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.

Red Flags: Dyslexia Characteristics to Watch For

Please check each sign you have seen or are currently seeing in your student. If you check three or more of the following, we encourage you to continue to seek support for that student.

Preschool/Kindergarten

Elementary/Middle School

High School

Many of the above symptoms plus:

If you prefer to use a physical copy, you can download our printable version.

 

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. (Downloadable version available here).

    • 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)

    • 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

    • Physical activity

    • 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

    • 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

    • Resource personnel (special education teachers, instructional coaches)

    • Title I providers

    • Reading specialist

    • School psychologist

    • Grade-level team/colleagues

    • MTSS/RTI team or student support team

    • Special education case manager or coordinator

    • 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)

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Use clear, descriptive language instead of labels at first.

    • Show work samples to illustrate concerns.

    • Reference data (scores, growth trends).

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

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