Dyslexia mainly affects reading and spelling. Some children also have difficulties with working memory, processing speed or organisation, which can make classroom learning harder. It does not affect intelligence.
What dyslexia affects
Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that affects how a child learns to read and spell. That is the focus of the UK expert definition published in 2025, which proposed a new UK consensus definition, updating the definition commonly used since 2009. Difficulties with phonological processing (noticing and working with the sounds in words), working memory and processing speed can all contribute. The pattern differs from child to child.
What it can look like in lessons
You may notice your child:
- reads accurately but slowly, or loses their place on the page;
- spells the same word differently within one piece of work;
- forgets a spoken instruction before completing all its steps;
- struggles to copy from the board while also listening to the teacher;
- knows an answer aloud but finds it hard to organise it in writing;
- needs longer to recall number facts or learn new vocabulary in another language.
A crowded worksheet or a timed task can expose these difficulties. So can homework that looks short but asks your child to read, remember, plan and write at the same time. The NHS also lists difficulties with remembering information, using numbers, planning and organising. None of this tells you how intelligent your child is. It tells you which parts of learning take more effort.
Does my child need a diagnosis to get support?
No. In England, school support is based on the need the school has identified, not on whether you have paid for or received a formal dyslexia assessment. The SEND Code of Practice places dyslexia within the cognition and learning area of need and requires schools to use a graduated approach: assess the difficulty, plan support, put it in place and review whether it works. A child has special educational needs in law when their learning difficulty calls for special educational provision; the legal definition does not require a diagnosis (section 20, Children and Families Act 2014).
Why that matters
Your child should not spend months falling further behind while everyone waits for a label. School can try support now, such as shorter chunks of instruction, extra processing time, less copying, accessible reading materials or help to organise written work. What helps should match the difficulty the school sees and should be checked, not assumed.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.