What Is Dyslexia? | Dyslexia Explained

As Dr. Gillis says, children with dyslexia are just as smart as other children.

What is dyslexia like for kids? Our reading expert, Margie Gillis, EdD, explains what dyslexia is, dyslexia symptoms, common dyslexia teaching strategies, and dyslexia treatment exercises.

Connect with UNDERSTOOD:

Copyright © 2019 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

[bovineaviation]

I have dyslexia and got put down a year in school because of it. But my parents made me go to a weekly tutor for 5 years and now I'm top of my class in most subjects. Thanks to everyone who helped.

[suegz]

My son was diagnosed with Severe Dyslexia when he was in Grade 3, but had a high IQ. He was lucky to be at a school with a dyslexia center, they put him in a program to help with the language (I attended as well and learned with him to be able to help him at home). Also took him to a private dyslexia math teacher. After 2 terms in the summer he managed to read his 1st Hurry Potter book, and fiction books became his friend.
After less than 2 years he had to move schools, I never mentioned it to his new school and by end of 1st term when I told his teacher she wouldn't believe it due to his high achievement in maths and English (with exceptional vocabulary).
This April he graduated from a top Canadian University in Mechanical engineering with minor in physics.
Keep an eye on your kids and observe as they develop, never believe that their luck of achievement is their norm (I was told by the Head teacher I had unrealistic expectations), every child has a strength, don't give up on yours ...

[Pomeroy]

I am 68 and was diagnosed as a dyslexia when I was 16. My reading was tested at third grade fifth month.Went to a special boarding school because there was only two country dealing with. Five years later I signed up for my first college course. It is critical that parents read to their children. This gives us a foundation to build on. I do not think fondly of school!

[richardb]

i have dyslexia and im 11 years old and it is really hard. its diffucult because most dont understand or if they think i am less intellegent than everybody else. that is not true tho because i love subjects people would think are to tricky for me. my parents help alot but they dont understand what it is like. i am getting better and better at things now but its a scar that willlast forever! :)

[kinko]

3:10 I love that quote. Love from someone with Dyslexia.

[meganmccarthy]

Something that helped me (a dyslexic) was that I sat under the "phonics wall" in 1st grade. All the phonics where printed out next to a picture that used it in a word. For example the one that said Ph had a phone next to it and so on. I think a matching game of some sort could help a lot for a child. Just looking at them helped me. I still to this day cannot sound out words but, I do indeed know all of the phonics. Also it can be very frustrating to have or to have dyslexia and it is really upsetting to feel so far behind but eventually you will get better. It took me 10 years to read a book in a reasonable amount of time. For people trying to teach a dyslexic when they say the can't they honestly can't one of the hardest things for them is that they are being asked to do something that is actually impossible, be kind and very patient. I was lucky to get help for my dyslexia but, it didn't come easy. My parents had to fight every school to get me the help I needed. Don't be afraid to contact a super attendant to get the help you or your child need's, their/ your future actually depends on it.

[Sibulè]

I have a project in it
Thanks for help!

[devilpig]

Thanks this helped a lot with understanding this issue more my son has recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and its hard not knowing the proper care of my children when I'm a single dad . Glad I'm starting to understand all this stuff ! luv ya

[carolyncowen]

BRAVO! This is a spectacular little video with a clear, concise, and engaging explanation of dyslexia. (And that ain't easy!) I recommend this as a starting point for parents, educators, and policymakers. Excellent work, Margie and Understood!

[NRGAiden-rbxm]

If u have dislexy as a kid doesn’t mean you can’t get a good job. Mostly rich people are dislexy you just need to find a good way for you even it takes years

[Bharat]

In my case I was diagnosed with ADHD Asperger's syndrome mild dyslexia and SLD for me I would answer orally everything well would also be able to do all the non academic stuff. But when it came to writing I found difficult remembering things related to academics maths was definitely a problem for me also stringing my words together in writing also is still my problem.

[originalgoldengoddess]

Hmmm... I sometimes have issues reading numbers... thats why I have to stare at them for a while sometimes to read it properly. It's something that I've always been embarrassed about as a kid and I didn't like to tell my teachers about. I just tell them I'm not good at maths instead of trying to explain about now reading numbers the right way sometimes.

[alexs]

Thank you for taking the time to figure this out

[mkmgramirez]

Thank you so much. I suspect that my son has dyslexia because he struggles with rhyming, blending and various other language strategies. Although he started at D level at the beginning of 1st grade, he has not progressed. I have a meeting with his teacher and reading instructor and hopefully, we can see what the casual is.

[btbonfps]

Thank you for telling me this I’m pretty sure that I have it because I’m so good at math but I’m not that good at reading but for some reason I like writing.

[strugglling..]

I cannot concentrate on study, , because i had Dyslexia, ,and cannot because of headache issue, ,how to overcome it, ,i understand life is tough, ,but i had to overcome it by curiosity in science and maths, ,but i am having difficulty understanding maths, ,but i find maths interesting because it's linked to Universe, ,, ,but i feel erritating because I am Taking medicine from five years and changed doctor many times i cannot explain i visited many places , ,from 7 class, ,now in 12 class, ,i am 17 years old, ,i am having difficulty understanding books, ,or reading story books or biography, ,but i want to become i really interested, ,but cannot why, ,in childhood when i was born up, ,i reverse shoes lase tie or i almost reverse write in past, ,or i wrote whole word reverese, ,now i wrote good, ,but i had difficulty concentrating, ,

[novellaforever]

I couldn’t read until I was eight I’m nine now about to turn 10 and we’re trying to find out if I have dLexia Or not

[suesasko]

You can also play iliteration games...let's think of words that start with the /sh/ sound. You can say 3 sounds and have your child blend them into a word....what word says /b/ /i/ /t/. You can count syllables by counting how many times your jaw drops when you say a word. Help older children learn and study spelling words by syllables. Teach graphemes and the various representations of each phoneme. Teach syllable types and syllable division rules.

[steverocksyo]

I've taken French for years but I can't understand it spoken. I watch TV, movies, use apps.
If your first language is remotely like that with dyslexia then I feel for you. That's tough

[soaringeagleshomeschoolgro]

I teach Orton Gillingham to dyslexics on you tube because we shouldn't have to be rich to have the training we need to learn to read fluently.