What is Dyslexia?

'Dyslexia' is a Greek word which means 'difficulty with words'.  It is a lifelong condition which affects around 10% of the population.  Its effect varies from person to person.

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) defines dyslexia as a specific learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.  Dyslexia is characterised by difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory, and verbal processing speed.

Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities and is best understood as a continuum, rather than a distinct category.  Individuals with dyslexia may experience difficulties in other areas, such as organization, sequencing, and motor skills. Early identification and appropriate intervention can significantly improve outcomes for individuals with dyslexia. 

The British Dyslexia Association describe the following  possible indicators of dyslexia:

Primary School Age:

• Has particular difficulty with reading and spelling. 
• Puts letters and figures the wrong way round. 
• Has difficulty remembering tables, alphabet, formulae etc. 
• Leaves letters out of words or puts them in the wrong order. 
• Still occasionally confuses 'b' and 'd' and words such as 'no/on'. 
• Still needs to use fingers or marks on paper to make simple calculations. 
• Poor concentration. 
• Has problems understanding what he/she has read. 
• Takes longer than average to do written work. 
• Problems processing language at speed. 

Additional Indicators: 

• Has difficulty with tying shoe laces, tie, dressing. 
• Has difficulty telling left from right, order of days of the week, months of the year etc. 
• Surprises you because in other ways he/she is bright and alert. 
• Has a poor sense of direction and still confuses left and right. 
• Lacks confidence and has a poor self image. 

Secondary School Age:

These learners can experience the difficulties listed above with the addition of:

• Still reads inaccurately. 
• Still has difficulties in spelling. 
• Needs to have instructions and telephone numbers repeated. 
• Gets 'tied up' using long words, e.g. 'preliminary', 'philosophical'. 
• Confuses places, times, dates. 
• Has difficulty with planning and writing essays. 
• Has difficulty processing complex language or long series of instructions at speed. 

         (British Dyslexia Association)