CHARACTERISTICS OF DYSLEXIA
Individuals with dyslexia will have some of these characteristics but formal testing is the only way
to confirm a diagnosis of dyslexia.
to confirm a diagnosis of dyslexia.
Difficulty with Oral Language
· Late in learning to talk
· Difficulty pronouncing words
· Difficulty acquiring vocabulary or using age appropriate grammar
· Difficulty following directions
· Difficulty learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs
· Difficulty with word retrieval / use of non-specific vocabulary such as ‘thing’ or ‘stuff’
Difficulty with Reading
· Difficulty identifying or generating rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (Phonological Awareness)
· Difficulty with hearing, distinguishing and manipulating sounds in words, (bat = “b” + ”a”+ ”t”) (Phonemic Awareness)
· Difficulty learning the sounds of letters (Phonics)
· Difficulty remembering names and/or shapes of letters
· Omitting parts of words when reading - conible for convertible
· Reverses letters or the order of letters when reading
· Misreads or omits common small words (the, a, and, said, etc.) and word endings (ing, ed, etc.)
· “Stumbles”through longer words or makes wild guesses
· Poor reading comprehension during oral or silent reading
· Slow, laborious oral reading
· Fear of reading aloud and avoidance of reading for pleasure
· A better ability to understand words in context rather than to read isolated single words or ‘nonsense’ (made up) words
Difficulty with Writing
· Difficulty putting ideas on paper
· Many spelling mistakes
· May do well on weekly spelling tests, but there are many spelling mistakes in daily work
· Difficulty in proofreading and often reads back what they intended to write, not what is on the page
· Poor or illegible handwriting
Other general characteristics
· Family history of reading problems
· Uncertainty as to directionality; left/right, before/after, etc.
· Late in learning to tie shoes and/or reading analog clocks
· Inability to finish tests on time
· Homework that seems to be never-ending
· Math Challenges
· Difficulty memorizing address, alphabet or math facts
· Difficulty with organization
· Difficulty with foreign languages
For more in-depth information, please visit IDA-RMB’s Just the Facts.
· Late in learning to talk
· Difficulty pronouncing words
· Difficulty acquiring vocabulary or using age appropriate grammar
· Difficulty following directions
· Difficulty learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs
· Difficulty with word retrieval / use of non-specific vocabulary such as ‘thing’ or ‘stuff’
Difficulty with Reading
· Difficulty identifying or generating rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (Phonological Awareness)
· Difficulty with hearing, distinguishing and manipulating sounds in words, (bat = “b” + ”a”+ ”t”) (Phonemic Awareness)
· Difficulty learning the sounds of letters (Phonics)
· Difficulty remembering names and/or shapes of letters
· Omitting parts of words when reading - conible for convertible
· Reverses letters or the order of letters when reading
· Misreads or omits common small words (the, a, and, said, etc.) and word endings (ing, ed, etc.)
· “Stumbles”through longer words or makes wild guesses
· Poor reading comprehension during oral or silent reading
· Slow, laborious oral reading
· Fear of reading aloud and avoidance of reading for pleasure
· A better ability to understand words in context rather than to read isolated single words or ‘nonsense’ (made up) words
Difficulty with Writing
· Difficulty putting ideas on paper
· Many spelling mistakes
· May do well on weekly spelling tests, but there are many spelling mistakes in daily work
· Difficulty in proofreading and often reads back what they intended to write, not what is on the page
· Poor or illegible handwriting
Other general characteristics
· Family history of reading problems
· Uncertainty as to directionality; left/right, before/after, etc.
· Late in learning to tie shoes and/or reading analog clocks
· Inability to finish tests on time
· Homework that seems to be never-ending
· Math Challenges
· Difficulty memorizing address, alphabet or math facts
· Difficulty with organization
· Difficulty with foreign languages
For more in-depth information, please visit IDA-RMB’s Just the Facts.
