Eight ways parents can support children with dyslexia
Jamie Oliver has opened up about the impact his dyslexia had on his school years, revealing the "struggle" affected his "self-esteem".
The TV chef, 49, described his time as a pupil as "tricky", explaining that while he enjoyed his time at school he struggled with "actual schooling".
"I couldn't write very well, couldn't spell very well, and most of the classes required me to be good at all of those," he told BBC Today. "Otherwise you're ungraded or get a very, very bad result, which was me. I got two GCSEs, so I did struggle, but I was one of many."
Oliver went on to describe how living with the learning difficulty affected his mental wellbeing. "I used to put defence mechanisms up to disguise the I was struggling," he explained. "I was using my sense of humour and cooking and being an idiot to mask feeling very low self esteem and thick, stupid, dumb, idiot."
The campaigner said things got so bad he ran away from school. "I loved my school, I loved my teachers, but I was running away from words and reading and writing, and I thought it was just me, but there's hundreds and thousands of us every year that are doing that."
As a result the dad-of-five is campaigning for better support for children and parents of dyslexic children.
"There's a lot of people out there that have struggled at school, that had their self esteem and self worth really evaporated at a very early age, under 10," he added. "I've learnt a lot about the pain in parents and the pain in kids that are falling through the cracks."
Oliver is soon to launch a new documentary with Channel 4, in which he will highlight the challenges faced by children with dyslexia.
"I just want to look 13 year old kids - who are struggling with reading - in the eye and say to them 'you are NOT worthless'," he previously said.
How parents can support children with dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that causes problems with reading, writing and spelling, and affects an estimated one in every 10 people in the UK to some degree.
It is the most common of the learning difficulties affecting an estimated 1.2 million children across the UK and an average of two to three children in every classroom.
While Oliver is campaigning for better support for dyslexic children in schools, he has also acknowledged the difficulties and "pain" parents also face in spotting and helping those who are struggling.
"I often see how dyslexia is misunderstood—not just by the child experiencing it, but by their parents as well," explains psychologist Barbara Santini. "The struggle transcends reading difficulties to also entail the emotional toll of constantly feeling behind, the frustration of knowing you’re intelligent but being unable to demonstrate it in traditional ways."
Santini says this can have knock-on impacts on a child's mental health. "I believe it’s critical to recognise that dyslexia affects more than academics as it also shapes a child’s self-esteem, resilience, and mental wellbeing," she explains.
While parents will be keen to support a child diagnosed with dyslexia, there's so much to learn about the learning difficulty that it can sometimes feel overwhelming.
"A dyslexia diagnosis can be a relief, and can help things make sense, but it can also leave parents wondering how best to support their child," explains Michelle Catterson, chair of the board of the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) and head teacher of dyslexia specialist school, Moon Hall. "It’s not always easy to spot the signs of emotional struggles, but helping children build confidence and resilience is key."
Tips on how parents can help
Boost their self-esteem
Celebrate strengths, not just challenges. "Dyslexic children often excel in creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on activities," explains Catterson.
Create a supportive routine
Catterson suggests establishing structure with clear, manageable steps for homework and daily tasks.
Use assistive technology
Tools like audiobooks, speech-to-text software, and dyslexia-friendly fonts can make learning more accessible, Catterson says.
Encourage open conversations
Let your child express their feelings about school and learning. "Reassure them that dyslexia doesn’t define their intelligence or future success," Catterson adds.
Advocate for their needs
Work with teachers to ensure they have the right support in school. "From extra time in exams to tailored learning strategies," adds Catterson.
Try to stop seeing dyslexia as a problem to be fixed
Instead, Santini recommends focussing on creating an environment where their child’s self-worth isn’t tied to reading fluency.
Offer emotional support
A child with dyslexia needs to hear, daily, that their intelligence is not in question. "Without this, my take is that academic struggles can quickly spiral into long-term self-doubt and anxiety," Santini adds.
Seek support
As well as national dyslexia charities such as the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), there are several local dyslexia associations listed on the BDA website.
These are independently registered charities that run workshops and help to provide local support and access to information.
Read more about dyslexia:
BBC's Matt Baker opens up about his dyslexia diagnosis and its impact on his TV career (DevonLive, 2-min read)
Five lesser-known dyslexia symptoms, as Zoe Saldaña opens up about learning disorder (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
Sir Richard Branson launches free-to-access online university DyslexicU (PA Media, 3-min read)
