What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a lifelong difference that mainly affects how a person reads, writes and spells. It is linked to difficulties with recognising and working with the sounds in words (phonological skills), which makes reading less accurate and fluent.

These challenges can also affect 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 difficulties were never formally picked up 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 show 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 and thrive in school and beyond.