Hertfordshire ISL has agreed to define dyslexia based on three widely recognised definitions; namely, the Rose Report (2009), the British Psychological Society (2005) and the current British Dyslexia Association definitions.

Dyslexia is a term used to describe difficulties with developing and acquiring accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling, which is severe and persistent in nature despite personalised learning opportunities (ie differentiated learning based on identified strengths and difficulties) and evidenced-based intervention, (ie there is strong research to suggest that the interventions produce the expected and desired outcomes.) Dyslexia is underpinned by difficulties in some or all of the following:

• Phonological awareness: the ability to identify, perceive and manipulate sounds in words
• Verbal memory: the ability to store, process and manipulate verbal information 
• Verbal processing speed: the ability to retrieve familiar words quickly and accurately
• Visual processing speed: the ability to visually recognise familiar words/ symbols/patterns quickly and accurately
 

Dyslexia should be recognised as a continuum (from mild to severe) across a range of abilities rather than a discrepancy between intelligence and literacy skills. Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor coordination and personal organisation, but these are not by themselves markers of dyslexia.

Support for Dyslexia

Dyslexia support organisations