Specific Learning Disorder (Dyslexia): Signs, Diagnosis and School Success

What is a specific learning disorder and what are the signs of dyslexia? Learn about diagnosis, the effect on school success and steps parents can take at home.

"He's a very bright child but reading just won't settle." "She spells the same word differently every time." "We sit at homework for hours and we both end up exhausted." Parents who say these things often also meet comments that their child is "lazy", "careless" or "unmotivated". Yet some children, despite normal intelligence and adequate educational opportunities, struggle markedly to acquire reading, writing or maths skills. This is called a specific learning disorder, and its best-known type is dyslexia. In this article, we look at what a specific learning disorder is, the signs by which it can show itself, how the diagnosis is made, its effects on school success and the child's emotional world, and what parents can do at home.

What Is a Specific Learning Disorder?

A specific learning disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition related to the way the brain processes information. The child's general level of intelligence is usually similar to that of their peers; however, they struggle markedly and persistently, beyond what would be expected, with particular academic skills such as reading, writing or maths.

This difficulty is generally seen in three areas:

• Dyslexia (reading difficulty): Difficulty matching letters to sounds, reading words accurately and fluently, and understanding what is read.
• Dysgraphia (writing difficulty): Marked difficulty with spelling, punctuation, putting thoughts into writing and sometimes handwriting.
• Dyscalculia (maths difficulty): Difficulty with the concept of number, ordering numbers, basic operations and mathematical reasoning.

These areas can also be seen together in one child. It is also common for other conditions, such as attention deficit and hyperactivity, to accompany this picture.

This condition has nothing to do with laziness, inadequate intelligence or parental neglect. Research shows that family and genetic predisposition play an important role in it. This information matters for parents who blame themselves for not having "made their child work enough".

What Are the Signs of a Specific Learning Disorder?

The signs below do not by themselves mean a diagnosis. Many children may temporarily experience some of them during the learning process. What matters is that the difficulty persists, continues despite appropriate educational support, and sets the child clearly apart from their peers.

Signs that may stand out in the pre-school period

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes and rhyming words
• Difficulty recognising letters and numbers, and reciting the names of colours and days in order
• Difficulty breaking words into syllables
• A family history of reading or writing difficulties

In primary school (years 1–4)

• Difficulty making the link between letters and sounds
• Reading that is slow, laboured and full of mistakes
• Confusing similar letters (such as b-d, p-b, m-n), and this confusion continuing beyond the first year
• Leaving out, adding or swapping letters in words
• Difficulty understanding what they read, avoiding reading aloud
• Many spelling mistakes when writing; writing the same word in different ways
• Being unable to do simple addition and subtraction without counting on fingers, difficulty remembering the times tables
• Difficulty reading the clock, telling left from right and remembering sequences of information

In secondary school and beyond

• Reading that is still slow and tiring; avoiding long texts
• Difficulty organising their thoughts in written expression
• Marked difficulty learning a foreign language
• Being unable to show in a written exam knowledge they express very well orally
• Difficulties with time management and planning
• Running out of time in exams

In secondary school students preparing for exams that require long reading, such as the LGS (Turkey's national high-school entrance exam), reading speed and difficulty with comprehension can become a marked struggle.

How Is a Specific Learning Disorder Diagnosed?

A specific learning disorder is not diagnosed with a single test or a teacher's observation. The diagnosis is made as a result of a comprehensive assessment by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. This assessment generally includes:

• A detailed developmental and school history
• Ruling out vision and hearing problems
• Assessment of intelligence and cognitive functioning (these tests are generally administered by psychologists)
• Assessment of reading, writing and maths skills against age and grade level
• Assessment of accompanying conditions such as attention deficit, anxiety or emotional problems

The diagnosis can generally be made after the child has started literacy education and received appropriate teaching for a certain period. For this reason, the diagnosis most often comes up in the early years of primary school; however, when early signs are noticed, it is possible to ask for an assessment without waiting.

In Turkey, after the diagnosis, a Special Needs Report for Children (Çocuklar İçin Özel Gereksinim Raporu, ÇÖZGER) can be issued and an educational assessment is carried out by the Guidance and Research Centre (Rehberlik ve Araştırma Merkezi, RAM). At the end of this process, the child can benefit from support-room services at school, an Individualised Education Programme (BEP) and special education support. Arrangements such as extra time in school exams may also come up; it helps to be in contact with the school administration and the guidance service about this.

Psychologists can administer cognitive assessment tests in this process, provide information to parents and offer support for accompanying emotional difficulties. However, making the diagnosis is the doctor's responsibility. If you also suspect attention difficulties, our article on ADHD symptoms offers additional information.

How Does a Specific Learning Disorder Affect School Success and Feelings?

Children with a learning disorder often put in far more effort than their peers for the same or lower results. Over time this can lead to various emotional effects:

• Loss of self-confidence: Beliefs such as "I'm stupid" or "No matter how hard I work, it doesn't work" can develop.
• Anxiety: Reading aloud, going up to the board or exam moments can turn into intense anxiety. Our article on exam anxiety covers this picture separately.
• School avoidance: Physical complaints such as stomach ache and headache, and wishes not to go to school, can appear.
• Behaviour problems: Some children become "the class clown" or react with angry outbursts at moments when they struggle. These behaviours can actually be a way of covering up the fear of looking inadequate.
• Conflict within the family: Homework time can become a source of tension and resentment between parent and child.

Suppose a child in year three wakes up with a stomach ache on the mornings when they know there will be reading aloud in turn in class. At first the parent interprets this as an "excuse not to go to school". Yet the child may be trying to escape the shame of stumbling while reading in front of their friends. Approaching such physical complaints with curiosity ("Is there something at school that's hard for you today?") rather than punishing or belittling them opens the door for the child to tell what is really troubling them. At the same time, by talking to the teacher, small adjustments can be made, such as going through the text together at home before reading aloud.

Because in Turkey success is mostly measured by exam grades and rankings, children with learning disorders may be at greater risk of feeling worthless. For this reason, it is very important to see the child's strengths and to separate their worth from their grades. Our article on self-confidence in children can also be a guide here.

A child with a specific learning disorder is no less intelligent; they simply learn by a different route. What they need is not more pressure but the right method and a patient supporter.

What Can Parents Do at Home? Practical Suggestions

To support reading

1. Read aloud together. Every day for a short time, read a book that interests your child together. You can read one page and they can read the next.
2. Make use of audiobooks. A child's reading difficulty should not prevent them from enjoying stories and information. Listening to audiobooks supports vocabulary and listening comprehension.
3. Play syllable and sound games. Games like "What's the first sound of the word?" or "How many syllables are there? Let's count by clapping" develop phonological awareness.
4. Use multisensory methods. Writing letters in sand, in play dough or in the air with a finger makes learning easier for some children.
5. Take the obligation out of reading. Bring reading into life with everyday texts such as recipes, game instructions and road signs.

To make the homework process easier

1. Set short, regular study blocks. Twenty minutes of work followed by a short break can be more productive than long, tiring sessions.
2. Break tasks into parts. Instead of "Finish the whole page", try "Let's do the first three questions first."
3. Create a calm study environment. Reduce distracting screens and noise.
4. Make room for oral expression. If the child struggles to write the answer, ask them to say it aloud first, then help them put it into writing.
5. Notice effort. Appreciate their hard work more than the result: "You didn't give up once while reading this text."

Working with the school

• Keep in regular contact with the teacher and share your child's strengths and the areas in which they struggle.
• Get information from the school guidance service about RAM procedures and support education options.
• You can ask for the child to be given a chance to prepare in advance for challenging situations in class such as reading aloud.

Nurture strengths

Support the areas in which your child is talented and which they enjoy, such as art, music, sport, design, mechanical work, nature or animals. Experiences of success in these areas help balance the damage that academic struggles do to self-confidence.

How can you explain the situation to your child?

Giving the child an age-appropriate explanation after the diagnosis prevents them from blaming themselves. For example, you could say: "Everybody's brain learns some things in a different way. Your brain works a bit harder when it matches letters and sounds. That doesn't mean you're not clever. Your teachers and we will find the ways that come more easily to you together." An explanation like this lets the child put a name to the difficulty they are experiencing and develop a more realistic understanding in place of the belief "I'm stupid".

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

In the following situations, you are advised to ask for an assessment by contacting a child psychiatrist:

• If, towards the end of year one, your child is still struggling markedly to make the link between letters and sounds
• If the difficulty with reading, writing or maths continues despite extra support and effort
• If your teacher says your child is markedly behind their peers
• If your child does not want to go to school or experiences intense anxiety or anger at homework times
• If they often use negative expressions about themselves such as "stupid" or "useless"

After the assessment, special education support and, if needed, psychological support can be planned together according to your child's needs.

How Is a Specific Learning Disorder Approached in Therapy?

In a specific learning disorder, the core intervention is special education. Special education specialists work on reading, writing or maths skills using structured, evidence-based methods suited to the child's learning profile. In cases of accompanying conditions such as attention deficit, the child psychiatrist carries out the necessary medical assessment and follow-up.

The psychologist's role in this process is complementary and is more concerned with the emotional and behavioural side. A child with a learning disorder may, because of experiences of failure that build up over the years, develop anxiety, low self-esteem or negative feelings about school. With a cognitive behavioural approach, the child can learn to notice negative thoughts such as "I can't do anything right", to cope with exam and reading anxiety and to see their own strengths. For young children, child and play therapy can offer a space that supports emotional expression.

Parent meetings are also an important part of this process. Together with the family, homework routines, expectations, comparison with siblings and communication at home are reviewed. The aim is to create an environment in which the child is supported both academically and emotionally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dyslexia an intellectual disability?

No. Dyslexia and other specific learning disorders are seen in children whose general level of intelligence is similar to their peers. The difficulty is limited to learning particular academic skills. With appropriate support, many dyslexic people can succeed in their education and careers.

Is writing letters backwards a sign of dyslexia?

In children who are just learning to read and write, confusing or reversing letters such as b and d is quite common and does not by itself mean dyslexia. However, if this confusion continues beyond the first years of primary school and is seen together with a reading difficulty, an assessment is worthwhile.

Can a specific learning disorder be treated?

A specific learning disorder is a lifelong difference in learning; however, with appropriate special education and support, the child's reading, writing and maths skills can improve markedly. It is important that it is noticed early and supported with the right methods.

Who diagnoses a specific learning disorder?

The diagnosis is made by a child and adolescent psychiatrist as a result of a comprehensive assessment. Psychologists can administer cognitive tests in this process; RAM carries out the educational assessment and plans the support the child will receive at school.

• #dyslexia
• #learning disability
• #school success
• #child development

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Eda Erkan Alapala

Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.

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