Resources for College-Bound Students With Dyslexia

Jennifer Sullivan

Did you know approximately one in five students has dyslexia? If you support a student with dyslexia who is college-bound, they can thrive in higher education with:

• Self-awareness of their learning style
• Appropriate accommodations
• Skill building
• Persistence

I have coached students with dyslexia through all four years of college and share below my advice, tips and resources for you to support the student in your life with an amazing dyslexic brain!

Common Struggles

Based on my experience as an executive functioning coach and faculty, here are some common barriers to success of college students with dyslexia:

• Organization, planning and prioritization of college homework assignments. Example: Making a plan to complete short-term and long-term assignments simultaneously across multiple classes
• Advocating for themselves with professors to ask for clarification or for help on an assignment. Example: Writing an email to schedule a meeting during a professor’s office hours to ask for clarification on an upcoming assignment.
• Advocating for themselves in the disability support process (asking for accommodations they might need to be successful). Example: Approaching a professor after the first class of the semester to share their Accommodation Letter.
• Capturing auditory information correctly and remembering it later on. Example: Meeting with a professor and remembering what was discussed hours or days later.
• Reading physical textbooks with small print. Example: Students often struggle with the reading amount and also the reading format. Many students don’t know that they can purchase or research if a hardcover textbook has an audio or electronic version.
• Producing written work that is organized and polished (error free). Example: Students often rush to complete assignments by the deadline (which is a great skill!) however they may not take the time needed to revise, proofread and edit.

Strategies That Work

Visual Calendar

Encourage your student to practice using a visual calendar now to keep track of their responsibilities during the week (chores, events with friends, homework assignments/long-term projects, etc.).

This is a universal design tool that helps ALL students improve their executive functioning skills (organization, planning & prioritization).

Role Playing

To assist with communication with professors, I recommend role playing potentially uncomfortable conversations. I have found role playing with real-world scenarios to be a very effective strategy.

For example, pretend you are a professor sitting at a desk in their office and have your student practice “walking into the office.” Try two or three different greetings from the professor and have your student respond.

As the “professor,” interact in different ways and practice how your student can advocate for themselves in different scenarios and conversations.

Assistive Technology Tools

Writing and editing skills can be supported by introducing students to assistive technology tools before they get to college. Click here for a mini poster with links to specific AT tools for students with dyslexia created by NEAT (New England Assistive Technology).

An example of an AT tool that can assist with writing is a speech-to-text tool found in Google Docs called Google Voice (in Google Docs click on Tools, then scroll down to Voice Typing — it’s free!). Some of my students don’t realize they can speak their essays with their voice instead of typing with their fingers. I use voice dictation with my phone all the time — this is another universal AT tool that ALL OF US can use!

The Right Textbooks

Jennifer Sullivan

Read more by Jennifer Sullivan

Jennifer Sullivan, M.S. is a private executive functioning coach for high school and college students and the founder of Fast Forward College Coaching. Jennifer lives in southeastern CT and helps students across the country improve their time management and organization skills. Jennifer currently teaches at UCONN in the Neag School of Education. She and her husband are the parents of two teenagers. Find more or her expert advice in her book, Sharing the Transition to College: Words of Advice for Diverse Learners and their Families.