Students with dyslexia who receive dyslexia instruction that contains the components described in The Dyslexia Handbook will be better equipped to meet the demads of grade-level or course instruction. In addition to dyslexia instruction, accommodations provide the student with dyslexia effective and equitable access to grade-level or course instruction in the general education classroom. Accommodations are NOT one size fits all; rather, the impact of dyslexia on each individual student determines the necessary accommodation.
Embedded Files
Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia (1).pdfFor more information about accommodations, see Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia.
Accommodations are changes to materials, actions, or techniques, including the use of technology, that enable students with disabilities to participate meaningfully in grade-level or course instruction. The use of accommodations occurs primarily during classroom instruction as educators use various instructional strategies to meet the needs of each student. A student may need an accommodation only temporarily while learning a new skill, or a student might require the accommodation throughout the school year and over several years including beyond graduation.
Decisions about which accommodations to use are very individualized and should be made for each student by that student’s ARD or Section 504 committee, as appropriate. Students can, and should, play a significant role in choosing and using accommodations. Students need to know what accommodations are possible, and then, based on knowledge of their personal strengths and limitations, they select and try accommodations that might be useful for them. The more input students have in their own accommodation choices, the more likely it is that they will use and benefit from the accommodations.
When making decisions about accommodations, instruction is always the foremost priority. Not all accommodations used in the classroom are allowed during a state assessment. However, an educator’s ability to meet the individual needs of a student with dyslexia or provide support for the use of an accommodation should not be limited by whether an accommodation is allowable on a state assessment.
accommodations and state assessments
accommodations and state assessments
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) defines accommodations as changes to materials or procedures that enable students to participate meaningfully in learning and testing. Accommodation policies may apply to any student taking the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) or the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) depending on his or her needs and whether the student meets the eligibility criteria, as applicable. For more information on policies for accessibility features, locally-approved designated supports, and designated supports requiring TEA approval, please refer to the STAAR Accessibility Educator Guide and the Accommodations section of the District and Campus Coordinator Resources.
Examples of reasonable classroom accommodations:
Examples of reasonable classroom accommodations:
Copies of notes (e.g., teacher or peer provided)
Note-taking assistance
Additional time on class assignments and tests
Reduced/shortened assignments (e.g., chunking assignments into manageable units, fewer items given on a classroom test or homework assignment without eliminating concepts, or student planner to assist with assignments)
Alternative test location that provides a quiet environment and reduces distractions
Priority seating assignment
Oral reading of directions or written material
Word banks
Audiobooks
Text to speech
Speech to text
Electronic spellers
Electronic dictionaries
Formula charts
Adaptive learning tools and features in software programs
Repetition of instructions
Information in songs or poems
Type responses
Timers to keep track of time
Give the student multiple opportunities to read the same text
Allow understanding to be demonstrated in different ways, like oral reports, posters, and video presentations
Provide different ways to respond to test questions
Grade the student on the content that needs to be mastered, not on things like spelling or reading fluency.
Help student break assignments into smaller steps
DITC-Handbook.pdf"The degree of difficulty a child with dyslexia has with reading, spelling, and/or speaking varies from person to person due to inherited differences in brain development, as well as the type of teaching the person receives. The brain is normal, often very “intelligent,” but with strengths in areas other than the language area. This “difference” goes undetected until the person finds difficulty when learning to read and write. Each individual with dyslexia is unique, but the multisensory approach is flexible enough to serve a wide range of ages and learning differences. A multisensory approach can be valuable to many; to the dyslexic child it is essential. The expertise of the teacher is the key. The intent of this toolkit is to provide classroom teachers with basic information about dyslexia, dispel some of the myths and misconception surrounding it and be a resource that will increase their capacity to ensure the success of the diverse group of learners in their classrooms."
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