Dyslexia can be described as a learning difficulty which mainly affects the ability to accurately and fluently read and spell.
The features that are generally considered to be characteristic of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal processing speed and verbal memory. Dyslexia can occur across the spectrum of intellectual abilities and as there are no clear cut off points, it should be considered as a continuum.
Difficulties that may co-occur alongside dyslexia are language or motor coordination problems, concentration issues, personal organisation or mental calculation problems. Although, on their own, these should not be considered as markers of dyslexia.
We can analyse the severity and persistence of a person’s difficulties with literacy and dyslexia by examining how well a person responds to a sound intervention.
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) also notes that some individuals with Dyslexia can experience visual and / or auditory processing difficulties. The combination of difficulties that a dyslexic individual experiences can affect the process of learning. It is important to acknowledge the many strengths that some dyslexics show, such as with creativity, problem solving and oral skills.”
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There are many behavioural indicators that may suggest that an individual has dyslexia.
Some of these include the following:
- Standard of written work in comparison to oral work is poor
- Sequential problems, such as recounting the alphabet or times-tables
- Mixing upper and lower case letters in writing
- Work may be messy, with frequent errors
- Poor handwriting, not able to use margins or stay on the lines
- Frequent breaks required as hand/arm aches and unorthodox pencil grip
- Different spellings of the same word in one written piece
- Confuses word order to form anagrams, such as bets for best and war for raw
- Difficulty copying from the board or taking notes
- Finds homework problematic
- Individuals may have difficulties with organisational skills
- Sequential problems, such as recounting the alphabet or times-tables
For more advice, please check out this link to see your child exhibits any signs.