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Common Characteristics and Online Testing for Dyslexia

If you suspect your you or your child may have Dyslexia, the next best step is to take an online test. After that has been established, you can take steps to getting a proper diagnosis by a Psychologist Doctor who is trained specifically for Dyslexia.

Here is one online test that is thorough and I recommend.  You can find out more about it by visiting their main website at Reading Horizons by clicking the banner below: 

On www.dyslexia.com they have a list of Common Characteristics that you can look at first, to help identify if your child does, or does not have Dyslexia. 

I can tell you, I experienced and do experience about 98% of all the things listed below. Some things to look for that are listed on Dyslexia.com are:

Generally:

• Appears Bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level. 
• Labelled as lazy, careless, dumb, immature, "not trying hard enough" to be helped in a school setting. 
• High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written. 
• Feels dumb; 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. 

Visually:

• 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 on-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying. 
• Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem. 
• Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
• Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

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 otor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness. 
• Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Math and Time Management:

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

Memory and Cognition:

• Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces. 
• Poor memory for sequencing, facts and information that has not been experienced.
• Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little dialogue).

Behaviour, Health, Development and Personality

• Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly. 
• Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.
• Had unusually early or late development; 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 stress, or poor health. 

Hope some of this information has helped bring insight. 

Happy Learning!

OG Based Language Arts Online Programs

I found this very good program that I will be using next year for some of my children. It is called Language Tune-Up Kit. It follows along the same path as the Barton System and also covers sight words, spelling etc. 

Some of my children are using:

 Lexia

And Dynaread.

I find Lexia to be good for 4-6 years of age. It doesn't really focus on auditory as much, but still good if supplementing with the Barton System or tutoring! Also, Lexia is good for your School or Support Teacher, as they will frequently send out reports directly to them. Dynaread is not as faithful with reports or staying communicated with the school etc. It is mainly through the Parent/Parents and so it is up to the parent to report to the School or Teacher. Important information: Dynaread is not Orton-Gillingham based. 

Update: Lexia, I believe has an older child version that is for Grade 4 and up. I have not used this one partcularly. But most often a child with severe struggles in reading because of Dyslexia will need to start a little earlier to gain some key components before advancing in the program and may find it a bit toddler-ish if they have to do so.

Let me know what you use and how you like it!