About dyslexia
Understanding dyslexia
A specific learning difference that mainly affects reading, spelling and writing. It is not about intelligence, and no two people experience it in quite the same way.
In plain terms
What dyslexia is
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that primarily affects reading, spelling and writing. It is not related to intelligence, and people with dyslexia can have average or above-average abilities in many other areas.
It is best understood as a difference in how the brain processes language-based information. This can make it harder to develop fluent reading and accurate spelling, particularly without the right support.
Each person with dyslexia has a unique profile of strengths and difficulties. No two people experience it in exactly the same way.
Three ways it can feel
A sieve, a zigzag, and a new driver
Three everyday pictures that help explain what is going on underneath.
Short-term memory: the sieve
Some people with dyslexia find that information falls through the sieve too quickly. It means you can lose track as you read.
Processing speed: the zigzag
You can be bright and understand perfectly well, but if processing speed is reduced, information does not travel straight from A to B. It takes a more roundabout, zigzag route to where it is needed, so it can feel as though things are coming in faster than your brain can keep up with.
Phonological awareness: the new driver
Without dyslexia, reading is automatic, the way an experienced driver drives. With dyslexia, managing the sounds in words is hard work and takes all your attention, which leaves fewer resources for taking in the meaning of what you are reading.
All of this can mean someone with dyslexia might read perfectly well, yet still lose track. It can be tiring and frustrating, and it is exactly the kind of thing an assessment makes clear.
Signs at different ages
What dyslexia can look like
Dyslexia can present differently depending on age and stage of learning.
In children and young people
- Slow or effortful reading.
- Learning words for a spelling test, then forgetting them.
- Avoiding reading or writing tasks.
- Difficulty with phonics.
- Trouble following instructions or keeping written work organised.
In older students and adults
- A discrepancy between spoken and written ability.
- Difficulty planning and structuring written work.
- Misreading or missing information in text.
- Fatigue when processing large amounts of written information.
The other side
Strengths often associated with dyslexia
Dyslexia can create real challenges, but many people also show particular strengths. These vary from person to person, but they are an important part of the whole picture.
- Strong reasoning and problem-solving.
- Good oral language.
- Creativity and original thinking.
- Good visual or spatial awareness.
- Seeing the bigger picture.
- Practical, hands-on problem-solving.
Clearing things up
Common myths about dyslexia
Dyslexia means seeing letters or words backwards.
This can happen, but it is not a defining feature of dyslexia.
Dyslexia is linked to low intelligence.
Dyslexia occurs across all levels of ability.
People grow out of dyslexia.
Dyslexia is lifelong, though people develop effective strategies and support.
Dyslexia only affects reading.
It can also affect spelling, writing, memory, organisation and processing speed.
Why understanding matters
The impact, moving forward
Dyslexia can affect confidence, self-esteem and learning experiences, particularly if it has not been identified early or supported well. Many people describe working significantly harder than their peers to achieve the same results.
With the right understanding and tailored support, people with dyslexia can thrive in education, training and employment. Dyslexia is not a barrier to success, but it can be a barrier to learning in environments that are not adapted to different ways of processing information. A clear assessment helps identify a person’s specific profile of strengths and needs, and guides the right support.
School is OK, but reading takes me longer than the others and I have to read things more than once to take in what it is saying. I sometimes lose my place, and I make up words. I really don’t like reading aloud, but I like lessons when I can talk or do things instead. I feel that I work harder than other people but don’t get the same results.
The definition I assess to
The Delphi consensus on dyslexia
I assess against the Delphi definition of dyslexia, the current consensus agreed by a wide panel of researchers and practitioners. It describes dyslexia under four headings.
Nature
The nature and developmental trajectory of dyslexia depend on multiple genetic and environmental influences.
Manifestation
Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that affect the acquisition of reading and spelling. The most commonly observed cognitive impairment is a difficulty with phonological processing (in phonological awareness, phonological processing speed or phonological memory). However, phonological difficulties do not fully explain the variability observed. Working memory, processing speed and orthographic skills can also contribute.
Impact
Some or all aspects of literacy attainment are weak in relation to age, standard teaching and instruction, and level of other attainments. Across languages and age groups, difficulties in reading fluency and spelling are a key marker of dyslexia.
Variance
Dyslexic difficulties exist on a continuum and can be experienced to various degrees of severity. Dyslexia can affect the acquisition of other skills, such as mathematics, reading comprehension, or learning another language. It frequently co-occurs with other developmental difficulties, including developmental language disorder, ADHD, and developmental co-ordination disorder.
Carroll, J. M., Holden, C., Kirby, P., Thompson, P. A., Snowling, M. J. and the Dyslexia Delphi Panel (2025). Toward a consensus on dyslexia: findings from a Delphi study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Read the study.
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