#50 Spring Testing Season: How to Help Your Dyslexic Child Manage Tests
Is Spring testing season a source of dread for you and your dyslexic child? Do standardized tests feel like they’re designed to highlight their challenges, not their strengths? Today is all about how to help your kids navigate test anxiety during Spring testing season, to avoid the “perfect storm” that these tests often create.
In this episode, I share practical steps you can take right away that will help move beyond cramming to using effective, multi-sensory study strategies, tips for creating a calm morning routine the day of the test and how they can manage their time effectively. As well, I reveal what you need to know to make sure you’re offering the right support to your child when it’s all over, including what not to do immediately after the test is completed.
Ultimately, it’s all about shifting the focus from scores to growth, and developing rituals that foster a positive mindset and experience for your child!
Topics Covered:
- How standardized testing can create a "perfect storm" for dyslexic students and the importance of recognizing the signs of test anxiety in your child [0:53]
- What you can do to ensure your child has documented testing accommodations in their IEP or 504 plan and the role that having proper documentation has in this process [2:57]
- Effective study strategies that can be used by your child to prepare for success, plus ways to develop a confidence-building routine to help shift your child's mindset positively [3:27]
- What can be done on test day to reduce anxiety and set up your child for success [5:01]
- Post-test support and perspective and what not to do immediately after test as a parent [5:53]
Key Takeaways
- Dyslexic students face unique testing challenges, so understanding the signs of anxiety is crucial for effective support
- What you need to know to ensure your child's IEP or 504 plan accurately reflects their needs for consistent and fair testing experiences
- How shifting from cramming to multi-sensory learning approaches and emphasize growth over test scores
- There are many strategies to use that will minimize anxiety and maximize your child's confidence, before, during and after the test
When you're ready to work with me, here are 3 ways I can help you:
Join the waitlist to find out when my long-awaited course, Untangling Dyslexia: From Identification to IEP, opens up again!
Subscribe to my Podcast Literacy Untangled Podcast, for bimonthly episodes on navigating the dyslexia journey with your kid.
Want 1:1 help from an Orton-Gillingham expert? Book a call to see how I help kids who are struggling to learn how to read.
Have a question or want a certain topic covered? Send an email to [email protected] or a DM on Instagram.
I want to support parents with dyslexic children and get this content in the hands of those who need it most. Click the share button and send away! Thank you.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your favorite podcast platform.
Connect:
