What is Dyslexia?
Understanding your learner is a good first step.
Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects reading and spelling. It can make recognizing words accurately, reading fluently and connecting letters with speech sounds difficult.
It occurs across intellectual abilities and is not caused by a lack of effort. With appropriate teaching and support, people with dyslexia can develop their reading and writing skills.
What might you notice?
- Difficulty learning letter–sound connections or separating sounds in words.
- Reading that remains slow or inaccurate.
- Persistent difficulty with spelling.
Reading difficulties have different causes. These signs alone do not establish dyslexia; a qualified evaluation can clarify a learner’s needs.
What can help?
Explicit, systematic teaching of language and reading skills, guided practice and useful feedback can support learning. Instruction should respond to the individual learner.
If you are concerned, speak with your child’s teacher, a reading specialist or a qualified evaluator. Ask about assessment and support rather than waiting for the difficulty to disappear.
Encouragement matters too: recognize effort and strengths, and make space for breaks.
Read more from a specialist organization
This overview draws on the International Dyslexia Association’s Dyslexia Basics fact sheet.
Read Dyslexia Basics from IDA >Explore a small practice activity
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