How Teachers Can Identify Dyslexia in the Classroom: A Practical Guid
.png "A Teacher's Critical Role")
Meta Description: Learn how teachers can identify dyslexia in students with age-specific symptom checklists from preschool through high school. Practical guide for early detection and support in the classroom.
A Teacher's Critical Role
Sarah teaches second grade and noticed something about Emma. During reading circle, Emma would fidget, suddenly need the bathroom, or ask for help with classroom tasks. Emma was bright—she understood complex concepts when they were explained orally and showed creativity in her art projects. But when it was her turn to read, she struggled with simple words she'd read correctly the day before. Sarah wondered: was this just slow development, or something more?
As a teacher, you're often the first to notice when something isn't quite right with a student's learning. Your daily observations put you in a unique position to identify children who may have dyslexia—and early identification can change a child's entire academic trajectory.
Here's something important to remember: fifteen to twenty per cent of the population has a reading disability, and dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties. When one in five students processes written language differently, we're not looking at rare exceptions. We're looking at natural human diversity that shows up in every classroom.
Understanding Dyslexia Identification
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that affects how the brain processes written and sometimes spoken language. With help, children with dyslexia can become successful readers, but only if we identify them early enough to provide that help.
Why Teachers Are Key to Early Detection
You see students engage with literacy tasks daily. You notice patterns that parents might miss:
Which students avoid reading aloud
Who takes significantly longer to read the assignments?
Which bright students struggle inexplicably with simple tasks
Who shows a gap between oral and written abilities
If children who are dyslexic get effective phonological training in kindergarten and first grade, they will have significantly fewer problems in learning to read at grade level than do children who are not identified or helped until third grade. Your observations in these early years are crucial.
Different Processing Is Not Deficient
Before we dive into symptoms, let's address a fundamental mindset shift. When 20% of the population processes information differently, we need to question whether "different" equals "deficient."
The dyslexic brain uses alternative neural pathways for reading. Yes, this makes decoding text more challenging. But these same brains often show enhanced abilities in:
Pattern recognition and seeing connections
Spatial reasoning and visual thinking
Creative problem-solving
Big-picture conceptual understanding
Hands-on learning
In your classroom, that "struggling reader" might be the student who:
Grasps complex scientific concepts faster than peers
Designs the most innovative solutions in maker activities
Understands story themes deeply when read aloud
Excels in visual arts, building, or spatial tasks
Shows remarkable empathy and emotional intelligence
These aren't separate from their dyslexia—they're often connected to how their brain processes information. Your role isn't to "fix" these students but to identify their learning profile so they can receive appropriate support while their strengths are nurtured.
.png "A Teacher's Critical Role")
Age-by-Age Symptom Identification Guide
The signs of dyslexia change as children develop. What's normal at age 4 becomes a red flag at age 8. Use these age-specific checklists to guide your observations.
Preschool (Ages 3-5)
At this age, you're looking for pre-literacy indicators—signs that appear before formal reading instruction begins.
Speech and Language Red Flags:
Delayed speech development compared to peers
Mispronouncing words, knowing fewer words than developmentally appropriate or continuing to speak in baby talk
Difficulty pronouncing multisyllable words (says "aminal" for "animal," "pusghetti" for "spaghetti")
Substitutes similar-sounding words (says "tornado" for "volcano")
Uses vague language ("thing," "stuff") instead of specific words
Phonological Awareness Concerns:
Inability to recognise rhyming patterns in words or trouble making up new rhymes on their own
Trouble learning common nursery rhymes, such as "Jack and Jill"
Cannot identify beginning sounds in words
Struggles to clap syllables in words
Early Learning Difficulties:
Trouble learning or difficulty remembering the letters in the alphabet, days of the week or nursery rhymes
Cannot recognise letters in their own name
Difficulty learning colours, shapes, or numbers despite repeated teaching
Trouble following multi-step directions (can do tasks individually but not when given as a sequence)
Confusion between directional words, e.g. up/down
Memory and Sequencing Issues:
Forgets names of friends, teacher, colours, etc.
Difficulty with sequencing, e.g. coloured beads, classroom routines
Struggles to remember songs or finger plays
Important Note: Many young children will display these behaviours and make these mistakes. It is the severity of the behaviour and the length of time it persists that give vital clues to identifying a difficulty such as dyslexia. One o
Kindergarten and First Grade (Ages 5-7)
This is when dyslexia typically becomes more apparent as formal reading instruction begins. Children who are at risk of reading disabilities can be identified in kindergarten.
Letter and Sound Recognition:
Difficulty learning and remembering letter names despite repeated exposure
Cannot reliably identify letters even after months of instruction
Trouble associating letters with their corresponding sounds
Confuses similar-looking letters (b/d, p/q, n/u, m/w)
Cannot name all letters of the alphabet by the end of kindergarten
Beginning Reading Struggles:
Not understanding that words break apart into sounds.
Extreme difficulty blending sounds together to make words (c-a-t = cat)
Cannot segment words into individual sounds
Making reading errors that aren't connected to the sounds of the letters on the page (will say "dog" for "puppy" when looking at a picture)
Relies on pictures or context to guess at words rather than sounding them out
Skips small words like "and," "the," "it" when reading
Spelling and Writing:
Random letter strings with little sound-symbol correspondence
May spell the same word differently in the same piece of work
Writing that doesn't match their oral language sophistication
Reading Behaviours:
Very slow in acquiring reading skills
Shows reluctance or avoidance when asked to read
Complaints that reading is too hard
Becomes frustrated or emotional during literacy activities
Makes progress, then seems to forget previously mastered skills
Compensatory Behaviours to Watch:
Exceptional memory for stories read aloud (may mask reading difficulty)
Strong verbal skills that don't match reading performance
Finds creative ways to avoid reading tasks
Second and Third Grade (Ages 7-9)
By this age, the gap between dyslexic students and their peers often widens significantly. Seventy four cent of the children who were poor readers in the third grade remained poor readers in the ninth grade, making identification at this stage critical.
Reading Characteristics:
Reading remains slow, laboured, and inaccurate.
Significant difficulty with unfamiliar or multisyllabic words
Makes wild guesses at words instead of sounding them out systematically
Frequent loss of place while reading
Poor reading fluency—reads word by word without natural phrasing.
Rereads sentences or paragraphs to understand them
Comprehension Issues:
Can understand stories when read to them, but struggles with comprehension when reading independently.
The mental effort of decoding leaves little capacity for understanding
May understand the plot but miss details
Strong listening comprehension contrasts with weak reading comprehension
Spelling and Writing:
Spelling errors that show no consistent pattern
Spells words phonetically but incorrectly ("sed" for "said," "wuz" for "was")
Inconsistent spelling—same word spelt multiple ways in one assignment
Avoids writing tasks
Written expression is far below oral expression quality.
May have good ideas, but struggles to get them on paper
Academic Behaviours:
Takes significantly longer to complete reading assignments than peers
Homework battles, particularly around reading
Frequently complains that reading is too hard, shows signs of fatigue, or has physical complaints like headaches or stomachaches related to schoolwork.
Prefers subjects that don't require extensive reading
Shows anxiety around reading aloud in class
Timing and Test Performance:
Cannot finish tests or assignments in the allotted time
Shows knowledge when tested orally, but struggles with written tests
Strong performance in hands-on or project-based work
Upper Elementary (Grades 4-5, Ages 9-11)
By fourth grade, students transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." Students with unidentified dyslexia often hit a wall at this stage.
Reading Challenges:
Reading speed is significantly slower than peers.
Avoids reading for pleasure entirely
Struggles with content area textbooks (science, social studies)
Difficulty with academic vocabulary (multisyllabic, unfamiliar words)
Cannot scan text to locate information
Reads everything at the same slow pace, regardless of purpose
Writing and Spelling:
Overuse of short, simple, easy-to-spell words in writing
Written vocabulary is much more limited than oral vocabulary.
Persistent spelling errors with common words
Disorganised written work
Difficulty taking notes while listening
Struggles to write and edit simultaneously
Content Learning:
Falls behind in multiple subjects due to reading demands
Greater difficulty with math word problems than with calculation problems
Strong conceptual understanding when information is presented orally
Difficulty studying from textbooks independently
Relies heavily on parent support for homework
Emotional and Behavioural Signs:
Avoiding reading and writing tasks, especially reading aloud
Extreme fatigue related to reading and writing
May act out or become a class clown to avoid reading
Decreasing self-confidence
Compares self negatively to peers
What You'll Notice:
The bright student who "should be doing better"
Significant discrepancy between ability and achievement
Struggling to finish assignments and tests on time
.png)
.png)
Middle School (Grades 6-8, Ages 11-14)
Middle school brings increased reading demands across all subjects. Middle school students with dyslexia are challenged by increasingly complex text, greater word length, more advanced writing assignments, and unfamiliar content and vocabulary.
Reading and Language:
Continues to read slowly despite years of instruction
If they read more slowly than their classmates, they can fall behind in multiple subjects.
Your child may take a very long time to finish homework that involves reading.
Still struggles with decoding multisyllabic academic vocabulary.
At school, your child may escape to the bathroom to avoid reading out loud in class.
Word Retrieval:
Dyslexia can make it hard to find the right word or to pronounce it correctly. Your child may stammer and say "um" and other filler words a lot.
Uses words that sound similar but have different meanings (says "extinct" for "distinct")
Pauses frequently when speaking
"It was on the tip of my tongue" moments
Written Expression:
Has a poor standard of written work compared with oral ability
Produces badly set out or messy written work, with spellings crossed out several times.
Spells the same word differently in one piece of work
Cannot take comprehensive notes while listening
They may also write slowly, misspell frequently and have trouble following directions.
Organisation and Memory:
Extreme difficulty managing and keeping track of homework assignments and deadlines
Repeatedly reports that she was unaware of assignments and deadlines because the teacher "never told" her what was required.
Finds holding a list of instructions in memory difficult, although can perform all tasks when told individually
Loses track of materials and assignments
Academic Performance:
Grades drop as reading demands increase.
There is a significant discrepancy between your child's school performance and scores on standardised tests.
Struggles with higher math, such as algebra (reading word problems, following multistep directions)
Unexpected difficulty with learning a foreign language
Strong in class discussions but weak in written assessments
Social-Emotional:
Dyslexia affects communication in lots of ways, including social skills. Your child may not pick up on body language or learn from social blunders.
May struggle to "fit in" or work in groups
Increased anxiety around school
Avoidant behaviours become more sophisticated.
Self-esteem issues
Critical Observation: Some children with dyslexia have exceptional visual memory, allowing them to memorise word spellings and pronunciations without actually learning how to decode words and sounds. As subject material grows in complexity and vocabulary rises to match, a teenager may begin showing difficulty in keeping up with memory strategies. Students who seemed fine in elementary school may suddenly struggle.
High School (Grades 9-12, Ages 14-18)
At this level, some students are identified for the first time, particularly gifted students who've compensated for years. These students may not be able to get into the college of their choice, and few careers don't require the ability to follow directions and read and write at some level.
Reading Challenges:
Must repeatedly read and reread material to understand it
Reading remains effortful; it never becomes automatic.
While reading skills have developed over time, reading still requires great effort and is done at a slow pace.
Takes hours to complete reading assignments that peers finish quickly
Cannot finish timed tests
Difficulty with textbook learning
Language Expression:
Dyslexia can make it hard to find the right words, develop ideas, and communicate them in a logical, organised way.
Teens with dyslexia might stammer a lot or have trouble finding the right word to say
Earlier oral language difficulties persist, including a lack of fluency and glibness; frequent use of "ums" and imprecise language; and general anxiety when speaking.
Difficulty expressing ideas in writing
Struggles to retrieve words; frequently has "It was on the tip of my tongue" moments.
Foreign Language:
The same issues that make it hard for kids with dyslexia to read and write in their native language make it even harder to learn a foreign language.
High-schoolers with dyslexia might dread the school's foreign language requirement and feel doomed by it.
Guesses at pronunciation and meaning
Other Academic Impacts:
Teens with dyslexia often struggle with sp
atial concepts and related things like driving and navigation. May still confuse left and right
At school, that can look like trouble reading charts and graphs
Difficulty with navigation, maps, and schedules
Compensatory Strengths Often Present:
Demonstrates excellence when focused on a highly specialised area, such as medicine, law, public policy, finance, architecture or basic science
Highly articulate when expressing ideas and feelings (orally)
Creative problem-solving abilities
Strong conceptual thinking
Emotional Concerns:
Anxiety related to school, school assignments, and tests
Years of struggle may have impacted self-esteem.
May hide difficulties from teachers and parents
Fear about college or career prospects.
How to Approach Identification
Observe Patterns, Not Isolated Incidents
One spelling error doesn't indicate dyslexia. Look for:
Clusters of symptoms across multiple areas
Persistence over time despite instruction
Severity that goes beyond typical developmental variation
Discrepancy between ability and achievement
Document Specific Examples
Keep anecdotal records noting:
Date and context of observations
Specific reading behaviours (substitutions, omissions, insertions)
Time required for tasks compared to peers
Patterns in spelling errors
Students' emotional responses to literacy tasks
Strengths you observe alongside challenges
Use Universal Screening
Don't wait for students to fail. The primary benefit of universal screening for dyslexia is to prevent the progression of reading problems associated with an unidentified reading disability.
Screening can be administered as early as preschool and should check for developmental skills in the essential areas of reading, including phonological awareness, letter-sound association, blending, word recognition fluency, word identification, vocabulary, oral reading fluency, and comprehension.
Many schools now implement screening in kindergarten through second grade. If your school doesn't, advocate for it.
Consider the Whole Child
Remember that dyslexia is a combination of abilities as well as difficulties. It is the disparity between them that is often the giveaway clue.
Look for students who:
They are verbally bright but struggle with written work.
Understands complex concepts but can't demonstrate knowledge on written tests.
Excel in hands-on or creative tasks, but avoid reading.
Show social-emotional intelligence, but have academic struggles
This gap between strengths and weaknesses is often the clearest indicator.
Taking Action: What Teachers Should Do
Communicate with Parents
If you suspect dyslexia, schedule a conversation with the parents. Share:
Specific observations and examples
Patterns you've noticed over time
The student's strengths you've observed
Your concern that they may need additional support
Frame this as wanting to help their child succeed, not as criticism. Many parents feel relieved when teachers notice and take action.
Consult Your School's Support Team
Talk to your school's special education coordinator, reading specialist, or intervention team. Share your documentation and observations. Ask about:
Available screening tools
Response to Intervention (RTI) options
The referral process for a comprehensive evaluation
Evidence-based interventions you can implement
Implement Evidence-Based Interventions
While assessment is pending, begin providing support:
Systematic, explicit phonics instruction
Multisensory learning activities
Additional practice with phonological awareness
Accommodations like extended time
Access to audiobooks alongside print texts
Opportunities to demonstrate knowledge orally
Create a Supportive Classroom Environment
Foster an environment where:
Different learning styles are valued.
Students can access content through multiple modalities.
Accommodations are provided without stigma.
Reading struggles don't define a student's identity.
Strengths are recognised and celebrated.
Advocate for Proper Assessment
If interventions don't produce expected progress, advocate for a comprehensive evaluation. If specific warning signs are present, screening or evaluation will identify strengths and weaknesses and assist in recommending strategies and supports that may prevent further reading gaps from developing over time.
Understanding Your Mindset Matters
How you think about dyslexia shapes how students see themselves. Consider these reframes:
Instead of:
Instead of: "They need to try harder." Think: "They're working twice as hard as others and need different instruction."
Instead of: "They're falling behind." Think: "They haven't received the right support yet."
Instead of: "Reading disability." Think: "Reading difference in a text-heavy world."
When 20% of students process differently, the problem isn't with those students—it's with a system designed for only 80% of learners.
.png)
Working with MANAS Learning
Once a student is identified or suspected of having dyslexia, specialised support makes all the difference. At MANAS Learning, comprehensive assessments identify each child's specific learning profile—their strengths, challenges, and exactly which skills need targeted support.
Through evidence-based remedial programs, MANAS Learning provides the systematic, multisensory instruction that dyslexic students need. Their programs work on:
Phonological awareness and phonics foundations
Reading fluency and comprehension strategies
Spelling and written expression
Building confidence and learning strategies
Recognising and developing student strengths
This specialised support complements what you're doing in the classroom, giving students the intensive intervention research shows they need while celebrating the unique ways their brains work.
The Bottom Line for Teachers
Early identification of dyslexia is one of the most impactful things you can do for a student. Your daily observations, documentation, and advocacy can literally change the trajectory of a child's life.
Remember:
Trust your instincts. If something seems off despite intervention, pursue it.
Document patterns. Isolated incidents aren't concerning, but persistent patterns are.
See the whole child. Notice strengths alongside challenges.
Act early. Don't wait for students to fail before seeking help.
Communicate clearly. Talk with parents and support staff.
Provide appropriate support. Even without a formal diagnosis, you can implement helpful strategies.
Maintain high expectations. Different processing doesn't mean lower capability.
A Final Thought
In your classroom, you likely have 5-6 students with dyslexia or at risk for reading difficulties. These aren't broken students who need fixing. They're students whose brains work differently, who may see patterns others miss, who might become architects, scientists, entrepreneurs, or artists—if they receive the right support early enough.
Your role isn't to diagnose dyslexia (that requires formal assessment), but to identify students who need additional support and to ensure they receive it. The earlier you act, the better their outcomes will be.
When you notice, document, communicate, and advocate, you're not just teaching reading—you're changing lives.
Quick Reference: Red Flags by Grade Level
Preschool (3-5):
Speech delays or mispronunciations
Cannot rhyme or learn nursery rhymes
Trouble learning letters
Difficulty following multi-step directions
Forgets names of colours, friends
Kindergarten-1st (5-7):
Cannot learn letter sounds
Cannot blend sounds into words
Reading errors unrelated to letter sounds
Extreme difficulty with simple reading
Avoidance of reading activities
2nd-3rd Grade (7-9):
Very slow reading progress
Guesses at words
Poor spelling with no pattern
Reading avoidance
Written work is far below oral ability.
Complaints of headaches/stomachaches with reading
4th-5th Grade (9-11):
Reading significantly slower than peers
Avoids reading for pleasure
Uses simple words in writing to avoid spelling challenges
Struggles with word problems
Extreme fatigue from reading
Cannot finish tests on time
Middle School (11-14):
Falls behind in multiple subjects
Cannot manage homework load
Difficulty with a foreign language
Word-finding problems
Poorly written work despite good ideas
Social difficulties
High School (14-18):
Must reread material repeatedly
Cannot finish timed tests
Foreign language failure
Anxiety around school
Strong oral but weak written skills
Spatial/navigation difficulties
Key Takeaways for Teachers
Dyslexia affects 15-20% of students—you have multiple students with dyslexia in every classroom.
Early identification in K-2 dramatically improves outcomes.
Look for clusters of symptoms persisting over time, not isolated incidents.
The gap between strengths and weaknesses is often the clearest indicator.
Different doesn't mean deficient—dyslexic students often have cognitive strengths.
Universal screening is more effective than waiting for students to fail.
Your observations and documentation are crucial for identification.
Act on your concerns—communicate with parents and support staff.
Provide evidence-based interventions while the assessment is pending.
Maintain high expectations while providing appropriate support.
References:
Reading Rockets. "Common Signs of Dyslexia." International Dyslexia Association. Scottish Rite for Children. (2024). "Recognising Early Signs of Dyslexia in Preschoolers." British Dyslexia Association. "Signs of dyslexia (Early Years)." LDRFA. (2025). "How To Spot Early Signs of Dyslexia in Children." Yale Dyslexia. "Signs of Dyslexia." GoodRx. (2024). "6 Early Signs of Dyslexia in Children." IMSE Journal. (2022). "Early Signs of Dyslexia." Roberts Academy. (2025). "The Early Signs of Dyslexia: A Guide for Parents and Educators." Healthline. (2023). "Dyslexia Symptoms by Age." Lexercise. (2025). "Dyslexia Symptoms: Signs of Dyslexia in Kids." The Gow School. "Understanding Dyslexia in Children: Signs & Treatment." British Dyslexia Association. "Signs of dyslexia (Secondary school age)." Dyslexia.com. (2023). "The Undiagnosed Teenager with Dyslexia." Understood.org. (2024). "Dyslexia in middle school: 4 signs you might see." The Reading School. "Dyslexia in Teens: Signs and Symptoms of Undiagnosed Dyslexia." The Meadows Centre. (2020). "What dyslexia looks like in middle school." Understood.org. (2024). "Dyslexia in high school: 4 signs you might see."
Comments
Post a Comment