What reading behaviors do children with dyslexia exhibit?
Dyslexia is a very broad diagnosis, and children can display all sorts of uncommon reading behaviors because of it. Reading does not come naturally to children with dyslexia. They have difficulty m...

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What reading behaviors do children with dyslexia exhibit?

Dyslexia is a very broad diagnosis, and children can display all sorts of uncommon reading behaviors because of it. Reading does not come naturally to children with dyslexia. They have difficulty making syllables into words, and words into coherent sentences. Keep in mind that some of these behaviors may be developmentally appropriate. For example, a six year old may confuse sounds or not be able to pronounce a word. However, if this child is not able to perform the same reading tasks as the rest of the class, it is good to know what to look for, as early intervention can make a huge difference in a child’s life. Here are some things to look for if you suspect that a child may be dyslexic:

When reading aloud, the child may omit words. The words omitted may not be the “hard” ones; it can be any word that is omitted. The dyslexic child may laboriously read one word at a time. He may also substitute one word for another word, particularly small ones such as “a” for “the.” Reading aloud can be a very difficult experience for the dyslexic child, as even words that he has encountered many times before may appear to be brand new ones that he will sound out as though it is the first time that he has seen them. You may notice that the child will substitute inappropriate sounds for letters, such as saying “duck” instead of “luck.” Letters may also be reversed, with p, d, b, and q being common problems. For a long time, letter reversal was the hallmark of dyslexia, but we have since learned that it takes many other forms, as well. In fact a child with dyslexia may never reverse letters, but may display many of the other signs of the disorder.

You may also notice that the child reads in a flat voice, without any inflection, and ignores the intonations of end marks such as exclamation points. The child may attempt to sound out syllables before saying the word. Even this can be difficult, as some children with dyslexia cannot break words into syllables, or may reverse sounds within a syllable. For example, the “com” in computer may appear to be “moc.” He may also lose his place frequently, and start reading the same sentence again when he should be reading the one underneath it. Sometimes, he may not realize that he is reading the same sentence, as he did not comprehend it the first time. Needless to say, this makes for very awkward reading with very little comprehension, and can be very embarrassing socially.

He may also be a slow silent reader as well. In fact, this is likely. The same difficulties that a dyslexic child has reading orally will usually manifest themselves in silent reading as well. This is why it is important that you hear the child read out loud. This need not take place in front of the class or other people if you suspect dyslexia. Reading out loud can be a torture for these individuals.

Some dyslexic children can appear to read perfectly normally. This is not common, but when it occurs, it may confuse the adults who are working with the child. He may read words correctly, but not know what they mean. He may not be able to tell you anything about what he has read. Even simple questions such as “Is the story about an animal or a person?” may flummox him. He may have to read short passages numerous times in order to understand them. Understandably, this is very frustrating for the child.

Other clues that a child may be dyslexic are when in addition to demonstrating a reluctance to read aloud, the child does not participate in group work that requires reading, or performs poorly on quizzes based on silent reading. Some children may act out behaviorally out of frustration or embarrassment about their reading problem, while others may be compliant, but will make poor scores on any activity that is associated with reading. Many children receive the unfortunate label of “not working to potential” when the real problem is that the child cannot read, or is not comprehending what he is reading.

It is important to be aware that reading errors are often due to this disability and not simple carelessness. If a child substitutes the word “clomp” for “clump,” this may not be due to the child trying to read too quickly or carelessly, as this is also an error associated with dyslexia. Many dyslexic children have experienced being told to “just slow down” or “read more carefully” by well meaning teachers who did not realize that the child had dyslexia. After several years of this, the child may come to blame himself for the disorder. If you notice signs of dyslexia, it is of paramount importance that you intervene on behalf of the child, and request testing and the appropriate follow-up services. You may be the person who helps the dyslexic child and his teachers understand him. Dyslexia can be overcome, and children who have it can become functional readers with assistance. It is best to get early intervention, however, research shows that with a multisensory reading approach, teenagers and dyslexic adults can learn to read well.

What reading behaviors do children with dyslexia exhibit?
Dyslexia is a very broad diagnosis, and children can display all sorts of uncommon reading behaviors because of it. Reading does not come naturally to children with dyslexia. They have difficulty m...