Behaviors to address in your adolescent child

Adolescence is a stage of changes and challenges, and when a teenager has dyslexia, some behaviors may require special attention. In this session, we will explore the key aspects that parents and educators should observe in adolescents with dyslexia, highlighting the importance of understanding, support, and specific strategies to promote academic and emotional success.

Academic Challenges and Support Strategies

In adolescence, academic challenges may intensify for adolescents with dyslexia. Difficulty in reading, writing, and spelling can affect their performance in various subjects.

It is essential to implement support strategies, such as adaptations in the presentation of material, additional time on exams, and the use of assistive technologies. A personalized approach that considers the individual strengths and weaknesses of the adolescent is fundamental for academic success.

Self-Esteem and Motivation: Fostering a Sense of Achievement

Dyslexia can have an impact on the self-esteem and motivation of teenagers. Persistent difficulties can generate feelings of frustration and self-doubt. It is crucial to foster a sense of achievement, celebrate successes, and highlight the unique abilities of each teenager. Providing opportunities for them to develop their talents and interests strengthens self-esteem and intrinsic motivation.

Social interaction can represent a challenge for teenagers with dyslexia. Difficulties in reading and writing can influence participation in group activities, which, in turn, can affect social relationships.

Facilitating opportunities to develop social skills, providing support in communication, and encouraging inclusion in extracurricular activities contribute to the adolescent's social well-being.

Time Management and Organization: Crucial Skills

Time management and organization are crucial skills in adolescence, and teenagers with dyslexia may face particular challenges in these areas.

Providing visual tools, such as calendars and task lists, and teaching organizational strategies contribute to improving these skills. Establishing routines and offering support in planning are also important aspects to consider.

Teenagers with dyslexia can benefit from developing compensatory strategies that leverage their strengths. Encouraging the use of assistive technologies, such as screen readers and spell checkers, allows teenagers to overcome the barriers associated with dyslexia. By enhancing their unique abilities, independence and self-efficacy are promoted.

Fostering Reading Habits: Personalized Strategies

Despite difficulties in reading, it is essential to foster reading habits in teenagers with dyslexia. Adapting the reading material according to their interests and skill level, exploring alternative formats such as audiobooks, and creating comfortable and welcoming reading environments are strategies that can cultivate a love for reading in a personalized way.

Exploration of Careers and Talents: Vocational Focus

Adolescence is a time when teenagers explore career options and develop their talents. For teenagers with dyslexia, it is important to offer support in this exploration.

Identifying their interests, strengths, and unique abilities can guide the choice of careers that align with their capabilities and goals. Vocational guidance and access to resources that highlight the diversity of professional paths are fundamental.

Open Communication and Collaboration: Key to Success

Open communication between parents, educators, and teenagers is essential to address the challenges associated with dyslexia. Maintaining a constant dialogue about the teenager's needs, goals, and experiences facilitates collaboration in support strategies. The active participation of the teenager in the planning of their education and development is a valuable component for their success.

Strategies for Academic Preparation: Exams and Evaluations

Preparing for exams and evaluations can be a particularly challenging aspect for teenagers with dyslexia. Implementing specific strategies, such as the use of extended time, providing distraction-free evaluation environments, and offering support in the organization of study material, are measures that can improve the academic experience of the teenager and reduce the stress associated with evaluations.

Addressing Anxiety and Stress: Coping Strategies

Anxiety and stress can be emotional consequences of the difficulties associated with dyslexia. Teaching coping strategies, such as relaxation and mindfulness techniques, can help teenagers manage stress.

In addition, providing a supportive environment that recognizes efforts and celebrates achievements contributes to reducing anxiety related to academic performance.

Empowering teenagers with dyslexia to advocate for themselves is a valuable skill. Teaching them to explain their needs, request reasonable accommodations, and understand their rights in the educational setting fosters autonomy and self-advocacy. This skill is essential for facing academic and social challenges effectively.

Intervention for teenagers with dyslexia must be a continuous and adaptable process. Observing the teenager's progress, adjusting strategies as needed, and maintaining a receptive attitude to new needs ensures that the intervention is effective over time. Adaptability is key to addressing the changes in the teenager's academic, emotional, and social development.