We have been celebrating World Dyslexia Awareness month this October at Shearwater and the Library has been advocating to boost the confidence and opportunities for our wonderful dyslexic students by sharing interesting and helpful resources that are dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a neurological condition that affects reading, writing, and spelling abilities but does not diminish intelligence or potential. Dyslexia Month is a global initiative that seeks to shed light on dyslexia, a learning difference that affects millions of individuals worldwide (around 1 out of 10 people have dyslexia – 780 million people). It serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding and supporting those with dyslexia, as well as advocating for inclusive educational practices.

Dyslexic strengths are often superior to those of neurotypical brains. Each person with dyslexia has different strengths. However these can often include big-picture and critical thinking and reasoning skills, as well as the capacity to think outside the box. We can use these strengths to the student’s advantage in learning and being successful in life.

Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. People with dyslexia can be very bright. They are often capable or even gifted in areas such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, math, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports. In addition, dyslexia runs in families; having a parent or sibling with dyslexia increases the probability that you will also have dyslexia. For some people, their dyslexia is identified early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older.

Have a look at this list of dyslexic achievers which include Albert Einstein, Walt Disney and Leonardo da Vinci, Jamie Oliver, Richard Branson, Whoopi Goldberg and Steven Spielberg and so many more. Did you also know that dyslexic thinking is officially recognised as a valuable skill set for the workplace!

The Shearwater Library continues to focus on building a collection of fiction with dyslexic friendly fonts. These books have the same logo as the Richmond Tweed libraries on the spine. The Library is also building its collection of graphic novels. This format provides contextual clues for comprehension, encourages conversation and engagement, and presents stories in an enjoyable, easy-to-access format. New teacher reference materials have also been purchased to help teachers support Shearwater students with dyslexia in their learning journeys.

Included here is an interesting study on the benefits of graphic novels for individuals with dyslexia. It is insightful in understanding how we can utilise the neural pathways in dyslexic brains to enhance reading success. You can find it here: Study on Graphic Novels and Dyslexia.

World Book Online encyclopaedia also provides the option for a dyslexic friendly font. This encyclopedia can be accessed 24/7 from home at: www.worldbookonline.com. User name and password: shearwater

Richmond Tweed Regional libraries also provide eBooks and eAudiobooks via BorrowBox, Libby, and IndyReads as well as many other resources!

Here is a peer reviewed study on the use of audiobooks for dyslexic students.  AudioBooks increased learning for dyslexics. You can learn more about it here: Libby & Sora E-readers.

How Shearwater is helping our students with dyslexia

1. We work to increase our students’ self-esteem. Students with dyslexia are intelligent, the only difference is that the creative part of the brain fires when they read. This makes them amazing in other areas but can make reading harder.
2. We teach our students that words can be broken up into parts. This allows them to decode by teaching phonetics. We use different programs to teach phonetics, such as Multi-sensory Literacy, MiniLit, MacqLit and Sound Waves.
3. We read often and make sure our students are enjoying the book. It is more encouraging for students to read at a level they are comfortable with rather than pushing them in higher levels. We then show students how to break down words that they already know.
4. We teach sight words at an early age. Sight words are words that are difficult to break down into sounds. They are words that are better just to remember the LOOK of, for example… people and said).
5. We promote unconditional support from parents and teachers. We never punish a child or humiliate them for struggling to read. We never force a dyslexic child to read in front of a class. We always uplift and praise their accomplishments however small they are.

Above all, it is critical that schools, parents, and outside professionals working with the child with dyslexia communicate on an on-going basis to provide the support needed, so they can become a happy and successful student, and eventually, a happy and successful adult.

Schools can implement academic accommodations and modifications to help students with dyslexia succeed. For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete tasks, help with taking notes, and work assignments that are modified appropriately. Teachers can give taped tests or allow students with dyslexia to use alternative means of assessment. Students can benefit from listening to books on tape and using text reading and word processing talk to text programs (in High School). Assistive technology products are introduced in High School such as tablets, electronic readers/dictionaries/spellers, text to speech programs, audio books, and more.

For more information: fact sheets from the International Dyslexia Association and SPELD Australia

Please reach out to the Primary and High School Learning Support team for further information on how we are advocating for inclusive educational practices.

Parent Gathering Invitation

Do you have a child who finds reading and writing challenging, or who learns in a different way?

We warmly invite parents and carers to an informal gathering — a safe and nurturing space to connect with other Shearwater families, share experiences, and support one another on this journey.

When: Thursday 13 November, 2:00–3:00pm

Where: Shearwater School Library

Parenting a neurodiverse child can sometimes feel isolating. By coming together, we can listen, learn, and strengthen our sense of community — reminding one another that we are not alone.

Bhavni Stewart (she/her)
Primary and High School Learning Support Coordinator