Support in Every Classroom
At Haley’s Hope, we recognize how demanding your role as an educator can be. Between packed schedules, shifting priorities, and the unique needs of every learner, it’s not always clear how to support students who are falling behind in reading—or how to find time even to begin.
That’s why we’re here.
Our goal is to provide you with practical, trusted tools to help you recognize signs of dyslexia and respond with confidence. You’re not expected to have all the answers, and you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Dyslexia Characteristics to Watch For
Some of the characteristics of a dyslexic student are described below.
If you have seen or are currently seeing three or more of these common attributes, we encourage you to continue to seek support for that student.
Click on the button to download a printable checklist to help identify students that could be at risk for dyslexia:
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Trouble learning individual letters and their sounds
Trouble learning the sequence of the alphabet
Difficulty understanding the rhyming of words, such as knowing that fat rhymes with cat
May be in speech therapy
Pronunciation difficulties: Mixing up the sounds and syllables when saying long words (basegheti, hekanopter)
Looks as if they're not paying attention in class
Chronic ear infections (sometimes involving the need for tubes)
Stuttering
Trouble getting words/thoughts/stories out in a proper sequence
Confusion of left versus right
Late in estalishing a dominant hand
Difficulty learning to tie shoes
Trouble learning individual letters and their sounds
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Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading; guessing based on the shape of the word, skipping or misreading prepositions (at, of, to) or ignoring prefixes or suffixes
Looks as if they are not paying attention in class
Letter/number reversals continuing beyond the end of first grade
Poor handwriting (dysgraphia)
Poor or inconsistent letter formation (odd starting and stopping points)
Spacing between words, or letters within words, is poor (squished or far apart)
Punctuation is missing
Letters sit above or below line (tails don't go below line)
Slant of letters is inconsistent
Letter height and/or letter height relationships are inconsistent
Difficulty with spelling (spells phonetically - leaves out vowels and consonants)
Often can't recall sight words
Memorizing words: can know it one page but not another
Unorganized written and spoken language
Reads too quickly to comprehend
Trouble keeping up with and comprehending longer assignments
Trouble with math (memorizing multiplication tables, sequence steps in a problem, directionality)
Can't remember days of the week, month of the year, etc
Difficulty with remembering simple sequences such as counting to 20, naming the days of the week, or reciting the alphabet
Trouble recognizing words that begin with the same sound (for example bird, baby, and big all begin with b)
Trouble clapping to syllables/musical rhythm
Difficulty with word retrieval (frequently uses words like "stuff" and "that thing" rather than specific words to name objects)
Trouble remembering the names of places and people
Difficulty remembering spoken directions
Extremely messy backpack or desk
Late or incomplete homework
Dreads going to school (frequent complaints of headaches or stomach aches)
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Reading and spelling skills below grade level
Lack of engagement in class/not paying attention in class
Late or incomplete homework
Limited vocabulary: understanding the meaning of words
Large discrepancy between verbal skills and written compositions (written work does not match how/what they can tell you verbally)
Unable to master a foreign language
Difficulty reading printed music
Poor grades in many classes
Preschool/Kindergarten
Elementary/Middle School
High School
Many of the above symptoms plus:
Co-Occurring Learning Challenges
Individuals with dyslexia may have other related disorders. However, you can have dyslexia without other associated disorders. Some of the co-existing disorders are described below.
If you prefer to use a physical copy, you can download our printable version here.
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Handwriting that is difficult to read
Poor or slow handwriting
Poor or inconsistent letter formation (odd starting and stopping points)
Spacing between words, or letters within words, is poor (squished or far apart)
Punctuation is missing
Letters sit above or below the line (tails don’t go below line)
Slant of letters is inconsistent
Letter height and/or letter height relationship are inconsistent
Difficulty copying from the board or page to page
Poor fine motor skills
Unsure of handedness (left, right, or both)
Difficulty keeping up with taking notes in class
Does not like to write (the physical act)
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Difficulty counting accurately 1 - 10 and into teen numbers
Trouble understanding number quantities and place values
Lack of place value knowledge
Difficulty knowing mathematical symbols (+) (-) (x) (/)
Difficulty knowing mathematical language: addition / subtraction / sum / difference
Difficulty knowing mathematical language: multiplication / division
Understanding how numbers fit together
Recalling math facts, like 2 + 4 = 6, 3 × 4 = 12
Using concepts like “less than” “more than”
Telling left from right
Reading a clock with hands
Working with dollars and coins
May misread or miswrite numbers (17 and 71)
Difficulty memorizing and retrieving math facts (multiplication facts)
Difficulty copying math problems and organizing written work
Many calculation errors
Difficulty retaining math vocabulary concepts
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Physical activity: too much or too little
Attention difficulties
Highly distractible
Impulsive
Does not listen well
No tolerance for boredom
Poor time management
Odd sleep cycles
Inconsistent performance
Disorganized
Other symptoms: chatterbox (talks excessively, interrupts conversations frequently), strong sense of justice (bossy), lots of allergies, terrible penmanship, trouble remembering daily routines
Relatives with AD/HD
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Activation: difficulty organizing, prioritizing, and activating to complete work
Focus: trouble focusing, sustaining and shifting attention to a task
Effort: difficulty sustaining effort to continue work when it is hard
Emotion: managing frustration and emotions
Memory: trouble utilizing working memory and accessing information
Action: unable to monitor and self-regulate personal actions
Quick Checklist: What Dyslexia Is (and Is Not)
Eyesight – Ensure the student has had an up-to-date vision screening or eye exam. Glasses can help with clarity, but they do not address dyslexia.
Speech – Speech therapy may help with articulation or language development, but does not replace structured reading intervention for dyslexia.
Vision Therapy – Dyslexia is not an eye-tracking issue. Vision therapy does not change how students process the sounds of language. Adequate support requires explicit, systematic literacy instruction.
When and How to Seek Support
Suppose your student has difficulties learning to read, and you have confirmed multiple characteristics. In that case, he or she should be evaluated for dyslexia and/or a related disorder.
Click here for the Educator’s Guide to North Dakota Dyslexia Law
In 2023, North Dakota passed a law with key requirements for schools to help children with reading difficulties. The law is North Dakota Century Code NDCC 15.1-32-26, in which dyslexia is defined as a neurological (brain) difference that causes difficulties reading words, spelling, and decoding.
Look at your school’s dyslexia screening process for three key assessment areas:
1. Phonemic awareness (the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words)
2. Decoding of nonsense words
3. Rapid Naming of letter sounds
Your School Guide: A Quick Educator Checklist
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Resource personnel (special education teachers, instructional coaches)
Title I providers
Reading specialist
School psychologist
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Grade-level team/colleagues
MTSS/RTI team or student support team
Special education case manager or coordinator
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Classroom observations (specific reading/spelling struggles)
Benchmark or progress monitoring scores (DIBELS, AIMSweb, STAR, MAP, etc.)
Student work samples (showing strengths and challenges)
Parent input (home observations, history)
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Accommodations (audiobooks, extra time, reduced assignments, etc.)
Support from a reading coach/literacy team
Resource room, Title 1, Tier Interventions, Special educator
Parent meeting to review concerns
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Student struggles persist despite targeted interventions
Data shows minimal growth compared to peers
Concerns are consistent across home and school
Teacher–Parent Conversation Guide
How to Talk with Families When You Suspect Dyslexia
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Gather concrete examples (student work samples, specific observations).
Collect progress monitoring data or benchmark results.
Identify what interventions have already been tried.
Think through the student’s strengths as well as challenges.
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Do not catch them in the hallway before or after school, allow time for a full conversation about concerns.
Bring all needed school staff to this meeting.
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Use clear, descriptive language instead of labels at first.
Show work samples to illustrate concerns.
Reference data (scores, growth trends).
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Ask what they notice at home (homework, reading aloud, memory, directions).
Encourage them to share family history of reading difficulties.
Validate their role as partners.
Share dyslexia warning signs you printed out. Encourage them to take the survey too.
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Share what supports are currently in place (small-group reading, accommodations, etc.).
Outline what additional screening or evaluation could look like.
Emphasize that evaluation is about understanding how the child learns best, not labeling.
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Reaffirm the child’s potential.
Stress that many students thrive with the right supports.
Make sure parents leave knowing you are their ally.
Referral for Outside Support
Sometimes, classroom strategies and school-based resources are not enough. If a student is not progressing, looking beyond what is available internally is essential. Dyslexia is complex, and some students require specialized diagnostic evaluations or intensive interventions that go beyond what a school team can provide.
Referring to outside support is not a sign that the school has failed; it is a commitment to the child’s growth. Collaboration between educators, families, and outside professionals ensures students receive the comprehensive help they need. Just as we lean on colleagues for ideas and support, we must also trust the expertise of specialists when a child’s progress stalls.
Together, we create a stronger safety net. By reaching out and building partnerships, we ensure that no student slips through the cracks and that every learner has the chance to succeed.
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The student is not making expected progress despite consistent school-based interventions.
Signs of dyslexia or other learning differences appear more severe than typical classroom supports can address.
A professional, diagnostic evaluation is needed to identify specific learning needs.
The child requires more intensive, specialized instruction than the school can provide.
Collaboration with outside professionals would strengthen the student’s support team.
The Next Step: Support That Makes a Difference
Families and educators don’t have to figure it out alone. Outside resources can provide the guidance and strategies needed to help students thrive.
For Educators
You don’t have to navigate this alone. Every classroom and every student is different, and we’re here to help you find the right approach. Whether you need quick answers, deeper guidance, or simply reassurance that you’re on the right track, Haley’s Hope is here to partner with you.
Reach out anytime— we’ll provide the tools, strategies, and encouragement you need to support your students.