21/09/2026
For many dyslexics, especially older dyslexics, school is/was a traumatic experience.
Instead of thriving, many dyslexics feel like they are barely just surviving.
The ‘joy’ of school days is an experience that many dyslexics never get.
Below is some of the reasons for that trauma and some ways we can help prevent it.
Why School Causes Trauma for Dyslexic Students:
* Cognitive overload: Decoding words requires massive, exhausting mental effort.
* Social anxiety: Fear of public embarrassment among peers runs incredibly high.
* Low self-esteem: Students often mistake a processing difference for a lack of intelligence.
* Chronic fatigue: Spending hours under intense stress causes deep physical and mental burnout.
* Lost social opportunities: spending time with tutors, speech pathologists and even just catching up on homework, is time taken away from spending time with our peers and social activities
How to Shift from Trauma to Support
To change the default setting from panic to safety, schools and educators must implement structural changes:
* Identify early: Early identification of reading challenges is essential. It is a myth that a child can not be diagnosed with dyslexia until the age of eight. The earlier the better!
* Provide systemic phonics: Ensure all students are taught to read using evidence-based structured literacy programs aligned to the science of reading
* Normalise assistive technology: Encourage speech-to-text tools and audiobooks early.
* Ban cold-calling: Never force students to read aloud without prior preparation and always give them the choice.
* Value alternative outputs: Grade students on verbal ideas, oral presentations, or visual projects.
* Build emotional safety: Focus praise on effort and creativity rather than reading speed.
* If homework must be set, adjust a dyslexic student’s homework to match what can be completed in the same amount of time as other children
Early identification and intervention for all students struggling with reading is essential!
