From the ANM archive · Original Instagram post: 28 July 2026
Slow reading does not mean slow thinking. A learner’s intelligence is not measured by how quickly they decode a page.
Dyslexia can affect reading accuracy, reading speed, spelling and the effort needed for written work. It is not a measure of intelligence. In multilingual African classrooms, a learner’s language history and access to instruction should be considered carefully alongside any concern about literacy.
What may help
- give time to read and process, rather than treating speed as understanding
- pair spoken explanation with clear written instructions
- allow tools or formats that help a learner demonstrate knowledge
- correct without humiliation, especially in front of peers
- notice strengths, interests and reasoning as well as spelling
Support is not a shortcut
The goal is not to make work easier for its own sake. It is to make learning and assessment fair enough for a learner’s real knowledge to be visible.
Further reading: NHS guidance on dyslexia in children · View the original ANM Instagram post · Browse the ANM Bites archive
Educational information only; a website article cannot assess or diagnose a learning difference.
