From the ANM archive · Mindfulness Monday · Original social post: 27 July 12:00
If reading homework regularly ends in frustration, tears or avoidance, please pause before calling the child lazy.
A learner who understands a story when it is read aloud—but struggles to read the same story independently—may need closer support.
Possible signs of dyslexia can include:
Difficulty learning letter–sound relationships
Trouble sounding out unfamiliar words
Slow or effortful reading
Guessing words instead of decoding them
Spelling the same word differently in one piece of work
Taking much longer to complete reading and writing
Avoiding reading because it has become exhausting or embarrassing
One sign on its own does not confirm dyslexia. We look for a persistent pattern and consider the learner’s age, teaching history, language exposure and other possible causes of difficulty.
This matters in Africa, where many children learn in a second or third language. A fair assessment should consider the languages the child speaks and the language in which they were taught. It should not treat unfamiliarity with English, French, Portuguese or another school language as automatic evidence of disability.
What families can do
Write down the difficulties you are noticing.
Ask the teacher what happens during reading and spelling activities.
Request assessment from someone trained in literacy difficulties and familiar with the learner’s language context.
Ask for targeted teaching and classroom support. Help does not need to wait for a child to “fail badly enough.”
Most importantly, tell the child:
“This difficulty does not decide how intelligent or capable you are. We are going to find a better way to support you.”
Engagement question: What was the first sign that made you seek support?
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