How to Adapt Classroom Resources for Dyslexia

Dyslexia mainly affects how quickly and accurately a pupil processes written text — the biggest wins usually come from how a resource is structured, not just simplifying the reading level.

• Sentence structure

  Short, clear instructions. A dense paragraph with three instructions buried inside it is harder to parse than the same three instructions as numbered steps, even at the same reading age.

• Vocabulary support

  A word bank of key terms, rather than expecting recall mid-task.

Worth considering as broader assessment practice, beyond the resource itself: generous, consistent layout helps, and separating "can they do the task" from "can they write fluently" in how work is assessed — offering alternative ways to show understanding where spelling or handwriting speed isn't the actual target skill.

Coloured overlays and dyslexia-specific fonts are popular, but the evidence for them is mixed at best. Structural clarity does more work than typography.

Dyspraxia·Dyscalculia