What is a key characteristic of dyslexia?

A key characteristic of dyslexia is difficulty with accurate and/or fluent word recognition. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent reading and spelling. Individuals with dyslexia often struggle with decoding words, which means they have challenges in translating letters into sounds, leading to problems in recognizing words quickly and accurately.

This difficulty can result in slower reading speeds, frequent substitutions, omissions, or mispronunciations of words, and can significantly impact overall literacy skills. Dyslexia does not affect a person's overall intelligence and often occurs alongside strengths in areas such as problem-solving and creative thinking. Recognizing this difficulty is essential for educators and specialists to provide effective interventions and support strategies tailored to individuals with dyslexia.