WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

"Dyslexia is a combination of abilities and difficulties; the difficulties affect the learning process in aspects of literacy and sometimes numeracy. Coping with required reading is generally seen as the biggest challenge at Higher Education level due in part to difficulty in skimming and scanning written material. A student may also have an inability to express his/her ideas clearly in written form and in a style appropriate to the level of study. Marked and persistent weaknesses may be identified in working memory, speed of processing, sequencing skills, auditory and/or visual perception, spoken language and motor skills. Visuo-spatial skills, creative thinking and intuitive understanding are less likely to be impaired and indeed may be outstanding. Enabling or assistive technology is often found to be very beneficial." (SASC)

WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFICULTIES I SEE IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DYSLEXIA?

• having to reread text in order to retain its meaning, such as including books, emails and reports
• finding it challenging to break down and sound out unfamiliar words when reading
• taking time to process what is being read and therefore reading becomes effortful
• finding to put thoughts onto paper and producing work that flows well
• spelling, grammar and punctuation difficulties
• having to work so much harder than others to produce the same results

Some people report difficulties with text moving around the page, the letters looking blurry, eyes feeling tired, etc. This isn't dyslexia. This may be due to some visual difficulty even if a standard eyesight test has come back as 'normal'. If text distortion is experienced, it's advisable to find an optometrist before a dyslexia assessment is conducted.