Characteristics and Consequences of Dyslexia Primary reading/spelling characteristics of dyslexia are difficulties with: 

• Reading words in isolation 

• Accurately decoding unfamiliar words

• Oral reading (slow, inaccurate, or labored without prosody)

• Spelling Individuals demonstrate differences in degree of impairment and may not exhibit all the characteristics listed above. 

The reading/spelling characteristics are most often associated with: 

• Segmenting, blending, and manipulating sounds in words (phonemic awareness) 

• Learning the names of letters and their associated sounds

• Holding information about sounds and words in memory (phonological memory) 

• Rapidly recalling the names of familiar objects, colors, or letters of the alphabet (rapid naming) 

Consequences of dyslexia may include: 

• Variable difficulty with aspects of reading comprehension 

• Variable difficulty with aspects of written language 

• Limited vocabulary growth due to reduced reading experiences 

-TEA Dyslexia Handbook, 2024