Common Traits and Behaviors of Dyslexics:

  • Has a high IQ, yet does not score high on school tests

  • Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with coping mechanisms

  • Easily frustrated and emotional about school, reading or testing

  • Seems to “zone out” or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time

  • Learns best through hands-on experiences, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

  • Complains of dizziness, nausea, headaches or stomachaches while reading or studying

  • Reads or writes with additions, omissions, substitutions, repetition, reversals or transpositions of letters, numbers or words

  • Complains of feeling or seeing nonexistent movement while reading, writing or copying

  • Difficulty putting thoughts into words, speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete, stutters under stress

  • Mispronounces long words; transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking

  • Clumsy, uncoordinated to poor at ball or team sports; difficulty with motor skills and tasks; motion sickness

  • Often confuses left/right and over/under

  • Has difficulty telling or managing time, being on time or learning sequenced information or tasks

  • Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math

If there is a serious problem with a few of these, dyslexia may be the cause. Many dyslexics excel in areas such as art, math, music, drama, design, public speaking, business, and sports, while being deficient in others.

Common Coping mechanisms

  • Sounding out each letter of every word

  • Rote memorization

  • Extreme concentration

  • Avoidance of studies or tasks

  • Dependence on others

  • Physical or emotional agitation

  • Extreme shyness or being the class clown

  • Singing the alphabet song

  • Unusual body postures or motions

These are attempts to overcome frustration and despair. When these coping mechanisms begin to appear, they indicate that the child is already struggling. The ideal time for a remedial program is before these behaviors become lifelong patterns. But it is never too late. Dyslexics of all ages – from 7 to 70 -- have been able to fill in the gaps with the Davis Dyslexia Correction® Program methods and solve their learning problems once and for all.