What Students May Face in Class
Because decoding words takes so much effort, dyslexic students often deal with fatigue, anxiety, and frustration during the school day. Here's what that can look like.
Reading & Decoding
- Phonological processing: trouble breaking words into sounds or blending them.
- Letter & word confusion: reversing letters (b/d, p/q) and skipping small words.
- Lack of fluency: reading slowly, since energy goes to decoding, not meaning.
Writing & Spelling
- Spelling difficulties: spelling phonetically, with missing vowels ("sed" for "said").
- Writing avoidance: keeping work short and simple to dodge spelling.
- Poor handwriting: letter formation is tiring due to motor demands.
Academics & Memory
- Multi-step directions: hard to remember and follow.
- Processing speed: needing extra time to read and answer.
- Math hurdles: memorizing facts, telling time, and word problems.
Social & Emotional
- Low self-esteem: comparing themselves to peers who read easily.
- Performance anxiety: dreading reading aloud in front of the class.
- Behavioral struggles: acting out or hiding to mask their difficulties.