In conversation with the British Dyslexia Association
Many children with dyslexia experience difficulties beyond reading and spelling. They can also face daily challenges that slowly affect their confidence, self-belief and motivation to learn. Repeated struggle in school, fear of getting things wrong and feeling different from peers can lead to frustration or low self-esteem. In this interview, the British Dyslexia Association shares practical advice on how parents can build their child’s confidence, celebrate their strengths and help them feel proud of who they are.
For anyone who may be new to your work, can you tell us who the British Dyslexia Association are and how you support families across the UK?
We produce resources specifically for parents—like our Guide for Parents, which explains how to navigate school support, collaborate with teachers, and try simple strategies at home. It’s available for free with an email sign-up at babyslexia.org.uk
1) “Since moving to secondary school, my son has become very aware of his dyslexia. He is always comparing himself to his friends and thinks he will never be as good as they are. How can I help him stay motivated when he feels left behind?”
BDA advice:
Secondary school brings a faster pace, more subjects, and new routines—this can highlight differences in processing speed and working memory for dyslexic learners. Reassure him that needing different tools or timelines is common and legally supported through reasonable adjustments at school (for example, his teachers should be aware of his dyslexia and put in place things, such as clear instructions, handouts with key points, alternatives to handwriting, and allow extra processing time). Ask the school SENCO how these are being used in each subject.
Practical things you can do for him are provide a simplified timetable – Help him draw up a colour-coded system, for example, colour Monday in yellow, Tuesday in green, Wednesday in orange, and so on. Simplify the information, lesson 1 is room 3, English, for instance. This way, he can follow the colour and the simplified information and get to the lesson on time, instead of getting confused and being late.
Using alternative ways to demonstrate knowledge is key here. So, instead of always writing, can he use speech-to-text to get what is in his head into a transcription app? Once the knowledge has been transcribed, edit it before submitting or writing it up in full. Remember, if this becomes his usual way of working, the school needs to be aware of it and allow it in class, for homework tasks, and certainly in assessments.
Shift comparisons to goals. Help him set individual, achievable short-term targets (e.g., “read 10 minutes with audio support, then summarise two key ideas”). Small wins will help build momentum and a belief in his own ability. Research shows these things impact self-confidence. He may be comparing only his literacy ability with his peers; focus on a different comparison… is he better at sports, science, or drama than his peers?
Using a read-aloud app on a smartphone or tablet can help with what he feels is a deficiency in his literacy. The app takes a photograph of the text and then converts it into speech. This will speed up the processing and comprehension of the text, saving him time. Dyslexics are often better at processing audio or visual information, so they use assistive technology to their advantage.
Explain dyslexia clearly and positively. Self-esteem improves when someone understands their profile and “owns the label.” Framing dyslexia simply as a difference in how the brain processes language—not a measure of intelligence—reduces shame and fosters motivation. Intelligence is not measured by how well someone reads or spells words.
Once your son understands himself, he will be able to educate someone who doesn’t understand. Intelligence is measured by how we think and solve problems, not by how well we read or spell. Dyslexia affects language processing, not intelligence.
Use strengths to scaffold challenges. If he’s visual or practical, bring in mind-mapping, diagrams, or project-based tasks to organise and structure content before writing it down. Use apps such as Notebook LM to convert teachers' information into a format he can easily understand before completing a school task.
Agree on a communication plan with the school. Ask teachers to check understanding, chunk instructions, and post homework clearly and consistently (ideally with audio or visual supports). A voice clip via WhatsApp, Teams, or Google Classroom takes seconds and will significantly assist the learner. Teachers at school can make this a routine for all learners, not just your dyslexic son.
2) “Homework is a battle. I hear ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘what’s the point’. I don’t want learning to become negative. How can I build his confidence in small, realistic ways at home?”
BDA advice:
What he ‘can’t do’ is write his ideas in a structured and logical way and this can be a block to starting a task. But he will know the answer as the knowledge will be in his head. What he needs is a way to get it out of his head without writing it down.
Make it doable:
10–15-minute focus sprints with a break
Chunk tasks: read with audiobook, highlight, speak a summary, dictate a paragraph.
Offer choice. For example, deciding whether to start with reading, then writing, or vice versa.
These reduce overload and support working memory.
Provide a visual representation of tasks: a linear tick list or mind map to allow them to be ticked off to show progression and achievement.
Use assistive technology that turns friction into flow: text-to-speech, speech-to-text, Immersive Reader, audiobooks, and overlays/colour backgrounds. BDA offers an Introduction to Assistive Technology eLearning course, and YouTube is full of ‘how-to’ videos!
Praise effort and strategies, not perfection. Catch “I can’t” and reframe: “You used speech-to-text and checked the key points—that’s exactly the right strategy.” Evidence suggests that interventions focused on strengths, effort, and self-efficacy can lift confidence and reduce anxiety among dyslexic learners.
End with success. Always finish homework with a quick win (e.g., a 2-minute oral recap or a labelled diagram), so the last feeling associated with the work is competence.
3) “Our daughter is bright and curious but struggles with reading, spelling, working memory and processing speed. We don’t want this to dampen her love of learning. How can we keep her curiosity alive while supporting her needs?”
BDA advice:
Feed the curiosity first, then find ways to adapt the format. Offer content through audio, video, practical experiments, and conversations—then capture understanding via voice notes, photos, or mindmaps before any writing. Reasonable adjustments include alternatives to writing as the main way to record learning. Check with her teacher and the school to see if this is permitted in class.
Pre-teach and preview. Short previews (keywords, pictures, 60-second audio) reduce processing load and make classroom content feel familiar. Dual coding – providing the same information from text as an infographic is helpful, as dyslexics often prefer to extract information this way. AI apps such as ChatGPT and Co-Pilot can help with this. If this is beneficial for your daughter, check with the class teacher to understand the school’s policy and ask for it to be used regularly.
Build a ‘toolkit habit’. Use text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and visual organisers at home alongside the rest of the family so she’s confident using them in class. See BDA’s assistive technology overview or complete the free Introduction to Assistive Technology course
Celebrate inquiry, not neatness. Curiosity thrives when children see their ideas valued—prize questions, connections, and problem-solving over spelling accuracy on first drafts. During family time, have a ‘who can ask the best question’ competition! Ask a smart speaker for any answers that the family don’t know.
4) “At home, our daughter is bubbly, but in social situations, she fades and avoids attention. How can we support her confidence around others, in and out of school?”
A slower processing speed may be impacting her ability to keep up. If the conversation moves too quickly, she cannot process the information fast enough to keep up, so she becomes withdrawn.
Plan low-pressure speaking moments. Agree with teachers on small, structured participation (e.g., reading one prepared sentence with audio support, or sharing a photo of a project rather than reading aloud). Gradual exposure builds resilience.
Peer roles beyond reading/writing. Encourage roles that spotlight her strengths—timekeeper, designer, explainer with visuals, group coordinator—so she experiences positive feedback without literacy pressure.
Practice scripts. Rehearse short, confident phrases she can use when dyslexia-related tasks arise (e.g., “I’ll use speech-to-text for that,” “I need a minute to process”). Owning these accommodations reduces anxiety and builds self-esteem. It also empowers her to educate others about dyslexia. Understanding her own profile is key—review her diagnostic report together so she knows her strengths and strategies to overcome challenges.
Join interests where the format fits. Clubs with practical or creative elements (STEM, art, drama tech, robotics, design) allow social success without heavy reading or spelling. Confidence often grows when strengths are visible.
Why can dyslexia have such a substantial impact on a child’s confidence, even before it is fully recognised or diagnosed?
Before identification, children may experience repeated struggles with reading, spelling, and rapid processing demands, then compare themselves unfavourably with their friends. Studies show this can affect self-concept and self-esteem. Early identification often helps children understand their challenges.
What signs should parents look out for?
There are many indicators to look out for, and not all dyslexics demonstrate the same difficulties. The BDA website has a full list of indicators on the website, but here are some of them:
Persistent difficulty with phonics/decoding, slow or effortful reading, and spelling inconsistencies.
Working memory/processing speed challenges: forgetting multi-step instructions, needing longer to start tasks, and losing place when copying notes.
School avoidance, “I’m stupid” comments, perfectionism or giving up quickly, indicators of low self-esteem/anxiety linked to ongoing difficulty.
Reasonable adjustments and structured support can mitigate these impacts; ask the school to implement them while any assessment is arranged.
Children saying ‘what?’ or ‘pardon?’ are often mistaken for a hearing impairment. Instead, the child is trying to process the spoken word and needs to hear it again to ‘join the dots’ of what is being said to them.
What realistic and straightforward things can parents do at home to boost confidence during learning without putting pressure on their child?
Start with understanding: watch/learn together about dyslexia; then agree on what helps (audio, colour backgrounds, checklists). BDA’s Guide for Parents provides a concise, practical overview.
Chunk tasks and time - short work blocks with clear steps and visual cues.
Use Assistive Technology early and often: text-to-speech to help with reading text, speech-to-text to capture ideas, Immersive Reader to adjust spacing/colour.
Praise process: “You tried two strategies” or “You paused and planned” evidence suggests that strengths-based approaches support self-belief.
Finish with reflection: one minute to note what went well and the next step. Small, regular reflections improve self-efficacy over time.
Focus on strengths that are not literacy-based in the home. For example, are they very good at organising events? Baking? Cars? Gardening? Finding cool places to visit together?
Some children with dyslexia avoid complex tasks because they fear making mistakes. How can parents encourage resilience and a positive mindset?
Making mistakes is necessary for learning, but some children forget that! Tell them and highlight times when you, as a parent, made mistakes and learned from them. The learning process doesn’t stop when you leave education!
Show them that mistakes are part of learning; separate their ideas from spelling on first drafts.
Scale the challenge: start with assisted formats (dictation, audio notes), then gradually increase independence.
Model coping strategies: think aloud, “I’m using text-to-speech to check this,” “I’ll break it into three steps.”
Use small achievable goals and celebrate attempts, not just outcomes, an approach supported by positive psychology interventions to lift self-esteem and reduce anxiety.
Dyslexia is often spoken about in terms of challenges, but all children have strengths too. Why is it important to highlight these?
Creative Thinking: Encourage activities like designing a poster, creating a short video, or inventing a new game. For example, “You came up with three different ways to solve that problem, that’s creative thinking!
Problem-Solving: Praise when they figure out how to use speech-to-text or organise homework with a colour-coded timetable. Say, “You found a smart way to make this easier, that’s great problem-solving.”
Spatial Reasoning: Use puzzles, building blocks, or digital design apps. For instance, “Your model of the solar system looks amazing, you have a real eye for space and design.”
Oral Storytelling: Let them record a story or explain a science concept aloud instead of writing. Example: “Your explanation was so clear. I learned something new from you!”
Why this matters: Research shows that when children understand their strengths and see them valued, they feel capable and motivated. Pair this with a positive explanation of dyslexia. “It’s a difference in how your brain processes language, not a measure of intelligence”, and review their diagnostic report together so they can “own” their profile.
What are some different ways families can nurture strengths outside traditional reading and writing tasks?
Project-based learning (design, build, film, code) with oral planning and visual outputs.
Mindmapping and diagrams for planning and revising.
Drama/roleplay, music, and making to explore topics.
Photography or “explain it” videos instead of written reports.
All are consistent with reasonable adjustments that value multiple ways to show understanding.
How can parents help their child recognise and celebrate progress, even if it's in small, meaningful steps?
Win: “Completed science homework without tears.”
Wisdom: “Used speech-to-text and colour-coded notes.”
Use before/after audio clips or drafts to make growth visible. Record a short audio clip of your child explaining a topic before starting, then another after finishing. Or keep the first and final drafts of a piece of writing. Showing growth, even minor improvements boosts confidence.
Use before and after comparisons:
“Using Immersive Reader helped you finish the article.”
“Your mind map made that essay easier to plan.”
This helps children see that effort and tools lead to success, which builds self-efficacy.
Role models can be powerful. How can families use examples of successful people with dyslexia in a way that feels meaningful and encouraging?
Choose specific, relatable stories that match your child’s interests and background. Instead of focusing solely on fame, highlight the strategies those role models used, such as assistive technology, collaboration, and visual planning and connect them to practical steps your child can take.
Creative Arts: Whoopi Goldberg (actor and comedian) talks about using scripts and visual cues to succeed. If your child loves drama, explain how Goldberg rehearsed, both visually and verbally, rather than relying on heavy text.
Science & Engineering: Richard Branson (entrepreneur) used delegation and mind-mapping to manage complex tasks. For a child interested in business or STEM, show how Branson turned ideas into visuals and worked with teams.
Cooking & Hospitality: Jamie Oliver (chef) uses practical demonstrations and visual recipes. If your child enjoys cooking, try creating colour-coded recipe cards or video instructions together.
Sports: Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff (Cricket). Quick decision-making on the field helped him, relying on instinct and visual cues rather than written plans.
Technology & Innovation: Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE (co-presents The Sky At Night) built advanced instrumentation during her doctoral work, developing technology sensitive to nanoscale measurements, which was later commercialised through a university spin-out company. She supports strengths such as big-picture thinking and creativity, crucial in her field, by working on complex spatial reasoning and innovative instrumentation.
Make it Practical
After sharing a story, ask:
“Which of their strategies could we try this week?”
For example:
Using speech-to-text like Branson.
Creating visual timetables like Oliver’s recipe cards.
Practising oral storytelling like Goldberg.
This approach connects inspiration to actionable steps, reinforcing that success comes from using the right tools and strategies, not avoiding challenges.
(The British Dyslexia Association regularly features lived experiences families can draw on in their resources and campaigns.)
Some children feel embarrassed about needing extra support or using adaptations such as overlays, laptops, or audio tools. What can parents do to help their child feel confident using what they need?
Normalise tools at home first, so they become second nature.
Use assistive technology during everyday tasks, not just homework. For example:
Let your child use speech-to-text to write a shopping list or send a message.
Try text-to-speech for reading recipes or instructions aloud.
Use coloured overlays when reading bedtime stories together. This makes tools feel ordinary and removes the stigma of “special” equipment.
Practice self-advocacy scripts
Dyslexia can sometimes lead to frustration or low mood. When should parents be concerned about their child’s emotional well-being and seek further support?
Changes
Changes in appetite, sleep patterns, or frequent headaches can signal emotional strain. These are worth noting alongside mood changes.
Create a safe space for expression.
Encourage your child to share feelings without judgment. Use prompts like: “What was the hardest part of today?” or “What helped you feel better?” This helps them process emotions and feel heard.
Model resilience and coping strategies
Share your own experiences of making mistakes and overcoming challenges. For example: “I struggled with this too, but breaking it into steps helped me.”
Use positive language about dyslexia.
Frame it as a difference, not a deficit: “Your brain works in a unique way, that’s why you’re great at big-picture thinking.”
Encourage strengths-based activities
Balance school challenges with hobbies that showcase their talents, such as art, coding, sports, music, or building projects. Success in these areas boosts confidence.
Monitor social connections
Withdrawal from friends or reluctance to join activities can indicate growing anxiety. Arrange low-pressure social opportunities that make your child feel comfortable.
Seek professional help early.
If low mood or anxiety persists for more than a few weeks, or if your child expresses hopeless statements like “I’ll never get it”, contact your GP and the school pastoral team. Counselling or therapy can provide coping tools and emotional support.
What do you wish more parents knew about dyslexia and confidence?
That confidence grows from access: when children have the right adjustments, tools, and understanding of their profile, they re-engage with learning. Dyslexia is a lifelong difference, but with early identification, collaborative school support, and everyday strategies at home, children’s self-belief and curiosity flourish.
What support does the British Dyslexia Association offer to families who need guidance, practical strategies or reassurance?
BDA Helpline (0333 405 4567) – free, confidential information and signposting on identification, school support, exam access arrangements, reasonable adjustments, and assistive technology.
Guide for Parents, a free downloadable guide covering identification, collaborating with the school, and support at home.
Reasonable Adjustments in Education, clear examples families can share with schools to remove barriers (for example, using alternatives to writing, chunking instructions, assistive tech in class).
Training & webinars, including an Introduction to Assistive Technology eLearning to help families and schools choose tools confidently.
Are there any new projects, training sessions or resources coming up from the BDA that families should know about?
Families can periodically check the BDA website for current training modules (like Assistive Technology eLearning) and new parent guidance articles and Q&As in the advice section. (Dates, formats, and availability are updated on the BDA site.)
Quick Reference: Knowing Your Rights & Options at School
Equality Act 2010, schools must make reasonable adjustments so disabled pupils (including many with dyslexia) can access teaching and school life on an equal basis. Examples include alternatives to writing, handouts of key points, altered on-screen formats, access to assistive technology, and chunked instructions.
Practical explainers for families on reasonable adjustments (with everyday examples and how to work with school): Department for Education Hub; Equality and Human Rights Commission technical guidance.
Final encouragement
If your child is losing confidence, you are not alone and it’s not a reflection of their potential. The combination of clear understanding, appropriate adjustments, assistive technology, and strengths-based praise can turn school from a source of stress into a place where they feel capable and proud. The BDA is here to help you make that journey, step by step.
If you feel your child’s school needs more training, encourage them to contact bespoke@bdadyslexia.org.uk to discuss their training needs.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the individual or organisation featured and do not necessarily represent or reflect the position of SEND EDventure.