Indicators of Dyslexia

Below are lists of indicators which may show that a dyslexic difficulty is present.

When looking at the lists of indicators, remember the following:

No person will have all the indicators.
Many people will have several of the indicators.
Some indicators are more common than others.
The number of indicators observed does not indicate whether the dyslexia is mild, moderate or severe.
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses so people who do not have dyslexia will relate to a few of the signs. People who have dyslexia will tend to relate to a significant number of the following indicators.

Indicators of possible dyslexia:

Difficulty with reading aloud.
Difficulty with reading unfamiliar material.
Tendency to mispronounce or misread words.
Slow pace of reading.
Reading for information only, not for pleasure.
Understanding more easily when listening than when reading.
Difficulty with spelling.
Finding it hard to visualise words, or remember the sequence of letters in a word.
Difficulty with sentence construction and punctuation.
Difficulty putting information on paper.
Difficulty in spotting mistakes made in written work.
Finding it easier to express thoughts in words than in writing.
Underachieving in school and college, particularly in exams.
Having immature or poorly formed handwriting.
Tendency to be clumsy and uncoordinated.
Confusing left and right.
Finding it hard to remember things in sequence.
Difficulty in remembering new information or new names.
Getting phone messages wrong.
Confusion with times and dates and appointments.
Getting phone numbers wrong by perhaps reversing digits.
Making ‘silly’ mistakes in calculations.
Having ‘good’ days and ‘bad’ days.
Poor short-term memory.
Having close family members with dyslexia.