Protecting Wellbeing
Protecting Wellbeing
Reading should never cause distress. When a child becomes anxious, frustrated or tearful during phonics, this is a sign of overload — not laziness or defiance.
Children with neurodevelopmental differences such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism or auditory processing difficulties can experience phonics as painful, confusing or humiliating. Repeated failure can damage confidence, self-esteem and motivation to learn.
Early Warning Signs
- Tears, anger or anxiety about reading
- Headaches or physical tension when asked to read aloud
- Avoidance of homework or school
- Sudden loss of confidence or self-belief
- Statements like “I’m stupid” or “I hate reading”
These are not behavioural problems. They are indicators that the teaching method is not working.
What Parents Can Do
- Stop phonics practice when distress starts — this prevents emotional harm.
- Reassure your child that the problem is with the method, not them.
- Inform the school in writing that the approach is causing distress and request adjustments under the **Equality Act 2010**.
- Ask the school to focus on enjoyment, meaning and confidence, not just decoding.
- Use immersive reading and audiobooks to maintain language growth and curiosity.
Why This Matters
Emotional wellbeing is part of learning. Once confidence is damaged, recovery is slow. Protecting your child’s mental health is both a **parental right** and a **legal duty for schools** under the Equality Act 2010 and the **Children and Families Act 2014**.
