What Is Dyslexia?

here are many definitions as to what dyslexia is. Dr Ian Smythe has come up with the following:

"Dyslexia is a difficulty in the acquisition of accurate and / or fluent word reading, spelling and writing that is neurological in origin. It may be caused by a combination of difficulties in auditory and visual processing, working memory, and analysis, synthesis and storage orthographic and phonological lexica. The semantic and motor systems may also be implicated. The manifestation of dyslexia in any individual will depend upon not only individual cognitive differences but also the language used."

Sir Jim Rose who was commissioned in 2009 to do a report for the government on dyslexia provided a broader definition. He summarised dyslexia as "a learning difficulty which primarily affects skills involved in accurate and fluent word-reading and spelling". In short dyslexia is an inherited condition that impacts upon reading, writing and spelling. There is no correlation between having dyslexia and having a lower IQ. In other words dyslexia is not a sign of stupidity or below average intelligence. On the contrary there have been many exceptionally bright dyslexics who have done extraordinary things in their lives.

Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia :

Late starting to speak and difficulty in picking up early speech and language skills
Difficulty learning nursery rhymes and poor sense of rhyme generally
Difficulty in sounding out word or letter combinations and problems with phonemic awareness
Poor spelling and reading skills relative to peers
Speaks articulately and intelligently but this doesn't transfer to writing and reading
Poor academic performance relative to IQ
Getting numbers and letters the wrong way round
Confusion over left and right
Difficulty in making essay plans and putting thoughts together coherently

All dyslexics are different and therefore show different signs of dyslexia: they may have some of the traits of dyslexia but not others. Furthermore the list above is not comprehensive. If you are concerned you should always seek advice from a professional. In the case of dyslexia an educational psychologist will probably be the best person to see.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and should not be relied upon. No warranties are made to accuracy, reliability or quality of the information. Professional advice should always be sought.

By: Josh Pull

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Josh Pull is the founder of dysTalk: dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia and dyscalculia, a website providing free information on learning difficulties. He is also a director of a leading London Tuition agency.