Trying to get typically developing children to read can be hard enough, but if your child has additional needs, such as dyslexia, it becomes a worrying nightmare. Working out why they are struggling and getting the right plan is crucial. Click here to find out your child’s reading level. If there’s a visual component, then ebooks can be transformative.
Epic is offering free access for all kids to 35,000 ebooks and their audiobook collection until 30th June. Your child’s teacher can give them free access to their giant library. Sign in via the student login (not parents one) with your class’ code, select your child’s name from the list.
Audible Stories is offering some audiobooks for free until the schools are back open. It’s free and you don’t need an account, just go to The Audible Stories website and stream them to your phone, tablet or computer.
RNIB Bookshare is always free for dyslexics and those with visual difficulties. Your child’s school can sign up for free and give dyslexic children and those struggling visually to read conventional print their own login. It works well with the Dolphin Easy Reader app, to help you change the appearance of the text, as needed.
Calibre and Listening Books are great charities offering very low-cost access to audiobooks for dyslexics and those with visual or physical difficulties that makes reading print books difficult. Both offer physical lending as well, which obviously has been stopped, but streaming and download services continue.
Libraries are also a good source of audiobooks that can be accessed online.
YouTube also has a great, free selection of books being read aloud by random people.
Plus, Project Gutenberg has free access to older ebooks that are now out of copyright (e.g. Secret Garden, Peter Pan, Heidi, Wizard of Oz, Peter Rabbit, White Fang, Velveteen Rabbit, Arabian Nights, Jungle Book, Black Beauty, Railway Children)
Click here for some ideas of which books to try? If your child likes collecting things, something to consider might be the 100 children’s book scratch-off poster.