Dyslexia

Dyslexia is the most common type of neurodivergence, found in approximately 10% of the population. Dyslexia is a natural variation in the brain that affects a person’s reading and writing skills. While the most obvious differences are seen in reading and writing skills, Dyslexia also impacts the way a child/young person processes verbal, visual and written information. These differences also influence the way a person learns, thinks and experiences the world. Dyslexia can also impact other parts of a child/young person’s life, such as organisation skills.

Dyslexia can commonly co-occur with other neurodivergent neuro-types, such as Autism, ADHD and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Find out more about these neuro-types in our What is neurodiversity? section.

While being Dyslexic in a neurotypical world can be challenging, being Dyslexic can also equip the child/young person with other significant strengths and talents, such as being creative, good at problem solving and excellent ‘big picture thinkers’.

This ‘See Dyslexia Differently’ video gives a helpful description of Dyslexia, made by the British Dyslexia Association.

If you think your child may be Dyslexic, speak to the Special Education Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCo) in your child’s school. Formal diagnosis of Dyslexia must be made by an Education Psychologist or Specialist Teacher with an accredited Level 7 Diploma. However, all schools are encouraged to attend training by Leeds for Learning so that they can identify any children/young people that may have Dyslexic profiles and provide the right support without the need for a formal diagnosis.

All education settings should provide all children with appropriate support for their learning and wellbeing whether they have a formal diagnosis or not. You can find out more about support in schools on our Education page.

The Leeds Local Offer provides information for children and young people with SEND, including Dyslexia, and their parents/carers in a single place. It shows families what they can expect from a range of local agencies including education, health and social care. The Leeds Local Offer is about providing families with information to make informed choices about services they chose to use.

Watch the below ‘Ted Ed’ video about the differences experienced in Dyslexia.

There are lots of very successful and famous people who are Dyslexic, showing that Dyslexia does not have to limit a person’s potential, including: