Accommodations vs intervention for dyslexia: why your child needs both
In short
Intervention teaches a child with dyslexia to read better. Accommodations change how a child learns or shows what they know, like extra time or audiobooks, without changing what they learn. Children with dyslexia usually need both: intervention to build skills and accommodations to keep learning meanwhile.
What is the difference between accommodations and intervention?
Intervention is teaching, and its goal is to make your child a better reader and speller. Accommodations are supports, and their goal is to let your child learn and show what they know while their reading is still catching up.
| Intervention | Accommodations | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Build reading and spelling skills | Remove barriers to learning |
| Example | Daily small-group phonics lessons | Extra time on tests |
| Changes | What your child can do | How your child accesses work |
| Measured by | Progress monitoring graphs | Whether your child can access the work |
| How long | Until skills reach the goal | As long as needed |
Why does a child need both?
Without intervention, a child's reading may never improve. Without accommodations, a child falls behind in science, history and math while they learn to read. One builds the skill, and the other keeps the door open to everything else.
What are common accommodations for dyslexia?
- Extra time on tests and assignments.
- Tests read aloud, except when the test measures reading itself.
- Audiobooks and text-to-speech for textbooks and novels.
- Speech-to-text for writing.
- Copies of class notes or slides.
- Grading ideas separately from spelling.
- Fewer questions that still cover the same skills.
- Not being asked to read aloud in front of the class without warning.
The right accommodations depend on your child's needs. A child who reads slowly may need extra time most. A child who struggles with writing may need speech-to-text most.
What does good intervention look like?
Good reading intervention for dyslexia is clear, step by step and frequent. It teaches the sounds in words, the letters that spell them and how to read and spell longer words. It happens in a small group or one on one, most days of the week, with progress checked often.
Ask the school how many minutes a week your child gets, how big the group is, what is being taught, and how progress is measured. Ask to see the progress graph.
How do IEPs and 504 plans differ?
An IEP, under special education law, includes specially designed instruction, which is where intervention lives, plus accommodations and measurable goals. A 504 plan, under a civil rights law, usually gives accommodations only. It doesn't usually include special teaching or goals.
A child with dyslexia who needs specialized reading instruction usually needs an IEP. A child who reads fairly well but slowly may do fine with a 504 plan. The school team, with you, decides what fits after an evaluation.
Are accommodations unfair to other students?
No. Accommodations don't make work easier; they remove a barrier that has nothing to do with what's being tested. A science test is meant to check science knowledge. If your child can't read the questions fast enough, the test measures reading instead. Reading the test aloud fixes that.
- Child
- Kids say I get extra time because I'm slow.
- Parent
- You get extra time so the test shows what you know about science, not how fast you read. Glasses help people see. Extra time helps you show your thinking.
When should accommodations change?
Review them at least once a year, and whenever your child's needs change. As reading improves, some supports may no longer be needed, and as school gets harder, new ones may help. Ask your child what helps and what doesn't, since older students often know best.
How do you ask for accommodations?
Start by asking your child's teacher what supports they already use in class, and which ones seem to help. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, accommodations should be written into it, so every teacher knows to use them. If your child doesn't have a plan yet, you can ask the school how to request one.
Be specific. Instead of asking for help with reading, ask whether your child can have the science textbook in audio form or extra time on tests. Specific requests are easier for schools to say yes to and easier to check later.
Which supports work at home too?
Many classroom supports work just as well at home. Audiobooks let your child enjoy stories and keep up with class novels. Speech-to-text helps with longer writing assignments. Reading directions aloud and breaking homework into short chunks can turn a two-hour struggle into a much shorter and calmer evening.