What Role Does School Play in Supporting Children with Dyslexia?

When school is a daily struggle

If you're the parent of a child who's dyslexic, or you suspect they might be, you likely know the school day can feel like a marathon. Maybe your child comes home exhausted. Maybe homework is a battleground. You see their brightness, their creativity, their potential—but school doesn't always seem like the place where those things shine. You're not alone in that.

For kids with dyslexia, school is often where the first signs of struggle appear. Spelling tests that turn into meltdowns. Reading aloud becoming a source of anxiety. Endless hours spent doing what seems to come so effortlessly to classmates. What role, then, should school play in helping children with dyslexia thrive? And how can you, as a parent, engage constructively with that system?

Understanding the school's responsibilities

Schools aren't just places for academic instruction—they're environments where learning differences should be acknowledged and supported. Your child's school has both a legal and moral responsibility to recognize learning disorders like dyslexia and put accommodations in place. But recognition doesn’t always mean understanding, and even with a diagnosis, support can feel patchy.

If you haven’t yet received a formal diagnosis, you might want to read about how to tell if your child is truly dyslexic or simply struggling. That’s often the first step before schools put accommodations in motion.

Once diagnosed, your child should be eligible for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or, depending on where you live, a 504 Plan. This isn’t just paperwork; it’s a roadmap. It can lead to extra time on tests, different methods of instruction, and even alternative formats for reading material. But plans are only as effective as the educators implementing them. And unfortunately, not every teacher has the training or time to fully understand how to teach a dyslexic learner.

When support falls short—what can you do?

Let’s be honest—many parents find that school-based support is uneven. Some teachers adapt beautifully; others are overwhelmed. It's incredibly disheartening to watch your child fall behind despite good intentions all around. When this happens, communication is your most vital tool.

Start by setting up regular meetings with your child’s teacher or special education coordinator. Come with examples: how your child performs at home, what they’re struggling with, and what strategies seem to work. If possible, bring your child’s input into these discussions. They can often articulate more than we think—especially when we listen with patience rather than pressure.

Consider keeping a simple progress log. What kind of homework takes them the longest? Do they seem less anxious when lessons are read aloud or explained through stories? These clues can inform not only in-school accommodations but also the tools you use at home.

Making learning more accessible—together with school

One of the most powerful things schools can do is be flexible in how information is presented. Children with dyslexia often thrive when content is delivered in non-traditional formats. Audiobooks, oral assignments, voice-to-text software—they’re not shortcuts; they’re tools for equity.

Outside the classroom, you can reinforce this by giving your child more control over how they absorb information. For instance, turning a written lesson into an audio experience can make review feel less like a fight and more like a game. Some tools even let children take on the role of adventurer in stories customized with their name—like being the hero in a math quest or reading about volcanoes from their own perspective. The Skuli App lets you transform written lessons into personalized audio adventures—that kind of creative engagement can be the difference between resistance and curiosity.

Fostering motivation and self-esteem

At the heart of all this lies something deeper: your child’s belief in themselves. Schools don’t always have the bandwidth to build confidence in children who learn differently, but you can nurture this at home. Celebrate the effort more than the outcome. Normalize the idea that reading and writing are just two kinds of intelligence among many.

One mother I spoke to recently shared that her daughter finally discovered a love of reading when she was allowed to listen rather than read. She paired chapters with sketches and told the story back in her own words. It was slow at first, but eventually her fear of books vanished. If you're wondering how to motivate your dyslexic child to read without a daily struggle, know that it often starts with removing the blocks—not by pushing harder.

Working with—not against—the system

It’s easy to feel frustrated by the system, especially when progress is slow. But schools can be powerful allies—when there’s honest, ongoing collaboration. Bring resources to your child’s teacher. Share learning games that are effective for dyslexic children, or explain which home strategies are working. You don’t have to go it alone.

Also, don’t underestimate your advocacy. If your gut tells you something’s off—whether it’s a mislabeling, a lack of support, or a rigid curriculum—speak up. You’re not just your child’s parent; you’re their translator, their champion, their safe place.

The long view

It’s tough watching your child work twice as hard to stay afloat. But when schools and families work together, incredible things can happen. Your child may not follow the traditional path, but they will find their own. And with the right support—at school and home—they won’t just survive. They’ll thrive.

For more insights on how dyslexia impacts not just reading but writing, visit this guide on writing struggles and dyslexia, or explore how children with dyslexia learn to read differently.