After 30 years in education, I’ve learned something that has changed the way I approach letter reversals, especially the common b/d reversal. This is something that many individuals with dyslexia struggle with.
For years, I believed that teaching one thing at a time was the best way to ensure a student’s success. It seemed logical: introduce one letter or skill, practice it until it was mastered, and then move on to the next. But I’ve learned that this isn’t always the most effective approach.
Students often learn more effectively when they are presented with multiple pieces of information and are given opportunities to discriminate between them and figure out which one is correct. Rather than simply memorizing one letter at a time, students are actively comparing, thinking, and making decisions. This is one reason I’ve found this approach to be so effective when working with b and d reversals.
I’m seeing meaningful improvements in my students’ ability to recognize, read, and write words containing b and d accurately. Instead of relying on memorization alone, they are learning to pay attention to the differences between the letters and apply that knowledge when reading and writing. After three decades in education, it’s exciting to discover an approach that can make such a noticeable difference for students.
If you work with a student who struggles with letter reversals, I highly recommend watching this free webinar. It explains the approach in more detail and gives you strategies you can begin using with your students or child right away.