Signs of dyslexia (and well-known figures who’ve succeeded with it)

September 24, 2024

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You’ve got a bright, enthusiastic kid who can tell you all there is to know about Pterodactyls and T-Rexes. But you slowly realise that this knowledge has all come from TV shows, conversations or listening to stories. It doesn’t seem to come from reading books.

In fact, your child really seems to struggle with reading and writing. When they’re talking, they’ve got an impressive vocabulary, a quick wit and great confidence. But when it comes to reading and writing, it’s like seeing a different child – one who’s much less able and much less confident.

Are these signs of dyslexia?

What does dyslexia look like?

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia often becomes apparent during the early years of schooling when a bright child who is clearly capable of learning has unexpected difficulties with reading, writing, spelling or numeracy.

Signs of dyslexia in primary school

General	Skills	Behaviour
Poor concentration Difficulty following instructions	Confused by left/right, up/down Poor self-organisation Poor motor skills, leading to difficulties with pencil grip	Frustrated Easily distracted Very tired from the effort required to read/write/concentrate Avoids work if possible Losing interest in learning Low self-esteem

Reading	Writing	Time & Numeracy
Slow progress Little expression when reading aloud Hesitant, laboured reading Poor comprehension Difficulty identifying important information	Messy work that doesn’t seem to match their ability Many crossings out Poor handwriting Inconsistent spelling	Difficulty telling the time Confusion with place value (unit, tens, hundreds) Confused by common maths symbols Struggles to remember sequences (e.g. times tables, months and seasons)

Now, all children could probably tick a few of those boxes. But if your child has many of these indicators but seems quite capable in other ways, then dyslexia may be a possibility.

How is dyslexia diagnosed in Australia?

Dyslexia is usually diagnosed by an educational psychologist. You can also contact the Australian Dyslexia Association for a pre-assessment.

Well-known people with dyslexia

Finding out that your child has dyslexia is upsetting for some parents. You may worry about how they’ll cope at school, how to help them learn and how to manage their feelings about their dyslexia.

That’s completely understandable. But at least you now know. You can work with your child’s school and their therapy team to create a learning environment that works for them and helps them thrive.

Take encouragement from the fact that many well-known, highly successful people have dyslexia. That includes people whose job requires them to read scripts, remember complex information or make strategic decisions.

Steven Spielberg

The director of blockbusters like ET, Jaws and Jurassic Park didn’t find out he was dyslexic until he was 60, describing his diagnosis as ‘the last puzzle piece to a great mystery that I’ve kept to myself.’

Dyslexia did not stop Steven Spielberg from becoming the most commercially successful director in the history of film or from producing many more as co-founder of Amblin Entertainment and Dreamworks. He has received many accolades, including Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Keira Knightley, OBE

It was the desire for acting that spurred Keira Knightley to persevere with her reading and writing. Diagnosed with dyslexia at age 6, Keira says that early diagnosis made a big difference to her. She also credits it for giving her a strong work ethic.

Like many dyslexics, Keira had higher-level language skills that masked her difficulty with reading and writing. If she’d heard a story, she could remember and recite it. But if she came to it cold and had to read it, she struggled (and admits that’s still true today when she’s handed an unfamiliar script).

Keira’s parents and teachers helped her understand that her brain was simply wired differently. When it came to creative writing, they encouraged her by praising her story ideas rather than simply correcting her spelling.

Jamie Oliver, MBE

Celebrity chef, restaurateur and cookbook author, Jamie Oliver, says he loved school but felt like ‘the thick kid’ with nothing to offer there. He got on well with his teachers but left school at 16 with only 2 GCSEs.

Since then, he’s gone on to run TV shows, write recipe books, cook for Prime Ministers and spearhead campaigns to reduce childhood obesity by improving school dinners (the Royal College of General Practitioners awarded him an honorary fellowship in recognition of this work). Jamie is also Britain’s second-best bestselling author (beaten only by JK Rowling) but he didn’t read a book himself until the age of 38 (it was the second one in The Hunger Games series).

Happily married since 2000 and a proud dad to 5 kids, Jamie seems to lead a happy, successful and meaningful life.

Erin Brockovich

Played by Julia Roberts in the 2000 film she inspired, Erin Brockovich is a paralegal, consumer advocate and environmental activist. In 1996, her innate sense of justice and her dogged perseverance enabled the residents of Hinkley, California to win the largest settlement ever made in a direct action lawsuit (at that time) against a utility company responsible for contaminating groundwater and causing serious illness.

Erin struggled at school and was labelled the girl least likely to succeed. But she had one outstanding teacher who made all the difference.

“I had a learning disability, and this teacher changed my life. She very carefully said, ‘Every time we have a test, you fail it. But every time in class we discuss it, you know it.’

She said, ‘So you know what I’m going to do? See this test? You got an F.’ She ripped it up and threw it in the trash. She said, ‘I’m going to give you the test right now, and I’m going to ask you the same questions.’ I knew every answer. She got out a new test: A+.

She didn’t degrade me. She saw something was wrong. But she opened herself up to another way to present something to me that she knew I knew. What that did for my self-esteem was unbelievable.”

How Neurofit Brain Centre can help

Dyslexia is a lifelong condition but it is most definitely not a life sentence. As you can see, people with dyslexia enjoy varied careers, often in demanding industries.

The real question is how to help your child shine, how to bring their unique gifts to the fore and how to encourage them as they learn to read and write.

Many people will be involved in that journey. It could potentially include teachers, learning support staff, psychologists, tutors and others.

At Neurofit Brain Centre, we support adults and children with dyslexia, using evidence-based therapies to strengthen your brain, often focusing on its left side. We use therapies like electrical stimulation therapy, sound therapy or brain-based video games to help improve your reading ability.

Please book an appointment today.

Disclaimer

All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Neurofit Brain Centre can consult with you to confirm if a particular treatment approach is right for you.