Practical, jargon-free advice to help your teen thrive at school and at home — produced by our school.
Your child should have a Dyslexia Assessment Report from an educational psychologist. This report includes specific recommendations for school support.
This assessment should be given to our school's SEN (Special Educational Needs) department as early as possible, so that together we can go through the recommendations and put the right supports in place.
The Reasonable Accommodations in Certificate Examinations (RACE) scheme supports students in Junior Cert and Leaving Cert. Talk to our school's SEN department well before exams.
Help your teen to:
Fluency isn't just speed — it's accuracy, expression, and understanding.
Works well for teens if handled casually — read the same text together aloud.
Re-reading improves fluency — but only if it doesn't feel like punishment.
For secondary students, this is often the biggest unlock.
Secondary school texts get dense quickly.
It's not just for younger kids — occasionally read aloud to them.
Trying to "speed up" too early can backfire.
Reading fluency can grow indirectly.
Teenagers disengage quickly if reading feels like failure.
Group words by spelling patterns (-tion, -ough, -ible) to build recognition.
Engage more than one sense at a time.
Long words become more manageable: in-for-ma-tion
Students with dyslexia often need more repetition than peers.
Focus on words they actually use in school and daily life.
Spellcheckers and text-to-speech tools reduce frustration.
Word searches, Scrabble-style games, or quick-fire quizzes.
Introduce rules, but explain that English has many exceptions.
Recognising effort builds confidence and resilience.
Tap any word to highlight it for practice focus.
Text-to-speech, word prediction, and reading support. Widely used in our school.
Audible, Libby (free via Irish library card), and Borrowbox — follow along in text while listening.
Google Docs voice typing or Apple Dictation — reduces the writing barrier for essays.
Mind-mapping tools like MindMeister or paper-based diagrams help structure ideas visually.
Scans printed text and reads it aloud. Excellent for exams and textbooks.
Free in Word, Teams & OneNote. Reads aloud, spaces text, and highlights words as they're read.
Create custom flashcard sets for spellings, definitions, and subject vocabulary. Free tier available.
AI writing assistant that catches spelling and grammar errors in real time.
Check the Assistive Technology guidance from our school for information on what is available and permitted. Our school's SEN department can also advise on which tools are approved for use during State exams under RACE accommodations.
The NCSE (ncse.ie) provides a list of useful apps for literacy and learning — updated regularly.
Research consistently shows that many people with dyslexia have remarkable strengths. Remind your teen of these:
If emotional strain emerges, consider talking to the school Guidance Counsellor. Signs to watch for:
You don't have to wait until it becomes a crisis — early conversations with school staff are always welcome.
Information on assessment and supports. Details of workshops and courses for parents and students. News on changes in exam accommodations.
An online learning hub by Dyslexia Ireland with practical videos on supporting schoolwork, emotional wellbeing, technology, and secondary school strategies.
Targeted support and information for adults with dyslexia — useful for older teens and parents too.
Focuses on supports in Further and Higher Education — assistive technology, reader services, and planning for college or PLC courses.
Provides lists of useful apps for literacy and learning, plus information on supports for students with special educational needs.
Resources and guidance for supporting dyslexia through Irish — particularly useful for Gaelscoil and Gaelcholáiste families.
A comprehensive resource site for parents, including information on special education services and curated helpful websites.
Your first and most important contact is our school's SEN (Special Educational Needs) team. They can: