Letter Reversal and Dyslexia

Letter Reversal and Dyslexia {+FREE Activity Pack}

4/3/2019

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The most commonly confused letters are b, d, p, and q. It's not hard to see why since they are all essentially the same letter (in type).

While it's tempting to worry when your child continues to mix up these letters, most educators agree this is pretty common until around second grade. Even then, letter reversal isn't necessarily a sign of dyslexia.

However, if your emergent reader is struggling with frequent letter reversal, it doesn't hurt to be proactive and give her a little extra practice differentiating these letters.

For my almost seven-year-old, I delayed formal instruction until this current school year (2018-2019), for a variety of reasons. One reason is that I loosely follow the Moore Formula spelled out in their books Better Late Than Early and School Can Wait; second, I was waiting for signs of readiness that she just didn't show until she was 6 1/2.

Now, she is an emergent reader, but struggles frequently with letter reversal. Every child develops at his or her own pace, so I'm not necessarily worried yet; however, it's something I'll discuss with our homeschool evaluator at the end of the school year.

>>Related: Alphabet Look-and-Find Sheets {Instant Download}

In the meantime, we're spending quite a bit of time focusing on the letters b, d, p, and q, which is the inspiration for this latest printable activity pack.

Some of these activities are non-consumable; I recommend laminating them for durability. That way your child can practice as often as needed.

In addition to these activities, we're using some resources from All About Learning. I have used the spelling curriculum All About Spelling for a number of years and love it's orderly, multi-sensory approach to spelling! (Bonus: It requires no teacher prep for the lessons and is completely self-paced.)

If you do suspect dyslexia or another learning disorder, All About Learning offers several free resources as well. You don't have to own or use any of their curriculum to access these resources:

Free Dyslexia Checklist

Learn How to Solve Letter Reversals: Free ebook

One thing that has been particularly helpful is using imagery or analogies to help my daughter distinguish between b and d. For example, picture the image of a bed:

We've also worked on correct letter formation, something I had been a bit lax on previously. Next, we're going to try air writing. (Note: These recommendations can be found in the All About Learning resource How to Solve Letter Reversals. See above link.)

>>Find more great ideas for early literacy activities on our Pinterest Preschool Board<<

Overall, Lizzy is progressing well in her reading and math. I'm hopeful that, with a little extra practice, her letter reversal will clear up as we continue to give it a little more attention.

To download the free letter reversal activity pack, click on the image below.