Dyslexia – What it Is, Challenges, How to Overcome Them
By Margo Fourman
Table of Contents
- What is dyslexia
- Additional difficulties
- Difficulties considered by teachers
- Is dyslexia a learning disability
- What causes dyslexia?
- How dyslexia is addressed
- How we address dyslexia
- Neurodevelopmental irregularities
- Can dyslexics truly thrive
- Successful people with dyslexia
- Effective tutoring
- Types of dyslexia tutors
- Why is this not enough?
- Address neurodevelopment
- About learning to think
- Thinks to look for in a tutor
- Online vs. in-person tutoring
- More of our articles
- Resources
This is a comprehensive article covering the symptoms and challenges of dyslexia. Most importantly, at the end of the article, we go into detail about the most effective ways to support someone with dyslexia thrive in academics and in life.
What is dyslexia?
The British Dyslexia Association currently defines dyslexia as “…a specific learning difficulty which primarily affects reading and writing skills. However, it does not only affect these skills. Dyslexia is actually about information processing. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills.”
This is a constantly evolving definition. When I started teaching it was seen as a middle class excuse for low achievement and teachers tended to ignore it. We now know that there are specific differences in dyslexic brains that can be seen on scans. Research tells us that dyslexics are already different before they begin to learn to read.
Despite this, in education, there is a persistent debate as to whether dyslexics deserve extra time and resources. They are often made to feel lazy or stupid. Teachers often find it difficult to understand that intelligent pupils are not learning to read and tend to believe they, or their parents, just need to work harder.
It is estimated that 1 in 10 people have some degree of dyslexia. In addition to the obvious problems with reading and writing, research shows (and our clients often report) that…
This is a constantly evolving definition. When I started teaching it was seen as a middle class excuse for low achievement and teachers tended to ignore it. We now know that there are specific differences in dyslexic brains that can be seen on scans. Research tells us that dyslexics are already different before they begin to learn to read.
Despite this, in education, there is a persistent debate as to whether dyslexics deserve extra time and resources. They are often made to feel lazy or stupid. Teachers often find it difficult to understand that intelligent pupils are not learning to read and tend to believe they, or their parents, just need to work harder.
It is estimated that 1 in 10 people have some degree of dyslexia. In addition to the obvious problems with reading and writing, research shows (and our clients often report) that…
By Margo Fourman
Table of Contents
- What is dyslexia
- Additional difficulties
- Difficulties considered by teachers
- Is dyslexia a learning disability
- What causes dyslexia?
- How dyslexia is addressed
- How we address dyslexia
- Neurodevelopmental irregularities
- Can dyslexics truly thrive
- Successful people with dyslexia
- Effective tutoring
- Types of dyslexia tutors
- Why is this not enough?
- Address neurodevelopment
- About learning to think
- Thinks to look for in a tutor
- Online vs. in-person tutoring
- More of our articles
- Resources
Dyslexic people often have additional difficulties that affect their entire lives
- Telling left from right
- Following sequential instructions
- Learning and following rules and procedures in the right order
This often means that they have to reinvent the wheel every time they have to do something like solving math problems. Instead of remembering the steps, they have to figure it all out again every time. - Following travel directions
Telling left from right, up from down and reading maps. - Learning to tell time
- Remembering words, phrases and names
- Memorising written lists and phone numbers
- Staying on topic
- Understanding math word problems
- Expressing their ideas in an organized way
These challenges seem to be associated with different ways dyslexics perceive the world and process information. In our experience, the challenges can be reduced by improving how the brain perceives and processes information.
The areas of difficulty vary, and dyslexics vary in the combination of challenges they are dealing with and the degrees of severity.
Common areas of difficulty for dyslexic people (that teachers and educators may be considering)
- Phonological difficulties: The ability to match sounds to letters, decode words, spell when writing.
- Working memory: The ability to hold and recall information in short term memory. The general population have about 8 bits of memory. Dyslexics tend to have 3 or 4 bits. This can impact comprehension and following directions.
- Processing speed: How long does it take to take in information, understand it and use it. Dyslexics often experience slower processing of information as well as reading.
- Rapid naming: How quickly can the individual name familiar objects, letters and pictures. This has to do with how difficult it may be to read whole words by sight (rather than deciphering them).
Is dyslexia classed as a learning disability?
Dyslexia is classified as a specific learning disability in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, India and Australia, among others. This often means that parents can demand accommodations as a right if there is an official diagnosis. Some areas aim at a “dyslexia friendly” environment and therefore do not offer individual accommodations.
Dyslexia does not affect intelligence, which is why some (like the National Health Service in the UK) would argue it is a “difficulty”, not a disability.
Dyslexia brings with it obvious challenges of reading and writing. It is also associated with more general challenges to effective learning.
In 2008, the British government commissioned an independent report into dyslexia in the British education system. The investigation was led by Sir Jim Rose, and its results have become known as The Rose Report.
As part of that investigation, they surveyed people with dyslexia and received 863 responses. Here is how the Rose Report summarized the responses they received back:
“Children and adults with dyslexia who responded to the call for evidence said that they often felt deeply humiliated when asked to read. They reported being ridiculed and bullied because of their reading difficulties. Further, because so much depends on being able to “read to learn” the overall educational progress of such children is often seriously hampered with worrying consequences for gaining qualifications and for their life chances. While some develop coping strategies and achieve remarkable success, others with severe literacy difficulties, including dyslexia, often become disaffected and disengaged from education.” Quoted from the Rose report 2009
The Rose report also suggested that dyslexia is a continuum. This means that the cut off point for an official diagnosis is problematic. It may deny pupils appropriate help.
Dyslexia does not affect intelligence, which is why some (like the National Health Service in the UK) would argue it is a “difficulty”, not a disability.
Dyslexia brings with it obvious challenges of reading and writing. It is also associated with more general challenges to effective learning.
In 2008, the British government commissioned an independent report into dyslexia in the British education system. The investigation was led by Sir Jim Rose, and its results have become known as The Rose Report.
As part of that investigation, they surveyed people with dyslexia and received 863 responses. Here is how the Rose Report summarized the responses they received back:
“Children and adults with dyslexia who responded to the call for evidence said that they often felt deeply humiliated when asked to read. They reported being ridiculed and bullied because of their reading difficulties. Further, because so much depends on being able to “read to learn” the overall educational progress of such children is often seriously hampered with worrying consequences for gaining qualifications and for their life chances. While some develop coping strategies and achieve remarkable success, others with severe literacy difficulties, including dyslexia, often become disaffected and disengaged from education.” Quoted from the Rose report 2009
The Rose report also suggested that dyslexia is a continuum. This means that the cut off point for an official diagnosis is problematic. It may deny pupils appropriate help.
What causes dyslexia?
While some people acquire dyslexic traits following illness or brain injury. We focus in this article on developmental dyslexia, which tends to run in families. There is a strong genetic component, and several genes have been identified that make a person susceptible to developmental dyslexia.
But genes don’t provide the whole answer. The environment is very important, and specifically, those who are susceptible, may be impacted by early life stress.
Other relevant environmental components include the family/living environment, education and education of the family, health problems in early childhood and before birth, socioeconomic status and maternal smoking.
But genes don’t provide the whole answer. The environment is very important, and specifically, those who are susceptible, may be impacted by early life stress.
Other relevant environmental components include the family/living environment, education and education of the family, health problems in early childhood and before birth, socioeconomic status and maternal smoking.
How dyslexia is addressed
All dyslexics are different with individual strengths and weaknesses. Often the approach to supporting dyslexics is less nuanced. Kinaesthetic methods of teaching like Orton Gillingham are designed to add another way of processing to support the areas that struggle. This can be very helpful for many early learners but it is also effective to address the challenges in processing vision and hearing directly.
Understanding the perception and processing differences that cause these issues opens the possibility of addressing the broader life challenges.
Discussions of Dyslexia often focus on the disabilities. There are also strengths, the superpowers or gifts, that are as unique as the individual. They are postulated as being a result of strengths in problem solving and recognising patterns and connections, sometimes though of as right brain functions.
Tuning the challenged systems often allows those gifts to be developed and expressed.
Understanding allows the individual to work on reducing the challenges while supporting and building the positive aspects of dyslexia.
Understanding the perception and processing differences that cause these issues opens the possibility of addressing the broader life challenges.
Discussions of Dyslexia often focus on the disabilities. There are also strengths, the superpowers or gifts, that are as unique as the individual. They are postulated as being a result of strengths in problem solving and recognising patterns and connections, sometimes though of as right brain functions.
Tuning the challenged systems often allows those gifts to be developed and expressed.
Understanding allows the individual to work on reducing the challenges while supporting and building the positive aspects of dyslexia.
Neurodevelopmental irregularities that are often associated with dyslexia
Here are some of the neurodevelopmental areas we assess with dyslexic clients:
- Visual Processing
Do they skip lines or words? Do they experience that the type moves in front of their eyes? In other words, do their eyes track and converge efficiently? - Visual memory
Do they have difficulty remembering the shapes of words or letters? - Figure-ground differentiation
Do they have difficulty distinguishing what is in the center of their gaze from what is behind it? For example, do they find it hard to see a person wearing patterned clothing in front of a patterned wallpaper? - Audition
Do they have difficulty hearing and remembering sounds? - Auditory sequencing memory
Do they have trouble remembering auditory sequences? This is essential for phonetics and disturbs understanding and following instructions. - Processing speed
How is information is absorbed from the eyes and ears and processed in the brain? - Working memory
How strong is their ability to hold things in mind while thinking about them? - Laterality
Do they know their left from right and have they internalized in which direction reading and writing happens in their language? Weaknesses here can cause reversals of letters, words and sequences and numbers. - Proprioception
This is the ability to feel one’s own body and know where your parts (e.g., limbs, back, ears, nose) are. This can impact the organization of time and space, planning, and the organization of words and numbers on the page. - Kinaesthetic memory
The ability to learn the movements of writing so that they become so automatic that they don’t even need to think about writing letters and words. - Vestibular functions
This is usually thought of as relating to balance, but also facilitates the eyes working together to read. - Interhemispheric integration
(the connections between the two sides of the brain): This affects processing speed and the integration of the different brain regions required for reading, writing and comprehension. It also affects receptive and expressive language, math and other skills.
When we start working with a new client with dyslexia, we do a thorough assessment of these and other potential issues, as the first step in developing a customized neurodevelopmental home program.
Successful People with Dyslexia
- US presidents John F Kennedy, George Washington & George W Bush were believed to be dyslexic.
- Walt Disney. You’ve probably heard of him!
- Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic, and a host of other successful businesses.
- Leonardo da Vinci, Renaissance artist (The Mona Lisa) and inventor, who incidentally, wrote backwards (from left to right instead of right to left).
- Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Astronomer and space scientist.
- Orlando Bloom, Hollywood actor most commonly known for his starring roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings.
- Tom Cruise. You’ve probably heard of him too.
- Jennifer Aniston, actor.
- Whoopi Goldberg, actor and comedian.
- Jamie Oliver, celebrity chef.
- Pablo Picasso. If you’ve seen his art, there’s kind of no surprise here!
- Steven Spielberg, movie producer.
The list goes on and on. Indeed, it turns out that one in three American entrepreneurs had dyslexia.
But to truly thrive as a dyslexic, getting the right support can be a game changer.
But to truly thrive as a dyslexic, getting the right support can be a game changer.
Effective Tutoring for Dyslexics
There has been great progress in understanding how dyslexics learn over the past 20 years, but disseminating this understanding to educators is taking time.
The idea that dyslexics need more repetitions to achieve automaticity, the point where they can do it without thinking about it, is still prevalent. The number of times a fact (or a spelling) needs to be repeated is astronomical, and there are a lot of spellings.
Multisensory input (wooden letters, counting apparatus) provides backup when auditory or visual learning are difficult, adding a kinaesthetic element. This is often known, and less often put into practice in schools.
Awareness of the effectiveness of coloured paper or backgrounds, different fonts or spacing and avoidance of background images is increasing but rarely implemented as a class-wide choice. This is an issue, as teenagers, especially, want to avoid standing out as being different.
Mind mapping has gained ground, thanks to Tony Buzan. There are many ways mind maps can be used to enhance learning.
Assistive technology is becoming more common though there is still a lack of understanding on how it can enhance productivity and learning rather than de-skilling.
The use of AI is currently a contentious issue. There is enormous potential to use it to enhance learning but many educators feel threatened or feel learners will simply cheat.
The idea that dyslexics need more repetitions to achieve automaticity, the point where they can do it without thinking about it, is still prevalent. The number of times a fact (or a spelling) needs to be repeated is astronomical, and there are a lot of spellings.
Multisensory input (wooden letters, counting apparatus) provides backup when auditory or visual learning are difficult, adding a kinaesthetic element. This is often known, and less often put into practice in schools.
Awareness of the effectiveness of coloured paper or backgrounds, different fonts or spacing and avoidance of background images is increasing but rarely implemented as a class-wide choice. This is an issue, as teenagers, especially, want to avoid standing out as being different.
Mind mapping has gained ground, thanks to Tony Buzan. There are many ways mind maps can be used to enhance learning.
Assistive technology is becoming more common though there is still a lack of understanding on how it can enhance productivity and learning rather than de-skilling.
The use of AI is currently a contentious issue. There is enormous potential to use it to enhance learning but many educators feel threatened or feel learners will simply cheat.
The Common Types of Dyslexia Tutors
When you search for a dyslexia tutor, you’ll mostly find two kinds of tutors:
- Subject matter tutors who have experience in working with dyslexic students. Ask them about the strategies listed above. They may employ some of them, they may simply be very patient and inspiring. Patience and inspiration are of great value but this usually requires a long term commitment to additional tutoring for each subject.
- Specialized reading tutors for dyslexics often trained in specific programs like Orton Gillingham or spelling or phonics programs. These tutors can help to get your child reading, or at least decoding the text on the page and writing. They should also be aware of and use all the strategies listed above. They should also teach how to generalise the strategies to other areas of learning.
Why is this not enough?
The problem is they may not understand and address the unique differences in thinking styles. They rarely have an understanding of the difficulties and disruptions that occur in perception and processing. They do not have access to specialised inputs to minimise sensory irregularities, organise sensory input and enhance processing and information retrieval.
It will be important for you — or your child — to catch up with the standardized reading level, but also to learn how to learn given their unique thinking style. We’ll cover that later in this article.
Often even when dyslexics can read at the appropriate level challenges persist in understanding, remembering and putting the information to use. If they are unable to do this with non fiction books at their reading level it is important to address this. If they do not get ‘pictures in their head’ when reading fiction books it is important to find out what is getting in the way.
If they can write, even spell and use sentences but dont seem to use that information when they are actually writing something that requires thought then this needs to be addressed.
It is essential to explore what is getting in the way and how this can be addressed. Even proficient writers often loose marks (or loose their audience) because they wander off on a tangent or their writing does not seem to hang together logically. It is not just about basic literacy. Reading and writing are about communicating effectively to achieve a goal.
Even proficient writers often lose marks (or their readers) because they wander off on a tangent or their writing does not seem to hang together logically. It is not just about basic literacy. Reading and writing are about communicating effectively to achieve a goal.
It will be important for you — or your child — to catch up with the standardized reading level, but also to learn how to learn given their unique thinking style. We’ll cover that later in this article.
Often even when dyslexics can read at the appropriate level challenges persist in understanding, remembering and putting the information to use. If they are unable to do this with non fiction books at their reading level it is important to address this. If they do not get ‘pictures in their head’ when reading fiction books it is important to find out what is getting in the way.
If they can write, even spell and use sentences but dont seem to use that information when they are actually writing something that requires thought then this needs to be addressed.
It is essential to explore what is getting in the way and how this can be addressed. Even proficient writers often loose marks (or loose their audience) because they wander off on a tangent or their writing does not seem to hang together logically. It is not just about basic literacy. Reading and writing are about communicating effectively to achieve a goal.
Even proficient writers often lose marks (or their readers) because they wander off on a tangent or their writing does not seem to hang together logically. It is not just about basic literacy. Reading and writing are about communicating effectively to achieve a goal.
Identify and address any unhelpful neurodevelopmental differences
First, what is a “neurodevelopmental difference”?
Simply put, the ways the brain takes in information through eyes and ears and the other senses may not be working efficiently, or the ways the brain processes that information may need support.
Most people have some weaknesses in their neurological development. And dyslexics may have specific weaknesses that are affecting their ability to read and learn.
So, if your child is struggling to learn to read even with specialized help, it’s a good idea to assess and address those weaknesses. If your child has acquired reading but does not really extract or remember the information efficiently they would benefit from help.
And if a child is exhibiting other dyslexic-type life challenges such as those we’ve listed, it is worthwhile identifying exactly what is getting in the way and addressing those issues. This gives your child the best chance of a happy, successful life.
This is where the field of neurodevelopmental movement comes in.
Quite simply, neurodevelopmental movement gives your child a way to strengthen and organise the ways they take in and process information.
Madeleine Portwood has written extensively about this approach in her book Developmental Dyspraxia: Identification and Intervention: A Manual for Parents and Professionals.
So, we recommend looking for a specialist with expertise in creating a neurodevelopmental movement plan for your child. The plan should be based on observing your child in real life situations and one hundred percent customized to your child.
Once your child has strengthened any important weaknesses in their neurological development, it will be much easier for them to learn to read, and to master other academic skills.
Now, catching up on reading is only part of the solution. There are other skills they will need to truly thrive in academics and in life.
Simply put, the ways the brain takes in information through eyes and ears and the other senses may not be working efficiently, or the ways the brain processes that information may need support.
Most people have some weaknesses in their neurological development. And dyslexics may have specific weaknesses that are affecting their ability to read and learn.
So, if your child is struggling to learn to read even with specialized help, it’s a good idea to assess and address those weaknesses. If your child has acquired reading but does not really extract or remember the information efficiently they would benefit from help.
And if a child is exhibiting other dyslexic-type life challenges such as those we’ve listed, it is worthwhile identifying exactly what is getting in the way and addressing those issues. This gives your child the best chance of a happy, successful life.
This is where the field of neurodevelopmental movement comes in.
Quite simply, neurodevelopmental movement gives your child a way to strengthen and organise the ways they take in and process information.
Madeleine Portwood has written extensively about this approach in her book Developmental Dyspraxia: Identification and Intervention: A Manual for Parents and Professionals.
So, we recommend looking for a specialist with expertise in creating a neurodevelopmental movement plan for your child. The plan should be based on observing your child in real life situations and one hundred percent customized to your child.
Once your child has strengthened any important weaknesses in their neurological development, it will be much easier for them to learn to read, and to master other academic skills.
Now, catching up on reading is only part of the solution. There are other skills they will need to truly thrive in academics and in life.
It’s not just about learning to read – it’s about learning to think
Dyslexic students have difficulty processing written information, for sure. But there’s so much more going on for dyslexic students. They process information differently and think differently.
If you have a dyslexic child you’ve probably already noticed this. It may be hard to put your finger on it, but somehow you’re aware that they just think differently and process information differently from other children. A great dyslexia tutor will address this by teaching your child:
If you have a dyslexic child you’ve probably already noticed this. It may be hard to put your finger on it, but somehow you’re aware that they just think differently and process information differently from other children. A great dyslexia tutor will address this by teaching your child:
- How to work with the limitations of their dyslexic thinking style
- How to understand and appreciate the particular genius of their dyslexic thinking style
- How to bridge the gap between their unique thinking style and how their teachers expect them to explain their thinking in order to get good grades
Well, that’s all very nice, but how does it work?
The fundamental difference between the thinking style of most people and dyslexics is this:
The fundamental difference between the thinking style of most people and dyslexics is this:
- Most people learn details and procedures first and then figure out the big picture later
- Dyslexics do it the other way around. They think best when they get the big picture first, and then learn the details and procedures later.
Unfortunately for dyslexics, classroom teaching matches how most people learn and mismatches how dyslexics learn. This makes it hard for them. So, the trick for the dyslexic student is to learn how to use these simple steps:
- Reframe what is taught in class into a framework that actually works for them (often using techniques to relate the new knowledge they are learning to the existing web of knowledge they already have)
- Think about the the problem in ‘their world’ – coming up with answers in a way that’s easy for them
- Translate their answers back from ‘their world’ to the linear, procedural answers that their teachers want to see to get good grades
Once your child has learned how to do this, they’ll struggle a lot less and discover that they can thrive in learning.
To summarize…
To summarize…
Online vs. In-Person Tutoring
Unfortunately, these four simple criteria eliminate most dyslexia tutors.
Finding a great dyslexia tutor near you might be impossible.
Considering an online tutor opens up a lot more options, but does it really work? Fortunately, the answer is a resounding Yes.
We’ve been working with all our students online over the last few years, and surprisingly, it turns out that their results are generally better online than with the old-school in-person tutoring.
Why?
Well, the answer is slightly different for younger children than for teens and adults. Let’s break it down…
For younger children:
If you have a young dyslexic child, you know them better than anyone else. You see them every day. You know what they do well. You know where they struggle. You know when they get confused. You know when they get frustrated.
You see all these things. But you may not know how to interpret them and what to do about it. That’s not your fault. You’re a good parent, but you just may not be trained to address their special needs.
So when we work with younger children, we ask you to take short video clips of your child going about their daily lives. Especially video clips of them doing the things you know that they struggle with on a daily basis. Then you share those clips with your specialist tutor – who knows how to analyze the video clips and knows what to do about what they see.
Then your specialized tutor will give you ‘play’ activities to do with your child. These ‘play’ activities are specifically designed to help your child learn and thrive. You sharing video clips of your child in a variety of situations with us gives us much richer information than we used to get by coming to observe your child in-person.
For teens and adults:
We work directly with the student. And, of course, advise the parents as well. Dyslexic students often have difficulty processing the information they’re reading. When a tutor is sitting beside the student in-person, it’s hard to see their eye movements, how they’re scanning the information on the page, and where they get stuck.
But online, the tutor can actually see the student’s face as they’re working with the information they’re reading. The camera is right on the computer screen that the student is reading, so the tutor gets a bird’s-eye view of how the student is processing the information.
This turns out to be a significant advantage. So, overall, in our experience, online tutoring actually works better than in-person tutoring.
The most important thing is to find the best tutor for your child.
Finding a great dyslexia tutor near you might be impossible.
Considering an online tutor opens up a lot more options, but does it really work? Fortunately, the answer is a resounding Yes.
We’ve been working with all our students online over the last few years, and surprisingly, it turns out that their results are generally better online than with the old-school in-person tutoring.
Why?
Well, the answer is slightly different for younger children than for teens and adults. Let’s break it down…
For younger children:
If you have a young dyslexic child, you know them better than anyone else. You see them every day. You know what they do well. You know where they struggle. You know when they get confused. You know when they get frustrated.
You see all these things. But you may not know how to interpret them and what to do about it. That’s not your fault. You’re a good parent, but you just may not be trained to address their special needs.
So when we work with younger children, we ask you to take short video clips of your child going about their daily lives. Especially video clips of them doing the things you know that they struggle with on a daily basis. Then you share those clips with your specialist tutor – who knows how to analyze the video clips and knows what to do about what they see.
Then your specialized tutor will give you ‘play’ activities to do with your child. These ‘play’ activities are specifically designed to help your child learn and thrive. You sharing video clips of your child in a variety of situations with us gives us much richer information than we used to get by coming to observe your child in-person.
For teens and adults:
We work directly with the student. And, of course, advise the parents as well. Dyslexic students often have difficulty processing the information they’re reading. When a tutor is sitting beside the student in-person, it’s hard to see their eye movements, how they’re scanning the information on the page, and where they get stuck.
But online, the tutor can actually see the student’s face as they’re working with the information they’re reading. The camera is right on the computer screen that the student is reading, so the tutor gets a bird’s-eye view of how the student is processing the information.
This turns out to be a significant advantage. So, overall, in our experience, online tutoring actually works better than in-person tutoring.
The most important thing is to find the best tutor for your child.
