Dyslexia Parent Workshop: Practical Strategies to Support Reading and Writing at Home

Port Macquarie Library – Friday 17 October 2025, as part of Dyslexia Awareness Month

Recently I delivered a practical, hands-on workshop at Port Macquarie Library for parents and carers wanting to better understand how to support children with dyslexia. The event formed part of the local Dyslexia Awareness Month program and focused on simple, evidence-based strategies that can make literacy practice at home more structured, manageable and effective.

Understanding Dyslexic Learners

For our dyslexic thinkers, progress depends on repeated, supported exposure to reading and spelling patterns over time. They often need extra support to strengthen working memory and manage slower processing speeds, which can make literacy learning feel more effortful.

Research shows that the most effective instruction for dyslexic learners is cumulative, sequential and responsive to an individual’s point of need. Each new skill builds on what has already been mastered.

At home, support can play a vital role in reinforcing these skills. The key is finding a balance between maintaining that positive parent–child relationship and providing the consistent practice children need to keep making progress.

From Accuracy to Fluency

We discussed how literacy development follows a clear progression from accuracy to automaticity to fluency. For children with dyslexia, fluency takes time to build, and it depends on secure, accurate decoding. I explained the reciprocal relationship between reading and spelling, noting that working on one strengthens the other because both rely on recognising the patterns that connect sounds and letters.

Sound-Level Practice

At the sound level, we focused on phoneme awareness and pronunciation accuracy. Parents practised recognising and producing sounds, paying particular attention to vowel sounds and voiced versus unvoiced consonants. I demonstrated how to use a Sound Pack to rehearse and review sounds sequentially, mirroring the order in which they are typically introduced through structured literacy approaches.

Word-Level Learning

We then moved into word-level practice, exploring how to build automatic word recognition through repetition and play. I shared examples of decodable word lists from decodable readers (housed at Port Macquarie library) and explained how parents can adapt these for short, daily review sessions. We discussed a range of word-based games including Tic-Tac-Toe and The Reading Tower, which make practice more engaging and interactive.

For multisyllabic words, I introduced morphemes, the smallest units of meaning, and explained how understanding prefixes, suffixes and base words supports both decoding and vocabulary. Together, we worked through examples such as:

unmissable → un / miss / able recliner → re / cline / er nation → na / tion / al / ly

I demonstrated a simple step-by-step strategy for tackling multisyllabic words:

1. Circle any prefixes or suffixes.

2. Underline or say the vowel sounds in each syllable.

3. Remember that every syllable has one vowel sound.

4. Scoop or mark the syllables.

5. Blend each part slowly, then say the whole word smoothly.

6. Make it a real word (flexing any vowel sounds as required)

We also discussed stable syllables such as tion, tial, ture and cian and the need to explicitly teach these. Additionally, the value of using a ‘spelling voice’ to pronounce word parts clearly, especially when the schwa sound appears.

Sentence and Text-Level Strategies

At the sentence level, we shifted our focus to fluency and comprehension. I suggested a way to select the right text level, such as decodable books, Hi-Lo readers or short non-fiction texts, and explained how to support reading fluency through:

• Choral and echo reading

• Whisper reading for independent practice

• Audiobooks paired with a printed copy to model fluent reading

• Writing tasks such as choosing three target words and writing a short or silly sentence

These strategies provide repeated, supported practice while helping children connect reading and writing in meaningful ways.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to everyone who attended this session for your proactive energy and attentive engagement - it was great to talk literacy with you!

A big thank you to Dyslexia Mid North Coast, Port Macquarie Library and SPELD NSW for their collaboration during Dyslexia Awareness Month.

 A special thank you to Kelly King and Lindsey Fletcher (and the library team) for their ongoing work in supporting families across our community. 

Continuing the Conversation

For more practical strategies you can use between sessions, or to learn about evidence-based literacy support in Port Macquarie, please contact us. We are always happy to help!

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About the Author

Jess Manton

Hi, I’m Jess — a literacy therapist, former teacher, and passionate advocate for inclusive education. With over 18 years of experience, my mission is to create a safe and supportive space where every child (and their parents) feels seen, heard, and empowered through literacy.