Dyslexia and the 11+: practical ways to help your child prepare

Published 24 October 2026 by 11+ Texts

This guide offers general, practical ideas. It isn't medical or professional advice. If you think your child may be dyslexic, speak to their school, who can talk you through assessment and support.

Make the page easier to read

The British Dyslexia Association's Dyslexia Style Guide recommends, among other things, a plain sans serif font, a font size of around 12 to 14 point, line spacing of about 1.5, a cream or soft pastel background rather than bright white, and bold rather than italics or underlining for emphasis.

All 11+ Texts study packs are laid out with these ideas in mind: Verdana font, left-aligned text, 1.5 line spacing, a cream background, no italics and writing lines spaced about 8 mm apart.

Reading strategies that help

• Read the questions first so your child knows what to look for, then read the passage.
• Chunk the text. Read one paragraph at a time and summarise it in a few words before moving on.
• Read aloud together. Hearing the text can help with understanding and confidence.
• Use a ruler or reading guide to keep track of the line.
• Underline evidence before writing, so the answer is anchored to the text.

Build on strengths

Many children who find decoding hard are strong at discussing characters, motives and ideas. Talking through inference questions before writing can let that understanding show, and it builds confidence. Short stories with memorable characters, such as retellings of classics, can be a good fit.

Practise without the clock first

Get the technique right before adding time pressure. Once your child is confident with the method, introduce gentle timing in small steps.

Ask about access arrangements early

Some schools and test providers offer access arrangements, such as extra time, for children with a recognised need. What is available, what evidence is needed and the deadlines all vary, so contact the school or test provider directly, well before the test, and ask what applies to your child.