What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that mainly affects writing, reading and spelling. However it is actually a difficulty with information processing and people with dyslexia may have problems processing what they see and hear. It is a lifelong condition which does not affect intelligence but it can cause significant educational difficulties. It often runs in families and an estimated 1 in 10 people have some degree of dyslexia.

Someone with dyslexia may:

• Read and write very slowly
• Confuse the order of letters in words
• Put the letters the wrong way round such as writing ‘d’ instead of ‘b’
• Understand information when told verbally but struggle with information that is written down
• Find it difficult to carry out directions
• Struggle with organisation and planning

However people with dyslexia often have strengths in other areas such as problem solving, visual and creative fields.

A small number of children may benefit in going to a specialist school but most mainstream schools can offer suitable interventions. These may include:
• 1 to 1 teaching or small group lessons
• Phonics ( a learning technique that focuses on the ability to identify the smaller sounds that make up a word. For example the word cat is made up of the sounds ‘c’ ‘a’ and ‘t’)
• Technology like computers and speech recognition software for older children who may also find it more comfortable to work with a computer than an exercise book

As a parent or carer, you can help by reading to your child and making reading fun. By sharing books and using books about subjects your child is interested in, you can play a significant role in encouraging and supporting your child and boosting their confidence.