Local Offer: A Quick Guide to Creating a ‘Buddy Box’ for Pupils with Dyslexia - WNC

Creating a ‘Buddy Box’ for Pupils with Dyslexia

Supporting students with dyslexia requires adaptations, creativity, adjustments and additional resources to target the areas of difficulty. Buddy Boxes are a means of providing support to encourage independence, however, children will need guidance, and explicit teaching of the tool and daily practise using the resource until they have mastered what helps them learn.

What Could I Include in a Buddy Box?

These are just some ideas, depending on the child’s needs and the nature of the lesson, the box or wallet can be personalised for them. Children will need time to focus on and learn how to use a particular resource, this will not come automatically. 

• Alphabet arc
• Chart with 44 sounds of English language
• High frequency word mat/personal word banks
• Check list for editing (e.g. 1 2 3 Check - emphasis on one thing at a time)
• Coloured pens
• Post-Its
• Rulers
• Multiplication table
• Mathematic mats (e.g. With shapes, symbol explanations etc.)
• Counting equipment (e.g. Numicon, Deans)
• Spell checkers
• Personalised vocabulary book
• Dictaphone
• Writing frame/mind map
• Spelling practice sheets
• ‘Have a go’ cards
• ‘Speedread’ charts
• Spelling variation board
• Word attack strategies card
• Sentence checker card (isolates a sentence to help with focus)

With thanks to Leading SENCo, Lesley Tobin for the information.