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Dyslexia accommodations that actually help.
An accommodation changes how a child gets to the work, not the work itself. For a child with dyslexia, the right accommodations remove the barrier that slow, effortful reading puts between the child and what they actually know. Here is a practical list for the classroom and for tests, the kind that tends to appear on an IEP or a 504 plan.
What an accommodation is, and is not
An accommodation removes a barrier so a child can show what they know: hearing a text instead of decoding it, or getting more time so speed is not the test. It is not the same as instruction. Accommodations let a child keep up in class, but a child who reads differently still needs to be taught to read, with structured, explicit teaching. The two work together.
Classroom accommodations
More time
Extended time for reading and writing tasks, so effort and speed do not stand in for understanding.
Text read aloud
Audiobooks, text-to-speech, or a person reading grade-level material so the child can learn the content while their reading catches up.
Less copying
Printed notes or a copy of the board, so the child is not left behind copying text they cannot yet read quickly.
Spelling handled fairly
Grading the ideas in a piece of work rather than its spelling, and allowing spell-check or speech-to-text on longer writing.
Directions repeated
Spoken directions repeated or given in writing and out loud, so a reading barrier does not become a following-directions problem.
A lighter load of take-home work
Reducing the volume of reading and writing sent home, so practice stays focused instead of exhausting.
Testing accommodations
Extended time
Extra time on tests so the clock is not measuring reading speed on a test of something else.
Read-aloud of test items
Having test questions and directions read aloud, except on a test that is measuring reading itself.
A quiet space
A separate, low-distraction room for tests that take longer or need read-aloud support.
Answers spoken or typed
Letting the child give answers out loud or by keyboard when handwriting or spelling would hide what they know.
Assistive technology
Text-to-speech, audiobooks, speech-to-text and a good spell-checker are among the most useful tools for a reader with dyslexia, and they can be written into an IEP or a 504 plan so they follow the child from class to class. For the difference between the two plans, see our guide on IEP vs 504 plans.
This is general educational information, not legal, medical or psychological advice, and it is not a diagnosis. Special-education rights come from federal law (IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act), but evaluation timelines, dyslexia-specific rules and local procedures vary by state and school district. Check your state department of education, and for your own situation talk with your school and a qualified professional. Authoritative federal sources: IDEA (ed.gov) and the Office for Civil Rights, Section 504 (ed.gov).