Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviours.   These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.
 General
  • Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level. 
  • Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or "behavior problem." 
  • Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting. 
  • High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written. 
  • Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing. 
  • Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering. 
  • Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time. 
  • Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer." 
  • Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids. 

Vision, Reading, and Spelling
  • Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading. 
  • Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations. 
  • Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words. 
  • Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying. 
  • Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem. 
  • Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision. 
  • Reads and rereads with little comprehension. 
  • Spells phonetically and inconsistently. 

Hearing and Speech
  • Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds. 
  • Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.

Writing and Motor Skills
  • Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible. 
  • Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness. 
  • Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under. 

Math and Time Management
  • Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time. 
  • Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper. 
  • Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money. 
  • Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math. 

Memory and Cognition
  • Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces. 
  • Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced. 
  • Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue). 

Behaviour, Health, Development and Personality
  • Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly. 
  • Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet. 
  • Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes). 
  • Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products. 
  • Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age. 
  • Unusually high or low tolerance for pain. 
  • Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection. 
  • Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.

37 Common Characteristics is © 1992 by Ronald D. Davis. Reprinted with permission.