Best Schools for Dyslexia

How to Choose a School for a Child with Dyslexia: Questions Every Parent Should Ask

Deciding which school will help your child feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow is an informed choice that requires careful preparation and research. For families navigating dyslexia, the process often involves looking beyond academic programs alone and considering the full environment in which a child will learn, build confidence, and develop as a student.

When parents begin exploring how to choose a boarding school for a child with dyslexia, there are many factors to consider, including academic support, instructional approach, class structure, and the expertise of the faculty working directly with students each day.

This article offers families a closer look at how a boarding school for students with dyslexia approaches reading instruction, classroom teaching, and overall student development. As you evaluate boarding schools for your child with dyslexia, consider the following questions to help identify an environment where your child can thrive.

At Eagle Hill School, we believe that when students with dyslexia are supported with expertise, structure, and understanding, they not only improve academically but also begin to build confidence in themselves as learners.

1. What training and experience do your teachers have working with students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences?

A school’s ability to support students with dyslexia begins with its faculty. Effective instruction depends on teachers who understand language-based learning differences and have the training and experience to respond to those differences in real-time within the classroom.

At Eagle Hill School, faculty bring extensive experience working with students who learn differently, particularly those with dyslexia and related language-based challenges. Many teachers have advanced training in structured, evidence-based approaches to literacy instruction, including Orton-Gillingham.

This foundation is strengthened through ongoing professional development. Teachers continually refine their practice to reflect current research and to respond to the evolving needs of their students, ensuring that instruction remains adaptable.

Reading instruction at Eagle Hill School is led by teachers certified in Orton-Gillingham and the Wilson Reading System, who use that foundation as part of a broader, highly informed approach to teaching reading and supporting language development.

2. What specific reading methods and instructional approaches do your teachers use?

Not all reading instruction is designed with the same level of flexibility, and for students with dyslexia, that distinction matters. The most effective approaches are structured, research-based, and responsive—designed to build foundational skills while also adjusting to how each student learns best.

At Eagle Hill School, reading instruction is grounded in structured, multisensory, and evidence-based approaches, including Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, and Structured Word Inquiry. Rather than following a single prescribed program, teachers draw from multiple methods to meet the needs of each student.

As Reading Department Head Dana Harbert explains, effective instruction is not about moving every student through the same sequence of lessons, but about identifying what each student needs and designing instruction accordingly. Teachers assess a student’s strengths and areas of need, and then build lessons that target those specific skills directly.

Instruction typically includes explicit work in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, and comprehension, with careful attention to review and repetition so that skills are reinforced over time. Lessons are structured, but not rigid—they are designed to adjust as the student progresses.

The result is reading instruction that is both intentional and responsive, meeting students where they are while steadily building the skills they need to move forward with confidence.

3. How large are reading classes at your school?

Class size plays a critical role in how effectively a student with dyslexia is able to build reading skills. For many students, progress depends on consistent feedback, individualized attention, and instruction that can be adjusted in the moment based on understanding and need.

At Eagle Hill School, reading classes are intentionally small, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 4:1, while tutorials offer 2:1 or 1:1 classes. This structure allows teachers to closely observe how each student is processing information and to respond accordingly when instruction needs to be clarified, repeated, or adjusted.

In this environment, reading instruction becomes highly interactive. Students work through material with the support of their teacher throughout the entire lesson, receiving guidance that is continuous and responsive.

4. Does your school have a separate reading department with trained reading teachers?

For students with dyslexia, the structure of reading instruction within a school is just as important as the instruction itself. A dedicated reading department signals a focused commitment to literacy development and ensures that instruction is delivered by teachers with specialized training.

At Eagle Hill School, reading instruction is led by a dedicated reading department made up of teachers who specialize in language-based learning differences. This ensures reading is taught with consistency and expertise across all levels of instruction.

Equally important, the reading department works in close collaboration with other academic departments and speech-language pathologists. This allows students to experience a cohesive approach to learning throughout the school day, where strategies and support remain consistent across settings.

5. Do students have both reading classes and English classes?

Students with dyslexia benefit from a clear distinction between skill-based reading instruction and literature-based English classes, as each plays a different but complementary role in their academic development.

At Eagle Hill School, students with dyslexia participate in both reading and English classes as part of their academic program. Reading classes are designed to focus on foundational skills such as decoding, fluency, and comprehension strategies, with instruction that is explicit and individualized.

English classes, in contrast, provide students with the opportunity to apply those skills in meaningful contexts through reading literature, developing written expression, and engaging in discussion. This balance allows students not only to strengthen core skills, but also to experience language in a deeper and more expressive way.

6. How are students appropriately challenged as they develop their reading skills?

Challenge plays an essential role in the growth of students with dyslexia, particularly as they begin to build confidence and experience success in their learning. Over time, effective schools increase expectations in ways that are both intentional and supportive, helping students move beyond foundational skill development toward greater independence.

At Eagle Hill School, students are encouraged to take on increasing levels of academic and personal responsibility as they are ready. This includes opportunities to engage in more advanced and applied learning experiences such as participation in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme (full or partial), theatre technician and physical education internships, leadership programs, a wide range of electives, clubs, athletics, and involvement in programs like robotics and theatre.

For many students with dyslexia, earlier academic experiences may have led them to avoid challenges or rely on more familiar, comfortable approaches to learning. Within a supportive and structured environment, this begins to change. As students experience success, they become more willing to take academic risks, persist through difficulty, and take ownership of their progress.

A key part of this growth is the transition toward greater independence. At Eagle Hill School, students work toward “Independent Status,” a milestone that reflects a high level of trust, responsibility, and readiness to manage their time, contribute to the community, and take on leadership opportunities.

Through this gradual increase in expectations, students are not only strengthening their reading skills, but also developing the confidence, resilience, and independence needed for future academic success.

7. How does the school help students understand their learning profile and develop self-advocacy skills?

For many students with dyslexia, one of the most important turning points in their education is developing an understanding of how they learn. When students begin to recognize their strengths and challenges, they are better able to engage with their education in a purposeful and confident way.

At Eagle Hill School, this process is supported through close relationships with teachers, advisors, and specialists who work with students daily. Over time, students begin to understand their learning profiles more clearly and develop strategies that allow them to approach academic tasks with greater independence.

Just as importantly, students learn how to communicate their needs. Self-advocacy becomes a natural part of the learning process, helping students build confidence not only in the classroom, but in how they navigate academic environments more broadly.

8. Does your school encourage the use of assistive technology such as Learning Ally?

Assistive technology can play an important role in supporting students with dyslexia, particularly when it allows them to access content at a level that reflects their thinking and comprehension skills while continuing to build reading ability.

At Eagle Hill School, assistive technology is integrated into the learning experience. Tools such as audio-supported reading platforms are used to support access to content while reinforcing overall literacy development.

Students are taught how to use these tools effectively and appropriately, so that technology becomes a support for learning rather than a replacement for skill development. Over time, students learn to make intentional choices about when and how to use assistive tools as part of their academic routine.

9. How do you measure a student’s progress in reading?

Progress in reading should be both carefully monitored and clearly understood by both teachers and families. For students with dyslexia, reading development often occurs in incremental steps, making ongoing assessment essential to effective instruction.

At Eagle Hill, continuous, individualized assessment is used to track student progress across key areas of reading development. These assessments inform instruction on an ongoing basis, allowing teachers to adjust lessons to reflect what a student is ready to learn next. One key example of this ongoing evaluation is Eagle Hill School’s system of nine-term narrative reports, which provide families with a detailed picture of student progress over the course of the year. These reports include feedback not only on reading development, but also on student performance across all academic subjects, offering a comprehensive view of growth and learning.

Rather than relying on a single measure of performance, progress is viewed as a developing picture of growth over time. Families are kept informed through regular communication that highlights both areas of strength and areas of continued focus, so families have a clear, ongoing understanding of their child’s progress.

10. How does the school recognize and nurture students’ overall strengths, interests, and talents?

While reading development is central to a student’s academic experience, it is only one part of their identity as a learner. Students with dyslexia often bring strengths in creativity, problem-solving, leadership, and other areas that deserve equal attention and development.

At Eagle Hill School, students are encouraged to explore a wide range of interests across academics, athletics, the arts, and extracurricular opportunities. These experiences allow students to develop confidence in areas where they feel capable and engaged.

This broader sense of success plays an important role in a student’s overall development. As students build confidence in their strengths, they often carry that confidence back into the classroom, supporting growth across all areas of learning.

11. Are graduates from your school prepared for the reading challenges of college?

For many families, this question sits at the center of the school search process. It’s not only about how students perform while they are enrolled, but whether they will leave with the tools needed to succeed in a more independent academic environment.

A school’s approach to reading instruction should reflect this long-term goal—developing students’ ability to navigate complex texts, manage increasing academic demands, and approach new challenges with a clear understanding of how they learn.

At Eagle Hill School, the goal of reading instruction extends beyond improvement within a single school setting. Students are prepared not only through skill development, but also through the strategies and self-awareness they gain over time.

Graduates leave with a strong foundation in reading and a clear understanding of how they learn best. They know how to access support when needed, how to advocate for themselves, and how to approach academic challenges with confidence.

This combination of skill and self-knowledge allows students to transition into college environments prepared to continue growing as independent learners.

12. How do I choose the right fit and academic environment for a child with dyslexia?

There is no single “best” school for every child with dyslexia. But there is a right environment—one where expertise, structure, flexibility, and understanding come together to support growth.

Finding that environment takes time. It requires paying close attention to how a school approaches teaching and learning at its core. How do teachers respond when a student struggles? How is progress measured? How does the school understand students who learn differently? The answers to these questions often reveal more than program descriptions alone.

When the right match is found, the impact extends beyond academics. Students begin to take ownership of their learning. They develop confidence in their abilities, a clearer understanding of how they learn best, and a willingness to engage with challenges rather than avoid them.

When a school truly understands dyslexia, it doesn’t just change how students learn, it shapes how they see themselves as learners.

Learn more about reading approaches at Eagle Hill School.

Reading Approach >>