Am I dyslexic?

Dyslexia checklist (this can be used for children aged 4 1/2 and above).

Reading

• The student is an unexpectedly poor reader (meaning that reading is poor despite education and intelligence).
• Do they read a word then fail to recognise it further down the page?
• The student is unable to link letter names and sounds
• The student avoids reading
• Do they answer questions orally but have difficulty writing the answer?

Speech

• Is there a history of speech delay?
• Is there a family history of literacy difficulties?
• Can the child follow a number of instructions in sequence? For instance, "go to the living room and get my slippers, then bring them to me."
• There is no evidence of rhyming skills

Writing

• Is there evidence of reversals when writing?
• Unusual difficulity with handwriting (illegible, poor spacing)
• Are there ususual difficulties with spelling?
• The child's written work does not reflect his/her potential
• If you observe the class during note taking or a copying activity is there a marked difference between the child and the rest of the class?
• Does the student write slowly?

Sequencing

• Does the student have difficulties with remembering the days of the week or months of the year in sequence
• Does the student have difficulties sequencing a series of events?

*It is important to note that letter and number reversals are common with children under 6 yrs of age.

If each of the areas has two or more items ticked, this is a strong possibility of a risk of dyslexia and a more detailed assessment should be carried out. Please don't hesitate to call us for more information and guidance.