer Learning Ideas
Jul 26, 2024
The #1 task in parenting dyslexia is to provide emotional support and preserve your child's spirit.
The second most important task is educational and reading support. Yes your child gets a lot of this from school, and yes you need to help them with homework. But when it comes to parent roles in the education of dyslexic child, building background knowledge and vocabulary should be your top priorities. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, then read the Two Ways to Improve Reading Without Books blog first.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting flashcards or vocabulary quizzes.
Some ways to expose kids to new vocabulary without seeming too "school-y":
Write the words on colorful sticky notes and just hang them around the house. Just seeing the words around will help recognition in the future, and also will remind the adults in the house to try to use these words in conversation every now and again.
- Have a word of the day/week and see how many times you can use the word.
- Let your kids quiz you on how to spell the words (some of them are tricky!).
- Let your kids quiz you on the definitions (are you smarter than a 5th grader??)
To make your life a little easier I've brainstormed some ideas on common topics in the elementary school curriculums (approximately 3rd-5th grade). I've broken them down into ideas about ways to get some background knowledge and a list of age-appropriate vocabulary.
ENJOY!
