Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Ever watch your child stare at a page, trying so hard but the words just won’t click? It’s heartbreaking—and you know they’re smart. Their brain just takes a different path to learning.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to teach reading to students with learning disabilities using science-backed and brain-based strategies that help struggling readers connect the dots, build confidence, and finally find their flow.
How Can You Identify Reading Challenges and Early Signs in Students with Learning Disabilities?
Before any reading strategy can truly help, we have to understand where and why a child’s reading starts to break down.
A comprehensive reading assessment—through school or a qualified learning specialist—shows whether the challenge lies in phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension, or a mix of all these areas.
Some children also have what’s called a non-verbal learning disability (NVLD)—where verbal skills are strong, but visual-spatial, organizational, and social understanding can be harder. These kids may read words fluently yet struggle to grasp what they’ve read or to follow visual information on a page.
Watch for these early clues that may signal underlying struggles:
- Frequent guessing or skipping words
- Trouble remembering letter sounds or sight words
- Avoiding reading tasks or becoming easily frustrated
Parent Story:
Sarah, mom of a 10-year-old with dyslexia, once believed her son just needed “more practice.” But a formal evaluation revealed phonological-awareness gaps—insight that completely changed their path. With the right plan, reading no longer felt impossible.
Assessments don’t label your child—they liberate them. They replace guilt with clarity and give you a clear roadmap forward.
Research confirms that when we tailor instruction to a child’s unique brain and strengths, learning accelerates and confidence grows (Spooner et al., 2012).
How Can You Create a Supportive Learning Environment for Students with Learning Disabilities?
Learning can’t grow in chaos. When the brain feels unsafe, it builds walls instead of bridges. Calm breaks those walls down and opens the door to:
- connection
- memory
- growth
Here are simple shifts that make a big difference:
- Set up a cozy, distraction-free reading corner
- Keep sessions short—10 to 15 minutes of calm focus beats an hour of frustration
- Begin with grounding—deep breathing, gentle stretches, or light movement
- Praise effort, not perfection—progress starts with courage, not flawlessness
When calm comes first, confidence and reading begin to bloom.
How Can You Choose the Right Reading Materials for Your Child with Learning Disabilities?
Kids with learning differences thrive when reading feels doable—not defeating. The right book can shift the nervous system from stress to success, turning frustration into focus and sparking a genuine love for learning.
Choose:
- Decodable books that match taught phonics patterns
- High-interest and low-readability texts that build confidence fast
- Stories tied to their passions
- sports
- animals
- outer space
- anything that lights them up
Avoid dense, lengthy passages that trigger stress or shutdown. When reading feels safe and success is within reach, calm settles in. With calm, motivation and confidence begin to bloom.
How Can Multisensory Reading Techniques Help Students with Learning Disabilities?
Multisensory reading brings learning alive. It lights up visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways all at once—like turning on three parts of a city instead of one quiet street.
Kids don’t just memorize sounds or letters; they experience them. They feel them, hear them, and see them dance across their minds—and that’s when real learning starts to stick.
Try weaving in a few playful, brain-boosting ideas:
- Trace letters in sand while saying the sounds out loud—texture helps the brain anchor memory.
- Skywrite words with sweeping arm motions to build focus and body awareness.
- Color-code vowel teams or blends so patterns pop and reading feels fun, not forced.
Brains crave movement and sensory variety. When we mix sound, sight, and touch, the nervous system settles, retention rises, and frustration fades.
How Can Breaking Reading into Smaller Skills Help Struggling Readers Progress?
Big goals can overwhelm a dysregulated brain. Kids who struggle with reading often need to start smaller—focusing on micro-skills that build calm, confidence, and momentum over time.
Here’s how the pieces fit together:
- Phonemic awareness – hearing and playing with sounds
- Phonics – connecting sounds with letters
- Fluency – building pace and expression while reading
- Vocabulary and comprehension – deepening understanding and meaning
Keep activities short, calm, and focused. Begin with blending just two sounds before moving into full words. Every tiny success strengthens the brain’s learning pathways.
Small, steady steps spark confidence—that’s where real growth begins.
Why Do Children with Reading Disabilities Need Explicit and Structured Instruction?
Kids with reading challenges crave clarity, not confusion. Guessing their way through words only fuels frustration. What they truly need is a clear, step-by-step path—a GPS for the brain that guides every sound, letter, and meaning home.
Structured literacy provides that roadmap. It builds skills layer by layer until confidence takes root.
This method focuses on:
- Explicit phonics instruction that’s step-by-step and systematic
- Immediate, gentle feedback that corrects without shame
- Ongoing review and cumulative practice that solidifies learning
At home, sit beside your child and sound out new words together—slowly, patiently, without pressure.
- Model decoding aloud so their brain can mirror the process. In school, advocate for programs grounded in the science of reading, such as Orton-Gillingham or Wilson Reading System.
- These approaches don’t rely on luck; they teach kids how reading truly works.
When we calm the brain first, everything else follows. Structure replaces struggle, confidence blooms, and reading stops feeling like a battlefield. Instead, it becomes a bridge—to understanding, connection, and pride.
How Can You Help Your Child Build a Growth Mindset for Reading?
When reading feels like climbing a mountain, many kids whisper, “I’m just not good at this.” You can almost hear the discouragement tucked inside those words.
Your calm response can rewrite that story faster than any worksheet ever could. A regulated brain can learn—a stressed one can’t.
Encourage progress over perfection:
- Replace “I can’t” with “I can’t yet”
- Celebrate small wins and steady effort
- Stay calm when mistakes happen—kids mirror your energy and nervous system
Real-Life Story:
Ben, age 10, used to duck behind his chair whenever reading time began. His teacher started ending each session with, “What’s one thing you did better today?” Slowly, his shoulders lifted. A few weeks later, he was the first to raise his hand.
When we calm the brain and focus on progress, confidence blooms—and learning follows naturally.
How Can Assistive Technology Support Struggling Readers?
Technology can be a powerful bridge—helping kids build skills and independence without the overwhelm. When used intentionally, it supports the brain while real learning takes root.
Try these brain-friendly tools:
- Text-to-speech programs like Natural Reader or Learning Ally to reduce decoding fatigue
- Audiobooks paired with print reading so kids can see and hear words simultaneously
- Speech-to-text tools to ease writing frustration and keep ideas flowing
- Decodable apps such as Nessy or ReadWorks to reinforce structured literacy skills in fun, interactive ways
Technology should never replace connection or instruction—it should enhance them. When calm and confidence come first, these tools can turn reading practice into progress.
Here are some assistive tools for reading and writing:
| Tool | What It Does | Best For |
| Text-to-Speech | Reads text aloud while highlighting words | Decoding support |
| Audiobooks | Provide auditory input | Building fluency + comprehension |
| Word Prediction | Suggests next word | Writing and spelling help |
How Can You Individualize Reading Instruction for Your Child?
Every brain learns in its own rhythm. Some kids race ahead while others move at a slower beat. That difference isn’t a flaw. In fact, it’s the beauty of how learning unfolds.
When we stay calm and flexible, the brain feels safe, and growth begins to happen naturally.
Try these:
- Adjust the reading pace until your child feels steady and confident
- Blend approaches with multisensory play, structured phonics, and helpful tech tools
- Revisit progress every few weeks to celebrate wins and fine-tune what needs work
That’s how we meet a child’s brain where it truly is, not where we wish it were. When calm leads the way, learning stops feeling like a climb and starts feeling like a dance—connected, light, and alive.
How Can Collaboration with Support Services Improve Reading Outcomes for Children with Learning Disabilities?
Reading growth happens faster when everyone works as a team. Collaboration creates consistency, and consistency builds calm—and that’s when real learning sticks.
Include:
- Classroom teachers
- Special-education professionals
- Reading specialists
- Occupational or speech-language therapists
Schedule regular check-ins and share updates so goals stay aligned and support feels seamless. When school and home connect, progress accelerates—because calm, consistent teamwork strengthens the nervous system and the skill system.
Research reminds us that successful reading instruction for students with learning disabilities requires a holistic, individualized approach, not just an IEP (Catone & Brady, 2005). This is one of the most effective strategies on how to teach reading to students with learning disabilities.
Every calm, connected adult helps the child’s brain feel safe enough to learn.
Parent Action Steps
FAQs
Can a child with dyslexia really learn to read?
Absolutely. With structured literacy, consistent support, and a regulated nervous system, most children with dyslexia make remarkable progress.
How long will it take to see results?
Some children improve in a few months; others take a year or more. Celebrate small wins—every sound and word mastered matters.
Should I push daily practice?
Short, consistent sessions (10–20 minutes) beat long, stressful marathons. Keep reading positive.
What if my child resists reading?
Use high-interest topics, read aloud together, or try audiobooks first. Reduce pressure and focus on enjoyment.
Citations
Catone, W. V., & Brady, S. A. (2005). The inadequacy of individual educational program (IEP) goals for high school students with word-level reading difficulties. Annals of Dyslexia, 55(1), 53–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-005-0004-9
Spooner, F., Knight, V. F., Browder, D. M., & Smith, B. R. (2012). Evidence-Based Practice for Teaching Academics to Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 33(6), 374–387. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932511421634
Dr. Roseann is a mental health expert in Learning Disorder who frequently is in the media:
- Business Insider Your kids could get the coronavirus when they go back to school. These are the risks and benefits to weigh before sending them.
- CBS (Video) Learning From Home During Quarantine
- CBS (Video) Student Learning Resources Quarantine
Always remember… “Calm Brain, Happy Family™”
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results.
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