Does Your Dyslexic Child in Primary School Need a PAP or a PPS?

Understanding What Your Child Really Needs

If your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, chances are you’ve heard terms like PAP (Plan d’Accompagnement Personnalisé) and PPS (Projet Personnalisé de Scolarisation) thrown around by teachers or specialists. You may have even sat through tense school meetings trying to understand the difference — all while watching your child come home each day feeling discouraged, exhausted, or left behind.

So, here’s the essential question: which one of these plans is truly right for a dyslexic child in elementary school? Let’s walk through what they really mean, and how to choose the one that supports your child without overcomplicating their already challenging school experience.

PAP vs. PPS: What’s the Real Difference?

At first glance, both the PAP and the PPS seem like tools designed to help your child — and they are. But they serve very different purposes. A PAP is for children who have learning difficulties that do not require the intervention of the social or medical services. In contrast, a PPS becomes necessary when a child has a recognized disability under French law (like dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dyspraxia) that significantly impacts their schooling and requires support from multiple professionals.

Here’s a simple but powerful way to think about it: if your child is coping in class, but struggling consistently with reading or writing — and those struggles stem from their dyslexia — a PAP might be enough. But if their learning difficulty is extensive, touching every aspect of school life from classwork to emotional well-being, a PPS may be more appropriate.

Think About Your Child’s Experience First

Before rushing to obtain official documents, pause and consider: how is my child feeling at school? Are tears and avoidance becoming routine? Are they slowly giving up on themselves?

These emotional signals might be louder than any diagnosis. In this article about the emotional impact of dyslexia, we explore how daily school stress can slowly chip away at a child’s confidence. It’s not only about academic results—mental well-being matters just as much.

Some children with dyslexia manage just fine with strategic supports in class through a PAP. Others are more vulnerable and need the legal framework and multi-professional support that a PPS ensures, including speech therapists, specialized teachers, or even extra time accommodations.

A Story of Two Paths

Let me tell you about two boys, Samuel and Lucas. Both in CE2. Both dyslexic. Both lovely, clever, and creative.

Samuel’s difficulties were moderate. He struggled with reading, but he had a warm, reactive teacher who quickly put a PAP in place. She allowed him to use colored overlays, reduced homework, and avoided reading out loud in front of the class. Samuel began to flourish. With accommodations and emotional support, he didn’t need anything more formal.

Lucas, however, had a different journey. His dyslexia was severe, and he also showed signs of anxiety. His parents worked tirelessly with private specialists and eventually requested a PPS through the MDPH. Thanks to that support, Lucas now benefits from speech therapy within the school schedule, an adapted program, and most importantly—less shame around his learning difference.

Both boys got what they needed. The key difference? Their emotional and academic thresholds were not the same.

Taking the First Step: Talk to the School

If you're unsure which path is best, your child’s school should be your first partner. Request a meeting with the teacher and the school’s inclusion coordinator. Ask them concrete questions: What are they observing in the classroom? Are accommodations already helping? Is the school team overwhelmed trying to support your child?

In some cases, a visible sign of dyslexia may appear long before a formal diagnosis. Don’t wait for everything to be "official" before taking action. Whether it’s a PAP or PPS, the heart of the matter is helping your child access education in a way that honors both their brain and their spirit.

Support at Home Matters Too

Regardless of which plan you opt for, the hardest part often happens when your child gets home. Homework can become a battlefield. Reading aloud might trigger anxiety. Many parents wonder: how do I help without making things worse?

In this guide to adapting homework for a dyslexic child, we explore practical home strategies. One that often helps is choosing alternative formats—audio, visuals, games—anything but more worksheets.

Some parents have found success using tools that make revisions feel more like adventures than chores. Apps like Skuli, for instance, can convert a photo of a lesson into a personalized audio story where your child becomes the hero of their own learning journey. With their name spoken aloud, even spelling and grammar exercises become an experience, not a punishment.

These small adaptations can restore a sense of confidence and fun, especially when school feels like a constant reminder of their difficulties.

Don’t Be Afraid to Reevaluate

Whichever path you choose—PAP or PPS—it isn’t set in stone. Children grow. Needs change. What supports them this year might not be enough next year. And that’s okay. Part of our role as parents is checking in regularly, asking the hard questions, and advocating when something isn’t working.

Give yourself permission to adjust, just as much as you give your child permission to fail and try again.

Your Child Is Not a Diagnosis

If you take away one thing from this article, let it be this: a plan is just a tool. Whether it’s called a PAP, a PPS, or a personalized educational project, it doesn’t define your child. What defines them is their humor, kindness, creativity—their endless capacity to learn and surprise us, given the right environment.

And if you’re wondering how to talk to your child about dyslexia without lowering their self-esteem, keep it simple and loving. Tell them everyone learns differently and that they are not alone. And neither are you.