"Dyslexia is an island of weaknesses surrounded by a sea of strengths."

~Dr. Sally Shaywitz

Warning Signs of Dyslexia

In Preschool

• delayed speech

• chronic ear infections

• stuttering

• constant confusion of left versus right

• late to establish a dominant hand

• difficulty learning to tie shoes

• trouble memorizing their address, phone number, or the alphabet

• can’t create words that rhyme

• a close relative with dyslexia

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In Elementary School

• dysgraphia (slow, non-automatic handwriting that is difficult to read)

• letter or number reversals continuing past the end of first grade

• extreme difficulty learning cursive

• slow, choppy, inaccurate reading

• • guesses based on shape or context

  • skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of, etc)

  • ignores suffixes

  • can’t sound out unknown words

• terrible spelling

• inability to memorize or retain spelling words

• often can’t remember sight words (they, were, does) or homonyms (their, there, they’re)

• difficulty telling time on a clock with hands

• trouble with math

  • memorizing multiplication tables

  • memorizing a sequence of steps

  • directionality

• when speaking, difficulty finding the correct word

  • lots of “whatyamacallits” and “thingies”

  • common sayings come out slightly twisted

• extremely messy bedroom, backpack, desk

• dreads going to school

  • complains of stomach aches or headaches

  • may have nightmares about school

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In High School

All of the symptoms above plus:

• limited vocabulary

• extremely poor written expression

  • large discrepancy between verbal skills and written composition

• unable to master foreign language

• difficulty reading printed music

• poor grades in many classes

• may drop out of high school

In Adults

Educational history similar to above, plus:

• slow reader

• may have to read a page two or three times to understand it

• terrible speller

• difficulty putting thoughts onto paper

  • dreads writing memos or letters

• still has difficulty with right versus left

• often gets lost, even in a familiar city

• sometimes confuses “b” and “d,” especially when tired or sick

Used by permission of Susan Barton and Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

COMING SOON!

COMING SOON!

More

For more information on reading and spelling difficulties and dyslexia, please visit the following sites.

Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

The International Dyslexia Association

The San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association

Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity

Understood.org

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​For more on the programs we use at Learning for All visit:

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Barton Reading and Spelling

Handwriting Without Tears

Keyboarding Without Tears

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For Audiobooks visit:

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Learning Ally

Bookshare

Audible