Recognising Distress and Harm

Recognising Distress and Harm

Not all learning struggles are the same.

When a child becomes upset, angry, or withdrawn about reading, it’s important to know whether this is ordinary frustration or a sign that the method — not the child — is the problem.

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⚠️ Signs That Phonics Is Causing Harm

Look for patterns, not one-off moments.

You might notice:

• Sudden tears, shutdowns, or meltdowns during phonics tasks
• Saying “I’m stupid” or “I hate reading”
• Avoiding reading books they previously enjoyed
• Complaining of headaches, tummy aches, or tiredness on phonics days
• Reading ability stuck at short, simple words while comprehension races ahead
• Anxiety or panic during the Year 1 phonics screening test
• A mismatch between spoken understanding and reading ability

These are not signs of poor effort — they are signs of processing overload.

Your child’s brain is being asked to hold too many pieces of information at once: the sounds, blending, rules, sequence, and meaning.

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🧠 Understanding What’s Happening

Children with neurodivergent profiles — such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, auditory-processing, or working-memory differences — often think in rich patterns and meaning.

Synthetic phonics forces language into a slow, step-by-step decoding process that doesn’t fit their natural style.

This mismatch can trigger distress, confusion, or total shutdown.

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💬 What to Do When You Notice Distress

1. Stop and listen. If reading causes tears or anger, pause. Nothing useful is learned in distress.
2. Record what you see. Note the activity, the reaction, and what helped calm your child.
3. Share observations early. Tell the teacher that the method itself may be the issue, not your child’s effort.
4. Ask about flexibility. Schools can and should vary teaching methods — this is a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010.
5. Protect confidence. Shift focus to enjoyment and understanding: read aloud together, use audiobooks, or discuss stories your child hears.

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🌱 Why Acting Early Matters

Long-term distress around reading can lead to:

• Fear of learning
• Avoidance of books or writing
• Low self-esteem and school refusal
• Anxiety spreading to other subjects

These harms are preventable.

Changing the method — not the child — is the first step to rebuilding confidence and genuine literacy.

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💬 Distress is not defiance. When reading hurts, it’s the approach that needs to change.

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Disclaimer: This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For individual guidance, contact SENDIASS, IPSEA, or the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS). See the full Legal and Support Disclaimer for details.