Teachers can support dyslexic students during writing activities by implementing different strategies with the whole class. These strategies that are beneficial for all, will support dyslexic students in reaching their full potential.

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling (Vellutino et al., 2004; Snowling , 2008; Snowling et al., 2007).

When it comes to learning a language, students with dyslexia can have difficulties with phonological awareness, verbal memory, verbal processing speed and decoding (e.g., Byrne, 1998; Muter et al., 2004; Bowey, 2005).

Dyslexia is not linked to a person’s intelligence so it occurs across a range of intellectual abilities. Learners can be more or less severely dyslexic as dyslexia is a continuum.

Dyslexia can also impact executive function, particularly in areas like working memory, attention, and inhibition, because of how the brain processes information.

This is how educators can support dyslexic students during writing tasks.

Supporting dyslexic students during writing activities is essential for building their confidence, improving literacy outcomes, and helping them participate fully in the classroom. With the right strategies, educators can create an environment where every student feels capable and supported. Below are effective, evidence-informed tips for helping dyslexic learners thrive during writing tasks.

1. Offer structured writing frameworks

Dyslexic students often struggle with organizing ideas. Providing clear scaffolds helps them focus on content rather than becoming overwhelmed.

• Use graphic organizers such as story maps, mind maps, or paragraph frames.
  
• Offer sentence starters or writing prompts to reduce cognitive load.
  
• Break writing tasks into stages: brainstorming → planning → drafting → revising → proofreading.

The Bell Foundation and HMH offer practical ready-to-use graphic organizers for writing and speaking tasks.

2. Allow alternative methods for getting ideas down

Writing and thinking at the same time can be challenging. Give students options for capturing their ideas before writing.

• Permit verbal brainstorming or audio-recorded ideas.
  
• Use speech-to-text tools so students can dictate their thoughts.
  
• Provide whiteboards for quick sketching or note-taking.
  
• Play story creating group games like ‘exquisite corpse’ or story cubes.
  

Twinkl offers creative writing resources for all ages.

3. Support spelling without penalizing it

Spelling difficulties are a core feature of dyslexia. Support improvement while ensuring spelling struggles don’t hinder progress in writing.

• Teach spelling rules explicitly and revisit them often.
  
• Allow the use of word banks, electronic dictionaries, or predictive text tools.
  
• Encourage all students to create their own word banks or personalised dictionaries to use during writing tasks.
  

4. Reduce working memory demands

Managing spelling, grammar, handwriting, punctuation, and ideas simultaneously can overwhelm learners.

• Give checklists for writing tasks. These should align with the success criteria that students should have been made aware of.
  
• Provide models of expected outcomes and go through them together.
  
• Keep instructions short, clear, and broken into steps. ChatGPT can help teachers simplify their instructions.
  
• Allow frequent check-ins during longer writing assignments.
  
• Provide students with word clouds, sentence openers and linkers. Twinkl offers a vast array of downloadable resources but teachers and students should also make their own based on the demands of the task.
  

5. Make assistive technology available

Technology can significantly level the playing field.

• Speech-to-text software supports composing and reduces frustration.
  
• Text-to-speech tools help students review their writing.
  
• Word prediction programs can support spelling and reduce keystrokes.
  
• Graphic organizer apps help with planning. These can include comic strips with blank
  

6. Create a dyslexia-friendly writing environment

Small adjustments can remove unnecessary barriers.

• Allow extra time for writing tasks.
  
• Offer quiet workspaces to minimize distractions.
  
• Provide writing tools such as pencil grips or keyboards.
  
• Use coloured overlays or background colours if visual stress is present.
  

7. Give feedback that builds confidence

Feedback should be supportive, specific, and come with strategies that help students improve.

• Emphasize content, creativity, and effort before technical accuracy.
  
• Highlight improvements and specific strengths.
  
• Offer targeted mini-lessons on skills that need refining.
  
• Avoid overwhelming students with corrections.

Read this article to learn more about how to mark dyslexic student’s work.

8. Encourage collaboration and peer support

Dyslexic students often thrive in supported environments.

• Allow pair work for planning or editing.
  
• Let students verbally explain ideas to a partner before writing.
  
• Use peer review strategies that emphasize constructive feedback.
  

9. Celebrate multiple forms of expression

Dyslexic students may excel in visual, oral, or creative tasks that don’t rely heavily on writing.

• Encourage multimedia projects (videos, posters, presentations).
  
• Allow students to choose formats that best suit their strengths when appropriate.
  

10. Build a classroom culture of understanding

Above all, students need to feel understood and not judged.

• Teach classmates about learning differences in age-appropriate ways.
  
• Normalize the use of assistive tools for everyone.
  
• Encourage a growth mindset: mistakes are part of learning.
  

Final Thoughts

Supporting dyslexic students during writing tasks requires flexibility, empathy, and an understanding of their unique needs. When educators combine structured support, helpful tools, and a positive learning environment, dyslexic learners can express their ideas with confidence and succeed academically. The goal is not to remove challenges entirely, but to give students the strategies and encouragement they need to overcome them.