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Test for Dyslexia: 37 Common Traits

Writer's picture: Richard WhiteheadRichard Whitehead

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

 a book with letters falling out

Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviours. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.


General:

  • Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at age-related expectations.

  • Labelled lazy, stupid, careless, immature, “not trying hard enough,” or “behaviour problem.”

  • Isn’t “behind enough” or “bad enough” to be helped in the school setting.

  • High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.

  • Feels stupid; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.

  • Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.

  • Seems to “Zone out” or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.

  • Difficulty sustaining attention; seems “hyper” or “daydreamer.”

  • Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.


Vision, Reading, and Spelling:

  • Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.

  • Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.

  • Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.

  • Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.

  • Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don’t reveal a problem.

  • Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.

  • Reads and rereads with little comprehension.

  • Spells phonetically and inconsistently.


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Hearing and Speech:

  • Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.

  • Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.


Writing and Motor Skills:

  • Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.

  • Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.

  • Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.


a young boy next to a chalkboard with questions marks

Maths and Time Management:

  • Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.

  • Maths calculations show dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper.

  • Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.

  • Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher maths.


Memory and Cognition:

  • Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.

  • Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.

  • Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).


two young students next to a chalkboard with math equations

Behaviour, Health, Development, and Personality:

  • Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.

  • Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.

  • Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).

  • Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.

  • Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.

  • Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.

  • Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.

  • Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional str ess, or poor health.


Test for Dyslexia – 37 Common Traits (© 1992 by Ronald D. Davis; Used with Permission)


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