Indications at Primary School Stage
July 25, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
Based upon statments in the British Dyslexia Association publication
“Early Help Better Future”
The following are indications of Dyslexia found in Primary School Children
- Difficulty Reading and Spelling
- Puts letters and figures around the wrong way
- Leaves letters out of words or puts them in the wrong order
- Still occasionally confuses ‘b’ with ‘d’ and such words as ‘no’ as ‘on’ , ‘saw and ‘was’
- Still has difficulty with rhyme
- Still make mistakes in reading?
- still make strange spelling mistakes?
- leave letters out of a word being spelt?
- put letters of a word being spelt in the wrong order?
- have a poor sense of direction, and still confuse left and right?
- still find times tables difficult?
- still needs to use fingers, or marks on paper, to make calculations?
- have problems understanding what they have read?
- take longer than average to do a small amount of written work?
- lack self confidence and have a poor opinion of themselves?
- surprise you will their power of recall, speaking abilities, and wide knowledge?
If a child has all or a number of these difficulties, parents must do something to help them.
I realize not all the symptoms of dyslexia are the same in children. The ones I list below are just observations I made when my son was 6. This was just before he was diagnosed with dyslexia. He is now 12.
Over the course of a week or two I took notes while helping him with reading and other homework. Here are some things I found a little odd.
1. Saying the page is blurry or fuzzy – but his eye exam stated he had normal 20/20 vision.
2. Difficulty reading a word he knows when it is in a different font or all capital letters.
3. He finds it easier to sound out a word if it’s partially covered up. For example: ‘never’ ‘paper’ or ‘many’ – ‘ne’ then ‘ver’ then show the whole word.
4. He can read many or most of his sight words that are on individual squares of paper but he cannot read these same words in a paragraph.
5. He has a harder time reading at night or in the evening. Can read much smoother and with less trouble and fuss in the morning.
6. Sometimes – not often – He will cover one of his eyes or turn his head when reading.
7. It appears at times that he flip flops the letters in a word. Example: Being unable to read the word “and” then stating it started with a ‘u’. Pulling letters and words from a line above or below.
8. Reads very slow and choppy. At times he doesn’t even seem to be listening to his own reading – just stating the sounds like a recording.
9. If he is having difficulty reading a word and we ask him “what letter doest it start with” he’ll say ‘I don’t know’ – even though he knows the alphabet.
10. When I correct him when he is reading or spelling he often says “That’s what I said”
11. Frequently mixes up small sight words – I, and, the, is, said, etc…
This is not a scientific list – just things we’ve noticed.
Six years later things aren’t easy but he’s doing great.
I guess I’d also like to add one more. While reading he would frequently look away from the paper and turn up to the ceiling. He’d look like he was trying to figure out a math problem in his head. I think he was taking all the info that he needed from the paper and trying to rearrange it into words or sentences. It’s better for him to look at a blank wall or ceiling while doing this – less visual distraction.
I bring this up because it may be easy for parents to think they are day dreaming or off track.