Dyslexia - What is Dyslexia?

[British Dyslexia Association 1998]
“We define Dyslexia as a specific difficulty in learning, constitutional in origin, in one or more of reading, spelling and written language which may be accompanied by difficulty in number work. It is particularly related to mastering and using language [alphabetic, numerical and musical notation] although often affecting oral language to some degree.”

Specific Learning Difficulties - [Dyslexia Institute 1989]
These “are defined as organising or learning deficiencies which restrict the student’s competencies in information processing, in motor skills and working memory, so causing limitations in some or all of the skills of speech, reading, spelling, writing, essay writing, numeracy and behaviour.”

Where does the word come from?
The word 'dyslexia' comes from the Greek and means 'difficulty with words'. The British Dyslexia Association suggests that around 4% of the population is severely dyslexic and a further 6% have mild to moderate problems.

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities. It can vary in severity from person to person and can range from minor difficulties with spelling to severe problems with reading itself.

People with dyslexia often have normal (or above average) intelligence, yet perform below that ability in reading and writing tasks than in non-reading tasks. They have difficulty processing language, and in particular in the use, meaning, spelling and pronunciation of words.

Signs and symptoms
Once your child is in school, signs and symptoms of dyslexia may become more apparent, including:

• The inability to recognize words and letters on a printed page
• A reading ability level well below the expected level for the age of your child