Learning should be: structured and multisensory - this bypasses the organisational difficulties in the brain; integrating all learning pathways helps to ensure automatic memory.
Overlearning is vital: practice till automatic: adults with dyslexia have short-term memory difficulties.
Use a variety of ways to practice spelling: let adults choose the ones, which work best for them.
Work on one problem at a time.
Adults with Dyslexia often "overload": Tune into this and you'll save a lot of time!
Use Right Brain skills: like imagination, patterns, colour and visualisation to augment learning.
New Information needs to be given more than once: even if the adult appears to understand it - dyslexics often have distractibility and short-term memory problems.
Dyslexics often find it difficult to generalise.
Develop a holistic approach: another right brain strength - adults with dyslexia like to know the whole and then are happy to tackle the part.
Work to the adult's strengths: avoid reinforcing failure, e.g., seeing incorrect spellings or making him do dictation or words he cannot spell.
Remind dyslexic, if necessary, of a spelling strategy for as long as they need you to: that's "not cheating, but learning".
Give time: for the dyslexic to organise their thoughts.
Encourage use of technology: spelling dictionaries, memory aids, to get round the problem - why rub two sticks together when you can throw a switch!
Present learning material: in a variety of different ways to help student generalise - some dyslexics find this difficult.
Adults who are dyslexic: need to concentrate much more than other students because of their difficulties.
By recognising and discussing the nature of their difficulties with them: we can enable them to come to terms with the condition, put it in perspective and take control of their learning.
Source and Copyright: Jenny Lee - Associate Member of the Adult Dyslexia Organisation