Learning with Dyslexia: Strategies That Actually Work
The first post I wrote about dyslexia resonated with so many of you.
Thank you for the messages. Thank you for the stories. Thank you for trusting me with something so personal.
Many of you asked the same question:
“Okay, I understand what dyslexia is now. But what do I actually do about it?”
Fair question.
So today, let’s talk about strategies. Real ones. The kind that help dyslexic learners not just cope, but thrive.
Before We Start: Two Things to Remember
One. Every dyslexic person is different. What works for one may not work for another. These strategies are tools to try, not rules to follow.
Two. The goal isn’t to “fix” dyslexia. It doesn’t need fixing. The goal is to find ways of learning that work with your brain, not against it.
Strategy 1: Go Multi-Sensory
Dyslexic brains often learn best when multiple senses are engaged at once.
What this looks like:
👀 See it – Use colours, diagrams, mind maps. Highlight key words. Draw pictures of concepts.
👂 Hear it – Listen to audiobooks. Read aloud to yourself. Have someone explain things to you.
✍️ Touch it – Write things down by hand. Trace letters in sand or with your finger. Use physical objects to understand concepts.
When you engage sight, sound, and touch together, you create more pathways for information to stick.
Try this: Next time you need to remember something important, write it down in colour while saying it out loud.
Strategy 2: Embrace Technology
We live in a beautiful time for dyslexic learners. Tools exist that would have seemed like magic twenty years ago.
Text-to-Speech
Apps that read text aloud. Anything on a screen can become something you hear. Your eyes get a break. Your ears do the work.
Try: NaturalReader, Voice Dream Reader, or even the built-in screen reader on your phone.
Speech-to-Text
Speak your thoughts and watch them appear as text. No struggling to type. No worrying about spelling. Just talk.
Try: Google Docs voice typing, Apple Dictation, or Otter.ai.
Audiobooks
Reading is hard. Listening isn’t. Audiobooks let you consume books without the struggle of decoding words.
Try: Audible, Scribd, or your local library’s app.
Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts
Some fonts are easier for dyslexic readers. OpenDyslexic, Arial, and Comic Sans (yes, really) can be more readable than fancy fonts.
Strategy 3: Chunk Information
Dyslexic brains can feel overwhelmed by too much information at once.
Breaking things into smaller pieces helps.
Instead of: Reading a whole chapter in one sitting
Try: Reading one page, then stopping to summarise
Instead of: Studying for two hours straight
Try: Twenty minutes of study, five minute break, repeat
Instead of: Memorising a long list
Try: Learning three items, then three more, then putting them together
Small chunks are easier to digest. They also give your brain little wins along the way, which builds confidence.
Strategy 4: Use Colour Coding
Colour helps dyslexic brains organise information.
Ways to use colour:
📝 Highlight nouns in yellow, verbs in blue, key ideas in pink
📝 Use different coloured pens for different subjects
📝 Colour-code your notes by theme or importance
📝 Put sticky notes of different colours around your workspace
Colour creates visual patterns that make information easier to find and remember.
Strategy 5: Ask for Accommodations
Here is something I want you to hear clearly:
Asking for help is not weakness.
In school, at work, anywhere you’re learning, you have the right to tools that help you succeed.
Reasonable accommodations include:
✅ Extra time on tests
✅ Access to audio versions of materials
✅ Permission to record lectures
✅ A quiet space for reading
✅ Using a computer instead of writing by hand
✅ Having instructions explained verbally as well as in writing
If you don’t ask, people won’t know you need these things. Most people want to help when they understand.
Strategy 6: Find Your Learning Style
Dyslexic people often have strengths that traditional classrooms ignore.
Some are brilliant visual thinkers. They understand complex systems by seeing how parts connect.
Some are phenomenal storytellers. They remember information best when it’s wrapped in narrative.
Some are hands-on learners. They need to do things to understand them.
Pay attention to when learning feels easy. What’s different about those moments? What can you learn from them?
Then lean into what works for you.
Strategy 7: Be Kind to Yourself
This might be the most important one.
Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia leaves marks. Years of feeling “stupid.” Years of hiding struggles. Years of thinking something was wrong with you.
That stuff doesn’t disappear overnight.
So here is your reminder:
You are not lazy.
You are not dumb.
You are not broken.
You never were.
You just learned differently. And now you’re finding ways to make learning work for you.
That takes courage. Don’t forget to be proud of yourself.
What This Looks Like at Petrofuture Academy
Everything I’ve just shared matters deeply to us.
Because we built Petrofuture Academy for learners who don’t fit the traditional mould.
Our courses are:
📱 Self-paced – No rushing. No deadlines. Move at the speed that works for your brain.
🎧 Accessible – Read on screen, or use text-to-speech tools. Whatever helps you learn.
🧠 Flexible – Start, stop, and return when life allows. No pressure.
🎓 Accredited – Real diplomas that recognise your achievement.
We have students with dyslexia. Students with ADHD. Students who struggled through traditional school and thought learning wasn’t for them.
They’re proving themselves wrong every single day.
You can too.
A Few Strategies to Try This Week
Pick one. Just one. Try it for a few days and see how it feels.
🔹 Listen to an audiobook instead of reading
🔹 Use colour to organise your notes
🔹 Try speech-to-text for one task
🔹 Ask for one accommodation you have been too afraid to request
🔹 Break one big task into small chunks
See what happens.
Let’s Keep Talking
If you tried any of these, I would love to hear how it went.
Drop a comment. Send a message. Let me know what worked, what didn’t, and what you would add to this list.
The more we share what helps, the more we all learn.
And that is what this community is for.
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