Sport and Dyslexia
Thursday 22 June 2023
Every person is unique and dyslexia affects every individual differently. The areas that people struggle with can vary but also the talents and skills they show can be equally diverse. One area that many individuals thrive in is sport and physical activities.
Sport can be a good way of increasing the self-esteem of dyslexic children. Alongside the physical benefits it can help develop a general sense of well-being, reduce stress and anxiety, and foster social inclusion by placing children on an equitable footing with their classmates. It can also have educational benefits, helping to improve organisational skills, planning, time management, concentration, and teamwork. Above all it can be fun.
Sport can offer an opportunity for dyslexic children to excel. Giving them an opportunity to feel good about themselves. Dyslexic children tend to have strong visual skills – thinking in pictures not words. They often have good spatial awareness which enables them to anticipate where the ball is going, skills which they can use to their advantage in many sports.
Different sports will suit different children, and when looking for the right one for your child it is important to think about how dyslexia affects them – their own learning style, strengths, and weaknesses. Some children may need encouragement and for their coach or games teacher to understand dyslexia to help them to take part. There can be many hidden factors which impact access or participation.
A coach with a good understanding of dyslexia can adapt their practice to ensure they understand and meet the needs of an individual child. Good communication is essential. Words and directions given to a team can be confusing for those who may struggle to quickly distinguish right from left or understand directions such as “pass to the left” – “move up the pitch”. Dyslexic children often need to be shown these moves in a practice session, and may then need more time to perfect them and apply them in a match.
Sport and Dyslexia Survey
The European Dyslexia Association (EDA) is a partner in an Erasmus project called SASLED (sports activities for people with specific learning difficulties). The project aims to research and improve the inclusion of dyslexic children and young people in sports activities. The project wishes to hear about individuals’ experiences with sports and how dyslexia (and other SpLDs) may impact on participation in sporting activities. The project would like to hear from a range of people and have three surveys – for coaches, for parents and one for children.
Take part in the survey here