Resources
What is dyslexia? By Kerry Bennett, Dyslexia Action
Friday, 22 April 2011
Category - Case studies
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing, maths, memory and organisation. It is very common, affecting 10% of the population, which is as many as two to three children in every classroom. It does not affect intelligence and it can affect anyone of any age.
What difficulties can dyslexia cause?
Dyslexia is much more than a reading problem and some examples of difficulties someone at school might have include:
- Slow and/or poor reading
- Bad handwriting
- Difficulties with spelling
- Difficulties copying from the board
- Finding it hard to remember a list of instructions
- Difficulties remembering names, places and series of numbers like phone numbers
- Finding it hard to learn times tables or the lyrics to songs
- Excelling in some ways but having unexpected difficulties with other more simple tasks
- Finding tests and exams very difficult
Some dyslexic people get very upset by their difficulties. This is because it can be very frustrating to know that you are not stupid but yet, for example, you still have difficulties with things that your friends and classmates find easy.
How is dyslexia identified?
Dyslexia is very complex and for this reason testing should be done by a specialist in dyslexia. If you think you, or a friend, could be dyslexic then talk to your parents or your class teacher. It is nothing to be ashamed about and it is not something that you, or your friend, should worry about.
What help and support is there?
Dyslexia is not a disease and there is no cure. However, with the correct help and support, which might be with a specialist teacher or using specific programmes on a computer, it is possible to overcome.
There are lots of famous people who are dyslexic like Dyslexia Action President Charley Boorman and people who have achieved great things, like Albert Einstein, who was also dyslexic. It is important to know that if you are dyslexic it should not prevent you from doing what you want to do.
For more information check out www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk.
