What is dyslexia?What is dyslexia?

In simple terms dyslexia is a difficulty with the processing of language.
Dyslexia is evident in a pattern of difficulties.
If you prefer to have an overview of this pattern of difficulties you can view it in the form of a mindmap.
               mindmap

A Pattern of Difficulties

Every person has a different spread of difficulties.

A dyslexic will have some of the following difficulties.

Spelling difficulties

  • Difficulty with 'easy' or common everyday words.
  • Difficulty remembering what words look like.
  • Difficulty discriminating or 'holding' the sounds in a word.

Listening/language difficulties
  • Can't listen and take notes simultaneously.
  • Trouble concentrating with background noise.
  • Pronunciation difficulties with multi-syllabic words e.g. 'preliminary' 'aluminium animal'. 
  • Trouble finding the right word you want to say. Often end up saying "thingy" or "whatchamacallit".

Reading difficulties

 

  • Need to re-read frequently.
  • Easily lose place when reading.
  • Print 'dances' or blurs when reading.

Memorisational difficulties  
  
  • Difficulty learning multiplication tables.
  • Trouble remembering telephone numbers.
  • Difficulty with sequences e.g. order of months of the year, the alphabet, the seasons.
  • Difficulty remembering facts, names, dates.


Spatial/temporal difficulties
 


  • Trouble with time and learning to tell time as child.
  • Confusion between left and right.
  • Get lost easily.
  • Difficulty reading maps.

 

Difficulties in writing

  • Trouble getting ideas down on paper.
  • Difficulties with grammar/sentence structure/punctuation.
  • Difficulty getting writing into an organised plan.
  • Trouble finding the right word (word retrieval).

Motor control difficulties
  • Difficulty copying.
  • Letter reversals e.g. b/d, who/how.
  • Lose place when reading.
  • 'Messy' or poorly constructed handwriting.
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