Dyslexia doesn’t just affect the child—it impacts the whole family. If your child has—or you suspect they may have—dyslexia, here are ways you, as a parent or caregiver, can take action, partner with educators, and build a reading-positive home.
1. Use Audiobooks to Bridge the Access Gap
One of the most powerful supports for children with dyslexia is human-read audiobooks. Think of them as a ramp—a tool that allows access to grade-level content while they build decoding and reading skills.
Learning Ally offers a vast, accessible library of audiobooks designed for students with dyslexia and other reading challenges.
Audiobooks help by:
- Letting students follow along (listen + read) so they can focus on comprehension
- Exposing them to richer vocabulary and more complex texts than they can decode independently
- Boosting confidence because they can “keep up” with peers
- Reducing frustration or resistance to reading assignments
You can support this at home by:
- Encouraging daily audiobook use (20 minutes or more)
- Letting your child pick books they find interesting
- Discussing what they listened to (summary, favorite parts, questions)
🎧 Sample a Learning Ally Audiobook
2. Learn About Dyslexia & Advocate Confidently
Understanding dyslexia is a powerful step families can take. External research also supports the value of parent and caregiver education. For example:
- A systematic review found that parent-involved interventions (i.e., training, home strategies) produce meaningful gains in academic outcomes for children with specific learning disabilities. Taylor & Francis Online
- Another study showed that parental support interventions improved parents’ emotional well-being and coping, which, in turn, supported children’s academic, behavioral, and social outcomes. PMC
As a parent, you can use that understanding to:
- Ask informed questions in IEP or support meetings
- Advocate for accommodations (audiobooks, extra time, decodable texts)
- Share best practices and learn alongside teachers
3. Create a Dyslexia-Friendly Home Environment
Small environmental changes can make a big difference in your child’s reading experience and self-confidence. Some suggestions:
- Set up a quiet, dedicated reading area free of distractions
- Create a read-aloud routine, and be sure to incorporate think-alouds as well
- Let them use audiobooks or text-to-speech where needed
- Schedule listening + discussion time, not just “read silently” time
- Celebrate effort, not just perfect results
The Yale Dyslexia resource “Ten Things to Help Your Struggling Reader” emphasizes not pressuring speed, but rather focusing on comprehension through supports like drawing what was read, summarizing, retelling, or making visual cues.
4. Partner with Teachers, Tutors & Specialists
You don’t have to carry this alone. Collaboration gives your child coherence and consistency in support. Here’s how to effectively partner:
- Communicate early and often: Share your child’s experience, preferences, and what works at home
- Ask about structured literacy tutors: Learning Ally offers a Reading Tutor Network specifically trained to help students with dyslexia
- Set shared goals (reading minutes, progress monitoring, comfort reading, etc.) so that home and school work in tandem
- Encourage the use of assistive technologies both in class and at home (audiobooks, highlighted text, annotation tools)
5. Strengthen Confidence & Self-Advocacy
Dyslexia can challenge a child’s self-image. You can help them build resilience and advocate for themselves:
- Encourage discussions about famous individuals with dyslexia to normalize it (e.g., “dyslexia doesn’t limit success”)
- Invite them to speak with teachers, ask for accommodations, or choose how they demonstrate learning
- Focus acknowledgment on effort, persistence, and strategies—not just the end result
- Validate frustration, but shift the conversation to what we can do next
One qualitative study on families of children with dyslexia describes how parents address negative self-talk by reframing the problem as environmental (e.g., reading formats) rather than inherent in the child. PMC
6. Use Early Screening & Intervention
Although this is more preemptive than reactive, being proactive helps. Early identification and intervention are the strongest predictors of better outcomes for children with dyslexia. PMC
At home, you can be alert to signs (e.g., trouble rhyming, letter-sound confusion, slow reading) and discuss screening options with educators.
👀 What to Look For and How to Help
Take the Next Step
Learning Ally’s home resources are designed precisely for families and caregivers supporting children with dyslexia.
- A robust audiobook library built for struggling readers to access literature and curriculum texts
- A Reading Tutor Network of trained tutors who specialize in literacy support for dyslexic learners
If you’re ready for guided, research-based support, consider joining Learning Ally’s home program. It’s not just about access—it’s about empowering your child’s reading journey!