Dyslexia in Pre-School Children
- Speech develops later than expected
- Finds it difficult to remember the names of common objects, eg, ‘table’, ‘book’
- Finds it difficult to remember nursery rhymes and to say a rhyming string, eg, ‘fat’, ‘cat’, ‘sat’.
Non-Language Indicators
- Difficulty with clapping a simple rhythm
- Enjoys being read to but shows no interest in letters or words
- Poor expressive language
- Continuing difficulties in getting dressed and putting shoes on the correct feet
- Problems with catching, kicking or throwing a ball or with hopping or skipping
Dyslexia in Early Primary School Children
- Writes letters and numbers the wrong way round
- Finds it difficult to remember times tables, the alphabet etc.
- May find it difficult to concentrate
- Takes longer to process information
- Gets confused over ‘b’ and ‘d’, ‘p’ and ‘q’
- Finds reading and spelling difficult
- Cannot always understand/remember what they have read
- Poor sound awareness
- Difficulty in copying words off the board
- Short-term memory difficulties as can’t remember what the instructions were
Non-Language Indicators
- Lacks self-esteem and self-motivation
- Finds it difficult to follow a set of instructions/directions
- Lacks the ability to tie shoe laces, tie, dressing
- Can’t remember the day of the week in order, months of the year, tell left from right
Later End of Primary School
- Slow at reading
- Finds it difficult to remember what has been read
- Poor skills for decoding new words/sounds
- Can skip words/lines
- Confusion of similar letters mean bizarre spellings
- Finds handwriting information difficult, poor pencil control
- Poor attention and concentration skills
- Confuses left and right
- Can remember spellings one day but not the next
- Extra effort results in excessive tiredness after school and also ‘meltdowns’
Dyslexia in Secondary School Students and Adults
- Slow speed of reading, poor accuracy
- Skips lines and words when reading
- Difficulties become more obvious when under time pressures
- Finds revision for exams difficult
- Cannot always meet deadlines
- Poor personal organisation
- Finds it difficult to fill in forms
- Develops procrastination skills to avoid tasks that are difficult
- Needs to have instructions repeated
- Difficulty remembering times tables
- Poor handwritten communication to convey knowledge and understanding in examinations