Start with strengths, not deficits

Dyslexia affects reading and spelling. It does not cap ambition. Start every planning meeting with what the student does well.

Ask three questions first:

1. What do you do well without trying hard?
2. What do people ask you for help with?
3. Which class or task makes time fly?

Write the answers down. Use them to test every pathway below.

Four pathways to explore

No pathway is easier. Each one has a different reading load. Match the load to the supports the student will use.

Questions for each pathway

For university and college:

• Does the program offer audiobooks or text-to-speech?
• What does the accessibility office need for registration?
• How are students assessed: exams, projects or placements?

For apprenticeship and skilled trades:

• What written exams are required for certification?
• Can the student request exam accommodations? In Ontario, Skilled Trades Ontario accepts accommodation requests for its exams.
• Which local employers take apprentices?

For direct to work:

• Which roles use the student's top strengths?
• What training does the employer provide?
• Is the student ready to request workplace accommodations?

Know the data

Statistics Canada reports 5.6% of Canadians aged 15 and over had a learning disability in 2022. That is more than 1.6 million people. Among those aged 25 to 64, 52% needed at least one workplace accommodation. Planning for accommodations is normal, not a sign of weakness.

Fill-in planning record

• Student name: ________
• Top three strengths: ________
• Supports and tools that work best (for example text-to-speech, audiobooks, hands-on tasks): ________
• Pathway first choice: ________
• Pathway second choice: ________
• Supports the student uses now: ________
• Supports needed at next stage: ________
• Documentation on file (psychoeducational assessment, IEP): ________
• Next action and date: ________

Link to the IEP

In Ontario, every student with an IEP must have a transition plan. It sits inside the IEP. Use this guide to inform that plan. Review it each time the IEP is reviewed.

A note on diagnosis

Counsellors do not diagnose. Only a licensed professional can diagnose dyslexia, usually a psychologist or psychological associate. Rules differ by province. In Quebec, a speech-language pathologist can also assess it. If a student has no formal assessment, refer the family to the school psychology team.

Next steps

1. Book a follow-up in four weeks.
2. Send the student to one open house or job shadow.
3. Update the transition plan with the chosen pathway.