When your child avoids reading and what you can do about it

Aug 5
When a child with dyslexia shuts down during reading or writing, it’s not about laziness—it’s a sign they’re overwhelmed and this can be a protective response. This blog explores what’s really going on beneath the surface and offers five simple, compassionate strategies parents can use at home to gently rebuild confidence and connection with learning.

Read on below to learn more:

Katie Nelson

When your child avoids reading and what you can do about it!

When Your Child “Shuts Down” with Reading: Understanding and Rebuilding Engagement at Home


If you’ve ever asked your child to read aloud or finish a writing task only to be met with resistance, silence, or tears - you’re not alone. For children with dyslexia, what looks like avoidance or “laziness” from the outside is often something far deeper.
Engagement Isn’t Just About Willpower

Dyslexic learners face persistent difficulties that affect how they process language. One of the most significant is called phonological processing - this refers to how the brain identifies, holds onto, and works with the sounds in words. It’s essential for decoding (reading), encoding (spelling), and developing reading fluency.

Imagine trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle, but the pieces are blurry and keep changing shape. That’s what reading can feel like when a child’s brain struggles to hold on to sound patterns long enough to blend them into a word. Add in working memory challenges, slow processing speed, and spelling confusion - and suddenly, even simple tasks become overwhelming.

Over time, children who repeatedly struggle may disengage from reading and writing tasks - not because they don’t care, but because they’ve learned to expect frustration.

Engagement Starts With Emotional Safety
If a child feels like they’re “always getting it wrong,” they may begin to shut down to protect their self-esteem. This is not a behavioural problem - it’s a form of self-preservation.

To re-engage a child with dyslexia, you need more than incentives or extra practice. You need a compassionate, strength-based approach that makes learning feel safe again.

Five Ways Parents Can Rebuild Engagement at Home

1. Shift the Goalposts
Rather than focusing solely on outcomes (like finishing a worksheet), celebrate effort and strategy use. “You stuck with that sentence even though it was tricky,” builds far more engagement than “You got it right.”

2. Chunk Every Task
Break tasks into very small, manageable parts. For example:
Step 1: Look at the picture
Step 2: Say what’s happening out loud
Step 3: Write one idea
The sense of success from each step builds momentum and confidence.

3. Make the Task Match Their Strengths
If your child thinks better out loud, let them record their ideas using a voice note app before writing. If they love colour or visuals, let them storyboard or draw first. Engagement grows when children feel their brains are “good at something.”

4. Reframe Avoidance with Curiosity
Instead of saying, “Why won’t you just try?”, try “What part feels the hardest right now?” This opens up conversations and helps children feel heard.

5. Build in Choice
Where possible, offer controlled choices. “Do you want to type this or use voice-to-text?” “Shall we read on the sofa or at the table?” Giving your child some control makes them more likely to engage.

Final Thoughts..............................
Engagement isn’t something we can force - but we can create the right conditions for it to grow. When a child with dyslexia feels safe, supported, and understood, their willingness to try - even with difficult tasks - begins to return.

At the Dyslexia & Dyscalculia Academy, we believe that parents are powerful allies in reigniting a child’s love of learning. With the right tools and strategies, your home can be a place where effort is celebrated, challenges are normalised, and small wins pave the way for long-term success.