When my son Ethan (not his real name) was diagnosed with dyslexia in Primary 3, my wife and I felt a mix of relief and uncertainty. Finally, we had an explanation for his struggles—but we also had so many questions. What should we do next? How would he cope with the demands of Singapore’s education system?
Fast forward a few years, and Ethan scored AL9 in the PSLE. To some, that might not seem like a top score, but for our family, it was a huge triumph. This is our story—one of small wins, constant adjustments, and learning to measure progress differently.
Early Signs and Diagnosis
From preschool, we noticed Ethan was falling behind in reading and writing. He confused similar-looking letters (like *b* and *d*), struggled with phonics, and took much longer than his peers to recognise simple words. Writing was slow and messy, and homework sessions often ended in frustration.
By Primary 2, it was clear this wasn’t just a case of “late blooming.” He:
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Avoided reading aloud
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Frequently misspelled basic words
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Couldn’t remember what he had just read
That’s when we decided to get a formal psychological assessment, which confirmed he had developmental dyslexia.
Getting the Right Help
1. School-Based Support (MOE’s SDR Programme)
We enrolled Ethan in MOE’s School-Based Dyslexia Remediation (SDR) Programme, which provided structured phonics and literacy support. It helped, but we felt he needed more personalised attention.
2. Private Tutoring (Orton-Gillingham Approach)
We engaged a private tutor trained in the Orton-Gillingham (OG) method, a multi-sensory, structured literacy approach designed for dyslexic learners. Lessons were:
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Slow and repetitive (which Ethan needed)
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Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (using sand trays, coloured tiles, and movement)
3. Home Strategies That Made a Difference
We incorporated these tools to support his learning:
✔ Coloured reading overlays (to reduce visual stress)
✔ Audiobooks (to improve comprehension without decoding struggles)
✔ Dictation apps (for spelling practice)
✔ Word games (Bananagrams, Word Bingo—making learning fun)
Over time, his confidence in English grew, and he went from avoiding books to reading short chapter books.
Chinese: A Different Battle
Chinese was Ethan’s biggest challenge. Unlike English, Chinese characters offered no phonetic clues, and rote memorisation didn’t work for him.
What Didn’t Work:
❌ Traditional group tuition (too fast-paced, demoralising)
❌ Forcing excessive writing drills (led to meltdowns)
What Worked Instead:
✔ 1-on-1 tutor (focused on high-frequency characters & oral fluency)
✔ Focusing on listening & speaking first (before pushing written work)
We accepted early on that Chinese might always be his weakest subject, and that was okay. Our goal wasn’t perfection—it was ensuring he didn’t develop a fear of the language.
Learning at His Own Pace
We had to let go of traditional timelines. While his classmates wrote full compositions, Ethan was still working on basic sentence structure.
Our Approach:
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Breaking tasks into tiny steps (e.g., “Today, just write 3 correct sentences.”)
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Using mind maps & visuals for planning compositions
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Celebrating effort over results (e.g., “Great job using punctuation!”)
Progress was slow, but every small win mattered.
PSLE Results Day: A Quiet Victory
When Ethan received AL9, we were overjoyed. His English and Science carried him, while Chinese remained his lowest subject—but that didn’t diminish his achievement.
We remembered:
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The boy who once couldn’t spell “cat” now writing full essays
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The child who dreaded reading finishing chapter books
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The hours of extra work, tears, and perseverance behind every mark
This wasn’t just a score—it was proof that with the right support, dyslexic kids can thrive.
Advice for Parents of Dyslexic Children
If your child is struggling, here’s what we learned:
✅ Get assessed early—don’t wait for them to “catch up”
✅ Find the right support (MOE programmes, OG tutors, assistive tech)
✅ Adjust expectations—progress looks different for every child
✅ Focus on strengths (Ethan’s creativity & verbal skills helped him in orals)
✅ Celebrate small wins (every step forward counts)
Most importantly: Your belief in them matters more than any grade.
Final Thought
Dyslexia doesn’t mean a child can’t succeed—it just means they learn differently. With patience, structure, and love, they can achieve more than you imagine.
Ethan’s AL9 wasn’t just a number. It was a reminder that resilience and effort matter most.
If you’re on a similar journey, keep going. 💪