Not quite.\u00a0This is a common misconception regarding dyslexia. Words moving on a page is actually a symptom of visual stress disorders. Visual stress disorders can sometimes be helped with tools such as coloured overlays.<\/p>\n
Around 30 – 50% of individuals with visual stress disorders also have dyslexia which has contributed to confusion between the two.<\/p>\n
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Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that impacts reading fluency, writing, spelling, memory and organisation. It is estimated that approximately 10% of the global population have dyslexia and it is believed to often run in families.\u00a0 If a parent has a neurodivergence such as dyslexia or ADHD then there is a 40 – 60% likelihood that the child will inherit dyslexia.<\/p>\n
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It is very important that people understand that dyslexia is not connected to intelligence. Symptoms can vary with age and whilst individuals may mask or develop strategies to cope, circumstances such as education getting harder or becoming a parent may mean they are no longer able to go on masking and managing.<\/p>\n
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Young children may show early indicators, particularly in areas linked to language, memory, and processing. These signs can appear subtly in everyday activities at home or in early years settings.<\/p>\n
For example, a child may struggle to learn nursery rhymes, follow instructions, or sit still and focus on stories even if they enjoy listening to them. They might show little interest in letters, words, or the alphabet and find it difficult to sing songs or maintain a simple rhythm.<\/p>\n
Language development can also be slower than average. This may include mixing up sounds in words (e.g. \u201cflutterby\u201d instead of \u201cbutterfly\u201d), substituting words, or having trouble recalling names, colours, and familiar terms. Difficulties with auditory processing such as distinguishing between similar sounds can further impact communication and comprehension.<\/p>\n
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Other common signs include:<\/p>\n
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A key indicator is slower processing speed, which can impact both spoken and written language. Children may struggle to concentrate, follow instructions, or recall words, even when they understand the task.<\/p>\n
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Difficulties in reading and writing are often noticeable. Written work may be messy, with frequent corrections, poor spelling, and inconsistent letter formation. Children might confuse similar-looking letters (like b\/d or p\/q), spell the same word in multiple ways, or produce phonetic or unusual spellings that aren\u2019t age-appropriate. This may result in a difference between the child\u2019s verbal contributions and their written output.<\/p>\n
Reading can be slow and effortful, with hesitations, mispronunciations, or skipped words. Children may also find it hard to blend sounds and recognise familiar words. Because so much effort goes into decoding words, comprehension is often affected.<\/p>\n
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In maths, children may struggle with number concepts such as place value or mix up symbols like + and \u00d7. Sequencing, whether remembering times tables, days of the week, or steps in a process, can also be difficult. Telling the time, understanding dates, and managing routines may present ongoing challenges.<\/p>\n
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Many children may experience difficulties with memory and organisation. They may forget routines, struggle with self-organisation, or find it hard to distinguish concepts like left and right or yesterday and tomorrow. Motor skill challenges can also affect handwriting speed, control, and accuracy.<\/p>\n
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These learning challenges can sometimes influence behaviour. A child may appear distracted, \u201cdreamy,\u201d or not listening, while others may use avoidance tactics or become disruptive or, conversely, withdrawn. Fluctuating performance and noticeable fatigue are also common, as they often need to put in much more effort to keep up.<\/p>\n
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As children move through school, difficulties may become more noticeable across writing, reading, numeracy, and everyday organisation. These challenges often don\u2019t reflect a child\u2019s understanding, with many knowing more than they can easily show on paper.<\/p>\n
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A child may struggle to translate their ideas into written work. Their writing might be messy or poorly organised, with inconsistent spelling, weak grammar, and confusion between upper and lower case letters. Some may write a lot but lose focus, while others produce very little despite understanding the topic. Slow writing speed, difficulty taking notes, and trouble completing tasks on time are also common.<\/p>\n
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Reading may be hesitant and effortful, especially when reading aloud. Children might skip, repeat, or add words, and may struggle to recognise familiar vocabulary. Even when reading appears fluent, comprehension can be limited, making it difficult to identify key points or follow meaning. Losing their place or needing a finger to track text is also typical.<\/p>\n
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In maths, children may find it hard to remember times tables, follow sequences, or interpret symbols correctly. Mental arithmetic can be particularly challenging, even if they understand more complex concepts. Worded problems and memorising formulas may also cause difficulty.<\/p>\n
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Many children experience slower information processing, making it harder to follow instructions or answer complex questions. They may struggle to remember multiple steps at once, stay organised, or manage homework and schedules. Confusion with direction (left\/right) or recalling words is also common.<\/p>\n
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These difficulties often affect behaviour and energy levels. Children may appear disorganised, easily distracted, or forgetful, and can frequently be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They may also seem unusually tired because of the extra effort required to keep up.<\/p>\n
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For older students and adults, challenges can show up in more subtle but persistent ways, often affecting reading, writing, focus, and organisation.<\/p>\n
Many experience reading and writing difficulties, such as confusing similar-looking words (e.g. cat and cot), spelling inconsistently, or needing to re-read text to understand it. Reading and writing may feel slow and effortful, and tasks like skimming or scanning information can be particularly challenging.<\/p>\n
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Maintaining concentration can be difficult, especially in distracting environments. Some may feel mentally overloaded or \u201cswitch off\u201d when trying to process too much information at once. Following multiple instructions or listening for extended periods can also be a struggle.<\/p>\n
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Challenges often extend to everyday organisation, managing time, prioritising tasks, and keeping track of deadlines or important dates. People may forget conversations, struggle to organise their thoughts on paper, or feel overwhelmed by planning and structure.<\/p>\n
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Difficulties with direction (such as left and right) and managing multiple tasks are common. Some individuals may avoid certain types of work or study altogether, particularly those that highlight their struggles. It\u2019s also typical to find an uneven skill profile, excelling in some areas while finding others unexpectedly difficult.<\/p>\n
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When these challenges go unrecognised, they can impact confidence and self-esteem. Many individuals may feel frustrated or discouraged, particularly if they\u2019ve spent years not understanding why certain tasks feel harder for them than others.<\/p>\n
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As symptoms vary between individuals, there is no \u2018one size fits all\u2019 approach. As with any neurodevelopmental condition, support should be tailored to meet individual needs.<\/p>\n
Supporting a child with learning challenges is all about creating simple, consistent strategies that build confidence and make learning more accessible.<\/p>\n
The good news is that there are many effective ways to support individuals with dyslexia.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Breaking words into syllables and focusing on tricky parts can make spelling easier to manage. Using colour, repetition, and multi-sensory techniques, like writing in sand, foam, or with rainbow colours, helps reinforce memory. Games such as flashcards, word-building with magnetic letters, and spotting patterns like prefixes and suffixes can also boost familiarity and understanding.<\/p>\n
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A clear routine with short, regular learning sessions (\u201clittle and often\u201d) helps prevent overload. Encouraging children to write down tasks, checklists, and prepare for the next day builds independence and reduces stress.<\/p>\n
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Positive reinforcement is key. Praise effort, not just outcomes, and break tasks into manageable steps. Going through instructions together and helping children plan their work can make tasks feel more achievable.<\/p>\n
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Teach children how to review their own work, using tools like spellcheck, reading aloud, or text-to-speech software. Creating checklists of common mistakes and using study techniques like mind maps, revision timetables, and discussion can improve understanding and retention.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Support organisation with visual aids (calendars, to-do lists) and colour coding for subjects. Technology, like reminders, photos, and voice notes, can be especially helpful for older children.<\/p>\n
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Paired reading is a simple, effective way to build confidence. Reading together, maintaining a steady pace, and discussing the story helps improve both fluency and comprehension, while keeping reading enjoyable.<\/p>\n
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Tools such as e-readers, screen readers, reading pens, and audiobooks can make learning more accessible. These tools allow children to engage with text in ways that suit their strengths, supporting both independence and enjoyment.<\/p>\n
With the right strategies, encouragement, and tools, children can overcome challenges, build confidence, and develop skills that work for them.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dyslexic students may also be eligible for Exam Access Arrangements (EAAs), which are tailored to their individual needs. These should be discussed early with a tutor or support officer and are based on both formal assessment and the student\u2019s usual way of working.<\/p>\n
Common exam adjustments include:<\/p>\n
These arrangements are designed to ensure that students can demonstrate their knowledge without being disadvantaged by their difficulties.<\/p>\n
Dyslexia is a lifelong difference, but with the right understanding and support, individuals can thrive in education, work, and everyday life. Early recognition and tailored strategies can make a lasting difference.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.bdadyslexia.org.uk\/<\/a> Dyslexia means words move on a page\u2026 right? Not quite.\u00a0This is a common misconception regarding dyslexia. Words moving on a page is actually a symptom of visual stress disorders. Visual stress disorders can sometimes be helped with tools such as coloured overlays. Around 30 – 50% of individuals with visual stress disorders also have dyslexia […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45936,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-951","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/951","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=951"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/951\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":975,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/951\/revisions\/975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/sdn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nhttps:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC2597981\/<\/a>
\nhttps:\/\/www.nichd.nih.gov\/newsroom\/releases\/110311-dyslexia-IQ<\/a>
\nhttps:\/\/www.ed.ac.uk\/news\/2024\/dyslexia-and-adhd-share-genetic-links-study-shows<\/a>
\nSpecial thanks to Sarah Woodcock of https:\/\/www.mrswoodcockstutoring.com\/<\/a> for providing Peer Review support.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"