What is dyslexia?
In my experience, symptoms of dyslexia vary from individual to individual. Dyslexia occurs across a wide range of intellectual abilities. Many people with dyslexia are very bright and very talented and are often highly intuitive,
insightful, creative, musical, artist, sporty, 'hands on', caring, have amazing people skills, make great leaders and see the 'big picture' (these are just a few of their great skills).
More often than not, the difficulties and symptoms of dyslexia tend to present themselves in varying degrees, as well as other possible difficulties in one or more of the following:
- reading
- writing
- spelling
- concentration
- short-term memory (visual or auditory)
- processing speed
- sequencing skills
- organisational skills
- arithmetic skills
- orientation and direction
- behaviour
- self-esteem
Consequently, children or adults may experience difficulty in:
- acquiring fluent word reading skills (may present as a hesitant reader, mix up letters or words, leave little words out);
- remembering what they have read, because they are so busy trying to 'read';
- understanding what they have read, because they are concentrating so hard on reading;
- spelling (some children may remember how to spell words for a weekly spelling test, but forget how to spell them in free writing);
- sequencing days, weeks, months, seasons; instructions;
- sequencing and getting ideas on to paper when planning and writing stories, essays or reports;
- organising themselves;
- remembering multiplication tables and foundation arithmetic skills;
- concentrating in the classroom;
- achieving their potential; and
- maintaining high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem.
If you think you or your child may be dyslexic, contact me for further advice and support.
YouTube videos about dyslexia:
Official definition of dyslexia from the British Dyslexia Association:
"Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills.
It is likely to be present at birth and to be lifelong in its effects. It is characterised by difficulties with:
- phonological processing,
- rapid naming,
- working memory,
- processing speed,
- and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities.
It tends to be resistant to conventional teaching methods, but its effects can be mitigated by appropriately specific intervention, including the application of information technology and supportive counselling."
People with dyslexia may experience difficulties in areas beyond literacy, such as areas highlighted by the Rose Report in 2009: Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and attention, personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia’ (Rose, 2009 pp30).
Developmental phases of dyslexia in children and young people learning to read in English (Rose Report, 2009)
Developmental Phase
| Signs of Dyslexia |
Preschool
|
- Delayed or problematic speech.
- Poor expressive language.
- Poor rhyming skills.
- Little interest/difficulty learning letters.
|
Early school years
|
- Poor letter-sound knowledge.
- Poor phoneme awareness.
- Poor word attack skills.
- Idiosyncratic spelling.
- Problems copying.
|
Middle school
|
- Slow reading.
- Poor decoding skills when faced with new words.
- Phonetic or non-phonetic spelling.
|
Adolescence and adulthood
|
- Poor reading fluency.
- Slow speed of writing.
- Poor organisation and expression in work.
|
