8. Use accommodations wisely but sparingly. Tasks that become automatic and fast for most people can take a lot of extra effort and time for people with dyslexia, so many children with dyslexia need extra time to do their assignments, says Nelson. It may also help to assign fewer problems so homework doesn’t become nightmarish. Some students have an easier time with comprehension when they hear you read instructions aloud, or they may comprehend more by listening to an audiobook instead of reading from a physical book, because auditory memory may be affected along with reading. When giving instructions orally, Nelson says it helps to write key information, such as page numbers and problem numbers to be completed, on the board. “Use accommodations wisely but sparingly,” suggests Nelson. For instance, if someone else always reads for and scribes for a student with dyslexia, the student may become increasingly dependent on others. In addition to using accommodations, Nelson recommends that students with dyslexia receive direct, explicit instruction by someone who has keen knowledge of dyslexia and that they are encouraged to read on their own for intervals that get longer as they age. She says this should be material that the student helps to identify and that is fun and rewarding. Nelson also points out, “People with dyslexia can have wonderful ideas but may need encouragement to write them down.” She says teachers should tell students with dyslexia to compose their ideas freely, without getting bogged down by sentence structure, word forms and spelling. Then you can encourage students to go back and proofread to fix these mistakes and to use tools, such a spell checkers. “Reading and writing must become highly integrated activities,” says Nelson, “not separate ones.”