How to Teach Students with Dyslexia: Teach the Need, Not the Label

Updated on 12/11/2025

Teaching learners with dyslexia is no easy feat. Sometimes you need to convince them to work harder than other learners just to achieve the same results, or you may need to try alternative teaching methods—and you have to do this without making the learner feel singled out.

Thankfully, we now see more awareness and support around the learning difficulty. Because of this, we’d like to offer some support of our own, by talking to a dyslexia specialist, former member of the British Dyslexia Association, and Lexonic founder Katy Parkinson.

Dyslexia is a Spectrum

The first thing to remember when teaching students with dyslexia is they are not a monolith. Just because learners have a diagnosis of dyslexia does not mean they should be treated all the same. Katy spoke about the spectrum:

“Think of it as an umbrella and you’re somewhere on that spectrum - I am too.”

A weakness in reading, spelling, and writing are the common traits. But outside of that, it can affect learners differently. When it comes to teaching learners with dyslexia, there is no easy, one-fits-all approach. Teachers need to tailor their approach around the learner and what skills they need the most support in developing.

Don’t Make the Label an Anchor

At Lexonic, we believe in teaching the need, not the label. But we do know why the label exists. As Katy says:

“The label is necessary to gain funding, to get extra resources or perhaps a computer... It’s also a huge relief for learners... to find out that it’s not their fault. They are not stupid or lazy.”

That said, it’s also important the label doesn’t make the learner feel singled out. This makes some learners feel very uncomfortable, awkward, and sometimes angry.

There are ways to limit that feeling of otherness. For example, if you’re using Lexonic Advance to improve literacy, introduce the programme with your top sets first. It will still benefit them, but by doing it that way, you create a feeling of exclusivity. Don’t make learning feel like a punishment for the students who need it the most.

Motivate to Educate

The label of dyslexia shouldn’t be used as an excuse. Katy has seen this happen:

“I've had it where I’ve assessed a child and said yes, your child is dyslexic and the reaction was oh, that's great then they don’t need to do anything now... So, they switch off and hide behind the label.”

This speaks to the issue of motivation, which can be tricky.

1. Use the Right Language

The way you communicate is crucial. Katy makes it clear you cannot heap all the responsibility on the learner:

“If you use language like, ‘you need to work harder’... you’re giving all the responsibility to the child. I would never, ever do that. Instead, I would say something like, ‘we need to work hard together. If we work together... we can do it’. It's always the word ‘we’. That word is so powerful.”

2. Use the Right Materials

For older learners, use age-appropriate materials, like High/low books (high interest, low reading age). This is why our interventions, Lexonic Leap and Lexonic Advance, are designed to be unpatronising, using morphemic analysis to teach learners how to break down complex, age-appropriate words.

3. Use Their Interests

Capitalise on the learners’ interests. If they hate English but love P.E., introduce them to articles about their favourite sport. They will have prior knowledge, which, as proven in The Baseball Study, means a weaker reader with more subject knowledge can comprehend a text better than a stronger reader who doesn't.

More than that, excelling at something will be amazing for their confidence.

Don’t Cap Their Potential

Our final tip is simple: don’t let dyslexia limit their potential. Don’t coddle them. Again, we say teach the need, not the label. Katy explains:

“If I let a student off with things... I have judged them in some way to be at that level. I’ve actually put an artificial cap on their ability... Instead, what I should be saying is "OK, let’s work at this; we will improve.”

Just because they have dyslexia doesn’t mean they can’t do things. It means it may be harder. Don’t assume they can’t thrive.

Teach the Need with a Targeted Solution

"Teach the need, not the label" is our core philosophy. It's why our interventions are diagnostic, designed to find the specific gaps a learner has—whether in phonics or complex vocabulary—and fix them rapidly.

We provide the tools to help you teach the individual need with precision, empathy, and age-appropriate materials, ensuring no learner is ever capped.

Schedule a demo to see how our interventions can support your learners.