What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a lifelong difference that primarily affects how a person reads, writes, and spells. It is associated with learning difficulties, particularly in recognising and working with the sounds in words (phonological skills), which can lead to less accurate and fluent reading.

These challenges can also impact other areas of learning, for example:

- Remembering instructions or multi-step tasks

- Processing information quickly, especially under time pressure

- Organising ideas clearly on paper

- Maths, particularly word problems, sequencing steps, or recalling number facts

- Reading comprehension, as more effort is spent on decoding

- Vocabulary growth, due to reduced reading exposure

- Note-taking, copying information, or keeping pace in lessons

Dyslexia often runs in families. If a child is identified with dyslexia, it is not unusual for a parent or close relative to recognise similar experiences. Sometimes these learning difficulties were never formally identified at school, meaning adults may have developed their own strategies without realising that dyslexia was the underlying reason.

Beyond academic work, dyslexia can influence confidence, motivation, and self-esteem. Students may feel frustrated if progress seems slow or if they are working harder than their peers. However, dyslexia is not linked to intelligence, and many individuals demonstrate significant strengths in areas such as problem-solving, creativity, and verbal reasoning.

With the right understanding, support, and teaching strategies, students with dyslexia can develop the skills they need to thrive in school and beyond.