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Dyslexia

Dyslexia: what it is and how to study smart with it

Dyslexia says nothing about how clever you are. It does say something about how much energy reading and spelling cost you. Here you can read what dyslexia is, how to recognise it, what helps when studying and what StudyWorld can do for you.

In short

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty in which reading and spelling stay persistently hard, despite good teaching and plenty of practice. It says nothing about intelligence. Studying goes better with read-aloud, a calm typeface, short study blocks and extra time in tests.

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Geography

Read-aloud is on

Which river flows through London?

Reading aloud

  • AThe Severn
  • BThe Thames
  • CThe Mersey

AaEasy-to-read typeface

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty in which reading and spelling stay hard, even with good teaching and plenty of practice. It is mainly about reading and writing words: it goes slower or with more mistakes than you would expect.

It has nothing to do with intelligence or laziness. Many people with dyslexia understand a text perfectly well when it is read to them. The hard part is turning letters into sounds and back again, and that takes a lot of concentration.

Dyslexia does not go away, but you can learn to work with it. With the right tools and an approach that suits you, you can do just as well at school.

Assessment and help at school

Think you might have dyslexia? Talk to your parents, your form tutor or the student support team. Only a specialist can diagnose dyslexia after an assessment.

In Belgium you can go to your school's CLB. In the Netherlands a registered specialist can give you a dyslexia statement after an assessment.

With a statement your school can agree on adjustments, such as extra time in exams, a larger font, exams on a computer or read-aloud software. Ask what is possible at your school.

Tips for studying with dyslexia

There is no trick that works for everybody. Try these tips and keep what suits you.

  • Have texts read aloud

    Listening takes less energy than reading. Have your summary or practice questions read to you and follow along with your eyes.

  • Make the text calmer

    A larger font, more space between lines and short paragraphs make reading less tiring.

  • Start with the big picture

    Read the headings, the words in bold and the summary first. Then you know what it is about before you start on the details.

  • Study in short blocks

    Work for twenty to thirty minutes, then take a short break. Reading with dyslexia takes a lot of concentration.

  • Test yourself instead of rereading

    Answering questions helps more than reading a text three times. You notice straight away what you do not know yet.

  • Use pictures and diagrams

    A mind map, timeline or drawing is often easier to remember than a long piece of text.

  • Practise difficult words separately

    Make a list of subject terms and words you often misspell, and practise those on purpose.

  • Start early

    Everything takes a little longer. Plan a small piece every day and you avoid stress in exam week.

At no extra cost

Dyslexia tools: read-aloud and an easier typeface

Tick 'Help with reading' when you create your account, or turn it on later in Settings. It costs nothing extra.

  • Questions and answers read aloud

    Every question and every answer has a speaker button. You can also have each new question read automatically.

  • Explanations read aloud after a mistake

    Got something wrong? StudyWorld reads out what the right answer was, and why.

  • A typeface that reads more easily

    Wider letters and more space between letters, words and lines, throughout the app.

  • Your own voice and speed

    Choose a voice from your own device and decide how fast it reads.

  • Practising instead of rereading

    StudyWorld makes practice questions from your own material and brings back what you still find hard.

  • Chapters in plain language

    Have a chapter rewritten in short, simple sentences. Useful when your textbook is full of long ones.

Read-aloud uses your own device's voice. The text is not sent to a server for it.

Frequently asked questions about dyslexia

Does dyslexia go away?

No, dyslexia stays. With practice reading and spelling do get easier, and with tools such as read-aloud you can do well at school and afterwards.

Does dyslexia say anything about how clever you are?

No. Dyslexia occurs at every level, from primary school to university. It is about reading and spelling, not intelligence.

Which tools help with dyslexia?

Read-aloud software, a larger or calmer font, extra time in exams and practising with short questions instead of long texts. StudyWorld has read-aloud and an easier typeface built in.

Does the reading help in StudyWorld cost extra?

No. Read-aloud and the easier typeface cost nothing extra.

Can StudyWorld tell me whether I have dyslexia?

No. StudyWorld does not diagnose anything. Only a specialist can do that after an assessment. Talk to your school about it.

Read more and find help

These organisations give reliable information and can help you further (mostly in Dutch):

Last updated:

Also read: dyscalculia and studying

This page gives general information. It does not replace an assessment or advice from a specialist.

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