What Christian parents wish churches knew about dyslexic children

Churches are not always very dyslexia friendly - Alice Pinney has words of wisdom and comfort for Christian parents wondering how to help their dyslexic child who’s struggling to read

Anyone who has spent much time in church will know that it’s a pretty reading-heavy place. From being encouraged to open and follow along in our Bibles each week, to the way that mature faith can sometimes be measured by regular Bible reading, church life is full of words. Even our songs, prayers and liturgy can often depend on reading from a screen or service sheet. Church can be very wordy, and for some, these words can feel inaccessible.

The British Dyslexia Association estimates that around 10% of the population are dyslexic, yet many of our churches with their strong emphasis on reading, are often not structured in way that make participation easy. For dyslexic children and their parents, this can mean that church, the very place designed to nurture faith, becomes a challenge or even a chore.

Encountering Jesus is not limited to those who find reading easy

Yet Scripture tells us that “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14) not text. Encountering Jesus is not limited to those who find reading easy. Your dyslexic child bears the Image of God just as fully as anyone else. While dyslexia affects how language is processed, it in no way lessens a person’s ability to know, love, or follow God. If “faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17), then how might we help dyslexic children to thrive in their faith and in church life?

Celebrate difference

The first thing we can do is to celebrate and acknowledge the way that ……