A condition that is far more complex than you may realise – let’s take a good look at what dyslexia is, and how we can support those with dyslexia. We’ve used resources from the British Dyslexia Association, as they’re a renowned resource for all facets of dyslexia information. The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) is the “voice of dyslexic people. We aim to influence government and other institutions to promote a dyslexia friendly society that enables dyslexic people of all ages to reach their full potential.”
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a term you’ve likely heard many times, without having an in-depth understanding of what dyslexia means, beyond reading difficulties. The stereotype of seeing letters and numbers ‘dancing’ and shifting on paper is, interestingly, only one of many different presentations of dyslexia, and we’re really keen to dispel the many misconceptions out there about dyslexia. Improving the perception of what dyslexia really is, in our opinion, is vital in improving the understanding and support that our children can access in order to really flourish socially, emotionally and academically.
“Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which primarily affects reading and writing skills. However, it does not only affect these skills. Dyslexia is actually about information processing. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills.
It is important to remember that there are positives to thinking differently. Many dyslexic people show strengths in areas such as reasoning and in visual and creative fields.” (BDA)
Interesting facts about dyslexia…
- 10% of the population are believed to be dyslexic yet it is still hugely misunderstood
- Dyslexia is a neurological difference and a form of ‘neurodivergence’
- Dyslexia can co-occur alongside other forms of neurodivergence such as autism and ADHD, and also without
- Dyslexia presents as a ‘spectrum’ in terms of support needs and impact upon processing
- Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as an ‘umbrella’ with other processing conditions such as Auditory Processing Disorder included underneath that umbrella
- Dyslexic people are predominantly found in the arts industry; Gwen Stefani, Tom Holland, Jennifer Aniston, Keanu Reeves and Channing Tatum are just some examples of dyslexic people in the show business industry.
What difficulties occur with dyslexia?
There are a number of areas where a dyslexic person may experience difficulties – they may experience one of these, or multiple, as each individual with dyslexia presents uniquely.
- Phonological difficulties: struggle to identify phonemes (letter sounds), which can lead to difficulties with reading and spelling
- Rapid naming difficulties: struggle to name things such as colours, letters and numbers, linked to slow reading speed
- Word recognition and comprehension difficulties: struggle to recognise and decode written language
- Visual difficulties: struggle to process information visually and remember letter formation & spelling
Could my child be dyslexic?
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re concerned that your child could be dyslexic, and it’s always worth trusting your gut instinct by looking into this, even if it turns out that your child is not dyslexic. The screening tools for dyslexia give a good indication as to whether a child is possibly dyslexic and in need of extra support.
Fundamentally, if your child is struggling, it is worth investigating all possibilities in order to help them to thrive!
Traits of dyslexia tend to ‘evolve’ with age, so you’ll often see them categorised by age group:
- Early years
- Primary school age
- Secondary school age
We must emphasise that these signs of dyslexia are not exhaustive or ‘one size fits all’; these lists are merely a collection of common signs per age group that we’ve collated through working with experts in the field of dyslexia and SEND. If you find them helpful, please feel welcome to save our infographics from below and share them with others! There’s also plenty of positives of dyslexia – read our blog on this here.
Early Years Signs of Dyslexia
- Difficulty learning nursery rhymes, songs and the alphabet
- Mixing up words
- Confusing directional instructions (up, down for example)
- Family history
- Difficulty sequencing
- Poor auditory discrimination between sounds
- Struggle to sit still and listen
Primary School Age Signs of Dyslexia
- Processing seems ‘slower’ than peers – expressed in spoken and/or written language
- Struggles to follow instructions
- Written work difficulties; may be messy/jumbled
- Pencil grip issues
- Pronounces words oddly
- Possible mathematical struggles
- Telling the time may be difficult
- Difficulties reading – missing words, slow speed etc
- Difficulties with memory
Secondary School Age Signs of Dyslexia
- Standard of written work low compared to academic ability
- Difficulty following list of instructions
- May struggle to name objects
- Omits/repeats words
- Hesitant/laboured reader
- Disorganised and easily distracted
- Appears to know more than they are able to express in writing
- Punctuation and grammar difficulties
- Spells the same word differently on the same piece of work
- Difficulties with memory
How is dyslexia diagnosed?
There are many different tools that can be used to assess for dyslexia. These screening tests and checklists can be extremely useful in flagging possible dyslexia, but are not diagnostic. A formal diagnosis can only be carried out by either a specialist dyslexia assessor, with a Level 7 qualification, or an Educational Psychologist. If a diagnosis of dyslexia is made, your child may qualify for support if they stay in education once they leave school at 18. To make sure they can apply for this support, check that the specialist assessor you work with has a valid Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) or that the Educational Psychologist is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
In UK schools, children are not routinely screened in school for dyslexia (or for any other learning difficulties), but schools are increasingly opting to use screening tests to support the development of provision for their pupils who are experiencing difficulties and are in need of intervention – a full diagnostic assessment is certainly something you should talk to your child’s school about.
Is your child’s school unwilling to facilitate a dyslexia assessment? We can help here. Scroll down to find out how…
Dyslexia myths busted…
Somewhat unsurprisingly, as with all forms of SEND, there are so many myths floating about about dyslexia that we’re seeking to tackle. Here’s some dyslexia truths!
- A dyslexic child can absolutely be given an EHCP regardless of academic attainment
- Dyslexia is a form of SEND, regardless of academic attainment
- Having SEND does not mean that an individual has cognitive delays, and not having cognitive delays does not diminish the fact that someone can have SEND
- Each dyslexic individual is different and will need their own individual support system
- Dyslexia can still be diagnosed – some parents have recently told us that they’ve been informed by their child’s school that ‘dyslexia is no longer a diagnosable condition’ which is untrue
How can a dyslexic person be supported?
There are so many different ways to support dyslexia – each dyslexic person presents differently, with there being multiple tools for each type of dyslexia. Tools to support dyslexia may include;
- Technology and assistive apps
- Smartpens
- Speech recognition software
- Coloured overlay sheets and work paper
- Patience and compassion from others
- A robust, lawfully written EHCP with the dyslexia support they need well outlined and quantified – we can help you here! Our SEND consultants are skilled in this area and our parent help page can explain more about the support we can provide: https://sunshine-support.org/advice-and-support/
Want to learn more?
On Thursday 5 June 2025, we are delighted to be joined by Dyslexia consultant Amanda Keen who will be with us to go through everything about Dyslexia in much more detail, giving practical hints and tips and answering your questions.
Tickets for this online live webinar can be brought here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1044733073747
Getting an assessment
While we are not associated with them, we have been made aware that Small Talk Speech and Language Therapy do currently have availability for dyslexia assessments. You can contact them directly via their website: https://www.private-speech-therapy.co.uk/
