In our new reality of virtual school and virtual work. It might feel hard for you to keep track of what month it is, let alone what Awareness Month it is! However, October is Dyslexia Awareness month. For the sake of our students with dyslexia, it is important to continue to spread awareness, not just in October, but whenever the opportunity arises. You can make a difference with something small. If you are feeling more ambitious, you can create an event to help others learn more about dyslexia. There is something here for everyone, no matter what your comfort level with public speaking.

Social media: Share one fact about dyslexia a day.

Social media is a double-edged sword in all of our lives, but one thing it does incredibly efficiently is spread information in bite size pieces. There are a number of great graphics available from groups like Decoding Dyslexia or International Dyslexia Association that you can share through your personal or school social media accounts. Whether Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, one post a day can not only spread more awareness but pique follower’s curiosity and send them looking for more information. Using this Dyslexia Awareness Month calendar is a great way to get some ideas for sharing.

Donate copies of books about dyslexia to your local school and library.

Perhaps you aren’t comfortable in an education role. There is still a way you can spread dyslexia awareness. Donate copies of books for professionals and families about dyslexia to your school or local public library. Perhaps an updated edition of a book they have is available and you can donate the most up-to-date resource. In addition to books for educators or advocates, consider donating books to your school or public library that feature characters with dyslexia. It can be really powerful for our students to find stories about children like themselves. Check this list of book suggestions about dyslexia for ideas!

Attend a virtual conference or workshop to learn more.

One of the silver linings of Covid is that more opportunities than ever before are available online. Workshops that would typically include expensive travel and lodging are available as online programs for a fraction of the cost. Additionally, there is a wealth of online programming being offered for free. My email inbox is full of new opportunities for individuals at all stages of learning. Even if you are not comfortable teaching others about dyslexia, you can take advantage of Dyslexia Awareness month to increase your personal knowledge base.

Start a book group with some friends and host it online.

Zoom and Google meets are the new wine and cheese, cocktail party or tea party. You can accomplish more than one goal when you get together with friends or colleagues for an online book club. Whether you prefer jammies and cocoa or a glass of Chardonnay, it is easy to host an online event. Just choose a great read and invite some friends. This may be just the motivator your teaching partner needed to learn more about dyslexia and make the time to read.

Since many people with children are finding themselves with many balls in the air, consider a kick-off meeting where guests have a chance to socialize and you read aloud the first chapter to get them hooked. There are no rules with online book groups, you can meet once a month or weekly, discuss a book in its entirety or a chapter at a time. The important thing is that you are having an opportunity to connect with others and everyone is learning more about dyslexia.

Share your knowledge digitally.

You can create a short video of a PowerPoint presentation about dyslexia and share it with others online. This can be on Facebook, YouTube or in a Zoom meeting. This will likely take the place of the presentation you might have done in person and that’s OK! You might even feel less nervous sharing online than in person. 🙂 There are so many cool online tools available right now, this is a great opportunity to try some out and put your creativity to work. Whether you create an animated musical PSA about dyslexia or a simple presentation with a voice over, you are spreading knowledge and awareness about the most frequent cause of reading difficulties.

6. Share with kids!

This Dyslexia Awareness Month Virtual Classroom is the best way to get them involved. They’re are books for a wide range of ages in this classroom. Simple click on a cover and there will be a video to read it to you.

What if you have an idea for a way to spread awareness virtually, but you can’t pull it off in October? Dyslexia causes challenges every day, not just during Dyslexia Awareness month. So, don’t be shy, spread awareness because every day can be Dyslexia Awareness Day if someone learns more about understanding Language based learning challenges.

I have A TON of posts related to Dyslexia Awareness if you need more ideas, so be sure to check those out. Thanks for stopping by!