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Dyslexia: early signs and how to support reading

Your child finds it much harder than others to link letters and sounds, read words and spell, despite good teaching. Dyslexia is a difference in how the brain processes the sounds of language. It is not about intelligence, and structured teaching helps.

For: Parents, teachers and therapists of children aged 4 to 8

The whole pack as one PDF

A cover page with the plan, then 11 worksheets in order (12 pages). Free, no sign-up.

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Why it happens

  • Dyslexia mainly affects hearing and working with the sounds in words.
  • It runs in families.
  • Early signs: trouble with rhymes, learning letter sounds, and remembering sequences like the days of the week.
  • Letter reversals alone are not a sign of dyslexia.

What helps

  • Systematic, explicit phonics: one sound at a time, in order, with lots of review.
  • Multi-sensory practice: say, trace and write.
  • Decodable books with only the sounds already taught.
  • Map tricky words instead of memorizing shapes.
  • Read aloud to your child so their vocabulary keeps growing.
  • Coloured overlays and special fonts are not supported by good evidence.

The planstep by step.

  1. 1Hear the sounds

    Rhyme and sound boxes.

    Rhyming Pictures Matching Worksheet 1Pre-K – KindergartenSound Boxes (Elkonin Boxes) Worksheet: Short aKindergarten – Grade 1Sound Boxes (Elkonin Boxes) Worksheet: Short iKindergarten – Grade 1

  2. 2Link sounds and letters

    Letter sounds in a clear order.

    Beginning Sound S WorksheetPre-K – KindergartenBeginning Sound A WorksheetPre-K – KindergartenLetter sounds Fluency Check with Progress GraphKindergarten – Grade 1

  3. 3Decode

    Read every letter; decodable stories.

    Read Every Letter: Picture Word Match (short vowels) 1Kindergarten – Grade 1Decodable Story: The Cat and the Hat (short a)Kindergarten – Grade 1Nonsense words Fluency Check with Progress GraphKindergarten – Grade 1

  4. 4Tricky words and spelling

    Heart words and dictation.

    Heart Word Mapping Worksheet 1: the, to, said, was, of, youKindergarten – Grade 1Dictation Worksheet: Short a WordsKindergarten – Grade 1

When to ask for help

Ask the teacher or an educational psychologist for an assessment if reading and spelling stay much harder than for classmates despite good teaching, especially if dyslexia runs in the family.

These worksheets are practice materials, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Every child develops at their own pace. If you are worried, talk to your child’s teacher, doctor or a specialist.

Questions

Questions about dyslexia

Still have questions? Visit our Help Center or get in touch.

Can dyslexia be diagnosed at age 5?
A formal diagnosis is often made later, but early signs can be noticed in preschool and kindergarten. Extra help does not need to wait for a diagnosis.
Do dyslexia fonts or coloured overlays help?
Research has not shown that special fonts or coloured overlays improve reading for children with dyslexia. Structured phonics teaching does.

Related packs

When your child guesses words instead of reading them8 worksheets · free PDFWhen your child reads slowly, word by word8 worksheets · free PDFHearing every sound in a word (and spelling it)9 worksheets · free PDF

Sources

The LetterSchool app

Between worksheets: practise in the app

The same letter shapes as this sheet, with instant feedback on every line, animations and stars. Children play, and learn the right formation.

Try the app for freeHow it works