Elementary School

• dysgraphia (slow, non-automatic handwriting
that is difficult to read)

• extreme difficulty learning cursive handwriting
• slow, choppy, inaccurate reading:

• guesses based on shape or context
• skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of)
• ignores suffixes
• can’t sound out unknown words
  • very bad spelling
  • often can’t remember sight words (they, were, does)
  or homonyms (their, they’re, and there)
  • has difficulty telling time on a clock with hands
  • has trouble with math
• trouble memorizing multiplication tables
• trouble memorizing a sequence of steps
• trouble with directionality
  • when speaking, difficulty finding the correct word
• uses words like “thingies”
• common sayings come out slightly different
  • has an extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk
  • dreads going to school
• complains of stomach aches or headaches
• may have nightmares about school

In High School

• has a limited vocabulary
• has extremely poor written expression

• shows a large discrepancy between verbal skills
  and written compositions
  • unable to master a foreign language
  • difficulty reading printed music
  • gets poor grades in many classes
  • may drop out of high school

Adults

• slow reader
• may have to read a page 2 or 3 times to understand it
• has difficulty putting thoughts onto paper

• dreads writing memos or letters
  • still has difficulty with right versus left
  • sometimes confuses b and d, especially when
  tired or sick
• often gets lost, even in a familiar city

Adapted from Bright Solutions for Dyslexia