In terms of reading, symptoms of dyslexia can be:
- difficulties dividing words into syllables, joining syllables into a word,
- twisting words,
- reading short words backwards,
- skipping, adding words,
- skipping or re-reading lines of text,
- losing sight of where one is reading,
- omitting punctuation,
- incorrect intonation of the text being read,
- slow, non-fluent, nonrhythmic reading,
- low level of comprehension of the text read or listened to,
- difficulty in finding the main ideas in a text,
- problems remembering the information contained in the text read or listened to.
In the area of writing, dyslexia can be indicated by:
- abnormal grip of writing instruments,
- abnormal muscle tone in the hand, wrist,
- slow writing speed,
- too large, too small connections between letters, numbers,
- lack of linking of letters with each other,
- omission of diacritical marks (full stop, hook) above and below letters,
- deformation of the shape of letters, figures,
- illegible writing,
- dropping, adding, rearranging (inversions) the order of letters in a word,
- confusion, mirroring and reversal of similar-looking letters, figures,
- writing words from right to left,
- mirroring writing,
- incorrect choice of letters for phonetically similar sounds,
- writing according to pronunciation rather than spelling,
- inappropriate use of lower and upper case letters,
- adding, omitting, rearranging the order of words in a sentence,
- leaving out word endings,
- writing words in different ways in the same work,
- missing or inappropriate use of punctuation,
- incorrect positioning of text in space, problem with keeping margins.
In relation to drawing and doing other artwork, dyslexia may be indicated by:
- rapid, high hand fatigue,
- low precision of hand movements, fingers,
- poor eye-hand coordination,
- simplified, schematic drawings, omitting details,
- distorted proportions of elements in the artwork,
- inappropriate arrangement, disturbed composition of artistic works,
- incorrect direction when drawing and reproducing figures, patterns.
In terms of motor skills, dyslexia may be indicated by:
- delayed or atypical motor development,
- low dexterity and co-ordination of fine and gross motor skills,
- general clumsiness of movement,
- difficulties with complex, sequential motor activities – e.g. gymnastics routines, dance steps (dyspraxia).
In relation to memory, symptoms of dyslexia can be:
- difficulties in remembering rhymes, songs, names, dates, terminology, telephone numbers, addresses, numbers, multiplication tables,
- difficulty in remembering longer, complex instructions,
- difficulty recalling familiar words,
- difficulty remembering new words,
- losing the thread when writing essays.
In terms of speech and verbal communication, dyslexia can be indicated by:
- delayed speech development,
- confusion of similar sounding sounds, syllables, words,
- twisting, changing the sound of difficult, long words,
- problems with the correct pronunciation of newly learned words,
- grammatical errors (agrammatisms),
- limited active vocabulary,
- difficulty in building longer, complex statements,
- impaired understanding of speech in noise.
Sources:
- M. Dąbrowska: Dysleksja w ujęciu psycholingwistycznym. Przegląd badań. Psychologia Wychowawcza Nr 4 1995 r.
- https://zdrowie.radiozet.pl/Ciaza-i-dziecko/Zdrowie-dziecka/Dysleksja-rozwojowa-na-czym-polega-to-zaburzenie?
- M. Bogdanowicz, A. Borkowska, Model rozpoznawania specyficznych trudności w czytaniu i pisaniu
- M.B. Pecyna (red.), Dysleksja rozwojowa. Fakt i tajemnica w diagnostyce psychologiczno-pedagogicznej
