Visual Aids for Dyslexia: 6 Classroom Tools That Help Students Learn

Every class has students who read at different paces, and students with dyslexia often work harder than their classmates to decode the words on a page. Visual aids for dyslexia don't replace reading instruction, but they can make lessons easier to follow and give students a clear reference to come back to.

Below, we cover why visual supports help, six tools you can use across subjects, how they fit with multisensory learning, and how the same approach supports students who struggle with math.

Key takeaways

• Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability, not a vision problem. Visual aids support explicit, structured reading instruction; they don't replace it.
• Graphic organizers, anchor charts, manipulatives, visual schedules, flashcards, and reading tools give students with dyslexia structure and reference points they can use on their own.
• Many of the same visual supports, such as number lines, place value charts, and manipulatives, also help students who struggle with math.

Why dyslexia visual aids help students learn

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) describes dyslexia as a language-based learning disability whose core difficulty is with word recognition, reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Despite a common myth, it isn't a vision problem, and students with dyslexia don't "read backwards." In its article Effective Reading Instruction for Students with Dyslexia, IDA recommends Structured Literacy, which teaches students to decode words in an explicit and systematic way.

Visual aids work alongside that instruction. The Learning Scientists explain that dual coding, or combining words with visuals, gives learners two ways to take in the same idea. For a student who spends extra effort decoding text, a chart, organizer, or picture card puts the structure of a lesson where they can see it. When you introduce a new visual, say aloud what each part shows so students connect the words with the picture. VariQuest's special education visuals are built around this kind of support.

6 visual tools for students with dyslexia

Here are six visual tools that can help students with dyslexia make connections, retain information, and deepen learning. Each one works across subjects and grade levels, so start with the one that fits your next lesson.

1. Graphic organizers

Graphic organizers, like the examples below, help students to organize information in a way they understand and a way that, for example, a story's sequence makes sense to them. This story map is just one example of how teachers can use existing poster templates and charts to meet the needs of all learners.

2. Anchor charts

Anchor charts give students a visual reference they can return to, so they don't have to hold every fact in memory at once. Mind maps and anchor charts can be used for all subjects to reinforce concepts for students with dyslexia. For example, this template reinforces the sequence of place value.

Build charts with your students during the lesson, then point back to them during independent work so students learn to use them on their own.

3. Manipulatives

Tangible manipulatives help students put individual parts into sequential order. Concrete materials and visual procedures help students practice sequencing skills, such as the order of letters in words.

Also, when completing algebra or math lessons, symbols may not be understood immediately, so these cutout shapes and manipulatives can be used to help teach basic math operations. As one educator put it, "Avoid rote learning like the plague."

The Cutout Maker 2800, VariQuest's system to create die-cut manipulatives for the classroom, cuts letters, numbers, and shapes in sets large enough for small-group practice.

4. Visual schedules and color coding

Visual schedules and consistent color coding show students what's coming next and where materials belong, so they can focus on the lesson instead of the routine. Post schedules, directions, and expectations where every student can see them. VariQuest's Engage Every Learner® Content includes daily schedule posters and visual routine charts you can print in-house.

• Daily schedule poster: List the day's activities in order with a simple icon for each, and move a marker as you finish each one.
• Subject color coding: Give each subject one color and match folders, notebooks, and bins so students can find what they need quickly.
• Colored reading strips: Offer colored strips students can place under a line of text or an equation to keep their place.

5. Flashcards and visual word cards

Flashcards that pair a word with a picture give students repeated, low-pressure practice with sight words, phonics patterns, and vocabulary.

Keep each card simple: one word, one image, and a clear font. Small cards are easy to print in sets on a flashcard and learning aid printer like the Motiva® 400, which creates full-color flashcards and study aids.

6. Reading tools and assistive technology

Visual aids pair well with tools that help students access text. Understood's Classroom Accommodations for Dyslexia suggests supports such as text-to-speech software and audiobooks, and IDA notes that students can also benefit from text reading and word processing programs. Your school's special education team can help you decide which tools fit each student.

Multisensory learning for dyslexia: pairing visuals with sound and movement

Many students with dyslexia benefit from multisensory instruction. The IDA describes multisensory teaching as instruction that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time, and approaches such as Orton-Gillingham use sight, hearing, touch, and movement to help students connect language with letters and words. Visual aids give the "seeing" part of that combination a concrete form.

Elkonin boxes are a simple example. As Reading Rockets explains, students push a token into one box as they say each sound in a word, then write the letters in the boxes or use letter tiles. Students see the sounds, say them, and move an object for each one.

Visual aids for dyscalculia and math

Math can be a second hurdle, since dyscalculia often occurs alongside dyslexia. Understood's Classroom Accommodations for Dyscalculia includes letting students use visual aids or manipulatives when solving problems. VariQuest's STEM education resources include number line, place value, and operation displays that give students consistent visual anchors all year.

• Number lines: Post a large number line students can point to while counting, adding, and subtracting.
• Place value charts: Show ones, tens, and hundreds in labeled columns so students can see what each digit means.
• Hands-on manipulatives: Use counters, shapes, and blocks so students can build a problem before they solve it on paper.

Create visual aids for every learner

These templates, graphics, and so much more can be found in our VariQuest StudioV Platform’sQ­™ Engage Every Learner® Content and can be created with ease for use in your school using VariQuest's design software and printers. Because the templates are ready to customize, teachers can spend less time building materials from scratch and more time working with students.

Learn more about how the VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite can reach learners of all abilities by setting up a no-obligation demonstration with one of our expert education consultants today!