By Maria Torres, M.A., LDT-C
Reading disabilities, such as dyslexia, pose significant challenges for students. They not only affect a student’s academic progress, but frequently also impact their behavior in the classroom. Understanding the relationship between reading disabilities and behavior is crucial for educators, parents, and researchers in order to develop effective strategies and interventions.
The Link Between Reading Disabilities and Emotional/Behavior Difficulties
Research demonstrates a strong association between reading disabilities and behavioral issues in educational settings. Children with reading disabilities often experience frustration, anxiety, and low self-esteem due to their struggles with reading comprehension, decoding, encoding, and fluency. These emotional and psychological challenges frequently manifest in disruptive or withdrawn behaviors, attention difficulties, and academic disengagement.
In some cases these responses are shown to stem solely from the frustration and stress associated with students’ reading challenges. In others, ancillary social and clinical circumstances and issues prompt inhibiting behaviors. Recent research has also revealed that there are significant differences in the ways both reading disabilities and coincident behavioral responses manifest in boys and girls. A few of the findings from recent studies:
Social Interactions: Reading difficulties can affect a student’s social interactions. They may be bullied, feel embarrassed and become isolated due to their struggles. This may result in social withdrawal, difficulty making friends, and lower self-confidence.
Academic Self-Concept: Students with reading disabilities may develop lasting negative perceptions of their general academic abilities, impacting their motivation and engagement in other subjects, or in the overall learning process.
Attention and Sensory Processing Difficulties: Reading disabilities are sometimes accompanied by comorbid sensory processing issues, attention deficits, and other conditions which can contribute to inattentiveness and distractibility, and a variety of behaviors in the classroom.
As a result of these responses to their situation, students with reading disabilities may have difficulty regulating their emotions, which typically leads to the expression of impulsive or disruptive behavior.
Effective Solutions and Interventions
To address the relationship between reading disabilities and behavior in educational settings, a multi-faceted approach is essential. Following are some effective practices supported by current research.
Early Identification and Intervention: Early assessment and identification of both reading disabilities and comorbid conditions is crucial for implementing timely and targeted interventions. Screening programs, such as universal reading assessments, can help identify struggling students at an early stage, enabling timely support. Similarly, early assessment for commonly occurring comorbid conditions helps focus program design on the individual student’s particular needs. Being able to simultaneously address the issues each student faces is crucial to reducing behavioral interference and addressing reading deficits quickly.
Individualized Instruction: Providing individualized instruction tailored to the specific needs of students with reading disabilities is highly beneficial. Strategies such as evidence-based reading and structured literacy programs, which include explicit instruction, and multisensory teaching techniques have shown promising results in improving reading skills and reducing behavioral issues.
Assistive Technology: Incorporating assistive technology tools, such as text-to-speech software or audiobooks, can support students with reading disabilities by providing alternative ways to access and comprehend text. These tools can also enhance students’ independence, confidence, and engagement in the learning process.
Social-Emotional Support: Creating a supportive classroom environment is essential for students with reading disabilities. Implementing social-emotional learning programs and fostering a positive teacher-student relationship can help address emotional challenges, build resilience, and promote positive behavior.
Collaboration Among Educators, Parents, and Professionals: Collaboration among educators, parents, and relevant professionals, such as special education teachers, reading specialists, speech and language therapists, and school psychologists, is vital for understanding and addressing the needs of students with reading disabilities. Regular communication, sharing of strategies, and coordinated efforts can maximize support and intervention effectiveness.
The relationship between reading disabilities and behavior in educational settings is a significant and sometimes complex one, and it demands attention from all stakeholders involved in the special education process. By understanding and actively addressing the emotional and behavioral challenges faced by students with reading disabilities, and implementing evidence-based interventions, educators can create a learning environment that supports their academic growth, emotional well-being, and overall success in and out of the classroom.
About the author: Maria Torres, M.A., LDT-C is a licensed K–8 Teacher and Teacher of the Handicapped who began her career at Honor Ridge Academy located in Clark, NJ, 36 years ago, and now serves as the School’s Principal. She holds two Masters degrees in Learning Disabilities and Educational Leadership, and is a licensed NJ Learning Disabilities Consultant and Dyslexia Specialist. A dedicated educator, Ms. Torres serves as Director of the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Hasbrouck Heights, where she is a teacher trainer in structured literacy. She is a former President of the New Jersey Chapter of the International Dyslexia Association.
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