37 Common Characteristics of Dyslexia

Most people with Dyslexia will exhibit at least 10 of the following 37 common characteristics, which can vary from day to day, or minute to minute.

General

• Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level

• Labeled “lazy”, “dumb”, “careless”, “immature”, "not trying hard enough," or "behavioural problems"

• Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting

• High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written

• Feels unintelligent; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing

• Talented in creative pursuits such as art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building or engineering

• Seems to "zone out" or daydream often, gets lost easily or loses track of time

• Difficulty holding attention; seems "hyper" or a "daydreamer"

• Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations and experimentation, observation, and visual aids

Vision, reading and spelling

• Complains of symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, or stomach aches while reading

• Confused and frustrated by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations

• Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words

• Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing or copying

• Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams do not reveal a problem

• Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision

• Reads and re-reads with little comprehension

• Spells phonetically and inconsistently

Hearing and speech

• Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds

• Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words and syllables when speaking.

Writing and motor skills

• Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible;

• Clumsy, uncoordinated, struggles with ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and /or major motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness, and

• Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Math and time management

• Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time;

• Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper;

• Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money, and

• Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems, cannot grasp algebra or higher math.

Memory and cognition

• Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations and faces;

• Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced, and

• Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

Behaviour, health, development and personality

• Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly;

• Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quietly;

• Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoelaces);

• Prone to ear infections, sensitive to foods, additives and chemical products;

• Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bed wetting beyond appropriate age;

• Unusually high or low tolerance for pain;

• Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection, and

• Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.

From Test for Dyslexia – 37 Common Traits
© 1992 by Ronald D. Davis; Used with Permission

Is it Dyslexia?

Take this free online test to find out more about your own thinking style!