RELC 2025 Conference
Bridging the Gap: Empowering Secondary Students with Dyslexia
By Dr Geetha Shantha Ram
Director SpLD Assessment Services,
English Language and Literacy Division, Staff Professional Development, Head, DAS Research Committee, APJDD Executive Editor, Registrar, Register of Educational Therapists (Asia)
Dr Geetha presenting at the
RELC 2025 Conference
Serena Abdullah Tan presenting at the RELC 2025 Conference
At the RELC 2025 conference, Serena and I had the opportunity to present a DAS research on iReaCH – an online programme designed to support older students in developing their reading comprehension and writing skills. Using vocabulary instruction as the foundation, our study explored how targeted, high-order interventions can make a significant impact—especially for students with dyslexia.
Addressing a Critical Gap in Dyslexia Support
Students with dyslexia often struggle with acquiring vocabulary, which in turn affects their reading comprehension and overall academic success. Yet, much of the existing support focuses on foundational literacy skills rather than high-order reading and writing strategies. Our research set out to address this gap by integrating Orton-Gillingham principles with Marzano’s (2004) six-step vocabulary instruction method.
Over 12 months, 30 secondary students participated in the program. The results were compelling: students made significant gains in vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. This highlights the importance of structured, explicit vocabulary instruction as a key driver in improving literacy outcomes for dyslexic learners.
Why Vocabulary Matters
Vocabulary is more than just word knowledge—it’s the key to understanding complex texts and expressing ideas effectively. For students with dyslexia, difficulties with decoding and word retrieval often mean they struggle to build a strong vocabulary. Without this foundation, comprehension suffers, making it even harder for them to engage with academic content at a higher level.
Our study reinforced that when vocabulary instruction is systematic and multi-sensory, students can overcome these challenges. By explicitly teaching word meanings, contextual usage, and application in writing, we saw improvements not only in vocabulary acquisition but also in students’ ability to comprehend and analyze texts more effectively.
The Power of Online Learning
One of the most exciting aspects of our study was its online delivery. Secondary students often appreciate digital tools that allow for flexibility, engagement, and self-paced learning. The program incorporated interactive elements, multimedia resources, and structured online tasks, making the learning process more accessible and effective. Given the increasing role of technology in education, our findings suggest that well-designed online interventions can be a valuable tool for supporting dyslexic learners.
Key Takeaways for Educators
For teachers and language educators, our research underscores several key points:
- Explicit vocabulary instruction is essential for improving reading comprehension and writing skills in students with dyslexia.
- A structured, multi-sensory approach—such as that guided by Orton-Gillingham and Marzano’s methods—can significantly enhance learning outcomes.
- Online tools can be leveraged effectively to engage secondary students in meaningful learning experiences.
Our session sparked valuable discussions among teachers and researchers about the importance of high-order literacy instruction for students with dyslexia. Moving forward, it is crucial to integrate targeted vocabulary instruction into secondary-level interventions to ensure that all students have the tools they need to succeed.
Encouraging Feedback
Dear Geetha and Serena,
Thank you for your insightful presentation on the iReaCH programme — in particular, I appreciated that you shared about the vocabulary focus, the Orton-Gillingham principles (which look quite relevant to my research as well), and Marzano’s six-step process; also when you described what a typical session would look like, e.g. over Google Meet. I can see how the programme would be useful for students with dyslexia and indeed for students from a diverse range of profiles. Great work that you and your team are doing at DAS — Best wishes!
PhD Candidate | English Language and Literature
National Institute of Education
Dr Geetha Shantha Ram with the team from DAS! Geetha is in front, Serena Abdullah Tan is to her left, and at the back (l to r) are Nurul Hudaa, Rebecca, and Siti Aishah.
We’re proud to be part of this ongoing conversation, and even prouder of the real progress we’re seeing in our students.
