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Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviours. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.General
- Appears bright, highly intelligent and articulate, but unable to read, write or spell at grade level
- Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough" or "behavior problem"
- Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting
- High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written
- Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing
- Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building or engineering
- Seems to "zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time
- Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer"
- Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation and visual aids
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Reading and Spelling
- Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading
- Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences or verbal explanations
- Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words
- Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing or copying
- Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem
- Extremely keen sighted and observant or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision
- Reads and rereads with little comprehension
- Spells phonetically and inconsistently
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Hearing and Speech
- Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds
- Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words or transposes phrases, words and syllables when speaking
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Writing and Motor Skills
- Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible
- Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness
- Can be ambidextrous and often confuses left/right, over/under
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Math and Time Management
- Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks or being on time
- Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper
- Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money
- Can do arithmetic, fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math
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Memory and Cognition
- Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations and faces
- Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced
- Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue)
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Behaviour, Health, Development & Personality
- Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly
- Can be class clown, trouble-maker or too quiet
- Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes)
- Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives and chemical products
- Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age
- Unusually high or low tolerance for pain
- Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection
- Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress or poor health
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