Supporting Diverse Learners in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Helping Multilingual Students and Students with Dyslexia

Every classroom includes students with a wide range of literacy needs, including multilingual learners and students with dyslexia. While these groups may show similar reading challenges, the root causes, and the supports required, are different. This guide helps educators understand those distinctions and apply effective strategies that build on each student's strengths.

Drawing from research in the science of reading and Structured Literacy, the guide offers practical, teacher-centered approaches for meeting students where they are. It explains how explicit, systematic instruction in phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension can close gaps and accelerate progress.

Teachers will find guidance on culturally responsive assessment, flexible grouping, and classroom practices that promote both inclusion and growth. The guide also shows how Lexia® Core5® Reading helps educators put research into practice through individualized instruction, real-time data, and embedded professional learning.

Core5 provides language and literacy support that strengthens oral language, decoding, and comprehension for multilingual learners, while also delivering structured, multisensory instruction for students with dyslexia. The result is a cohesive framework that supports literacy development for every student.

By combining evidence-based methods with equitable, asset-based practices, educators can ensure that all learners, regardless of background or reading ability, gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.