This blog explores how parents and teachers can recognise early signs of dyslexia in primary school children, understand what these signs look like in everyday learning, and learn how specialist support can build confidence, skills and a love of learning.
Key Takeaways
Dyslexia affects around 1 in 10 children, and early recognition can ensure they receive tools and learning aids to improve confidence and long-term outcomes.
- Early signs often appear in phonics, reading fluency, spelling patterns and working memory.
- Dyslexia is not linked to intelligence – many dyslexic children have exceptional strengths in creativity, problem-solving and visual thinking.
- Specialist support, including structured literacy teaching and multi-sensory approaches, can help children make rapid progress.
- Parents and teachers working together – with clear communication and consistent strategies – create the strongest foundation for dyslexic children to thrive.
What Are the Early Signs of Dyslexia in Primary School?
Early signs of dyslexia often appear in Reception and Key Stage 1, especially when children begin phonics and early reading. These signs can be subtle at first, but they become clearer when they appear consistently across different tasks.
- Difficulty blending sounds, recognising phonics patterns or remembering letter-sound links.
- Struggling to read simple high-frequency words such as the, said, was, even after repeated practice.
- Reversing letters (b/d, p/q), writing letters in the wrong direction, or mixing up the order of sounds in words.
These early indicators help parents and teachers notice when a child may need additional support. Recognising these signs early allows families to explore teaching interventions, such as the specialist dyslexia support offered through SENsational Tutors.
How Does Dyslexia Affect Learning in the Classroom?
Dyslexia can influence reading, writing, spelling and working memory, which can make classroom activities feel harder, even when a child is bright and motivated. Understanding these challenges helps adults respond with empathy and practical support.
- A dyslexic child may read slowly, guess certain words that align with an image, or lose their place on the page.
- Writing tasks may take longer, with spelling errors that don’t match the phonics rules they’ve been taught.
- Working memory difficulties can make it harder to follow multi-step instructions or remember sequences.
These challenges can affect confidence, especially when children compare themselves to peers. Many dyslexic children, however, do show remarkable strengths, such as creativity, big-picture thinking, storytelling, and problem-solving.
SENsational Specialist Tutor, Glynda, explains: “During the early years at primary school, it is important to note how children perceive rhyming words. When you read a story with a rhyming pattern at the end of the line, a teacher/parent will interact with a child to anticipate the rhyming word. If the child doesn’t say the predicted rhyming word, the child could have a challenge with phonemic awareness, which can be a sign of dyslexia.”
Glynda describes the explicit teaching of phonics in Year 1: “Some children’s brains cannot correspond the sound of a phoneme with the actual letter; this is grapheme/phoneme correspondence. If a child is dyslexic, their processing is weaker; these children find it difficult to process written language and then encode it. It is important to look out for this.”
Glynda continues to say that if a child is dyslexic, they will cognitively find it hard to process the phonics information: “If this teaching continues for them, there is a danger of despondency setting in. These children need to be helped through the phonics screening tests in Year 2. Following this, they will need specialist pedagogical techniques that are rooted in cognitive scientific research that will help a dyslexic brain learn to read.”
Hearing the sounds in a word is crucial, i.e. phonemic awareness. Glynda suggests: “Take the word ‘hat’, and ask the child what is the first, then second, then final sound. If a child cannot do this, dyslexia is a possibility. Some learners will scrape by, especially if they are bright, but after year three, when texts become harder, if they don’t have decoding strategies, problems for a dyslexic child can really set in.”
To understand how SENsational Tutors structure support in a calm, affirming way, parents can explore: https://www.sensationaltutors.co.uk/how-it-works/
What Should Parents Do If They Suspect Dyslexia?
If you notice persistent difficulties, taking early action can make a huge difference. You don’t need to wait for a formal diagnosis to begin support – small changes at home and school can help immediately.
- Speak to your child’s teacher or SENCo to share your observations and ask what they’ve noticed in class.
- Begin using multisensory strategies at home, such as magnetic letters, textured writing (giving a child a raised or bumpy surface to write on so they can feel the movement of each letter), or apps that reinforce phonics.
- Consider specialist tutoring to build confidence and close skill gaps in a low-pressure, personalised way.
Parents often feel unsure about what to do. Many families reach out to SENsational Tutors for guidance, especially when they want support that values neurodivergent strengths. You can learn more about personalised home-based support here.
Glynda concludes with a thought about reading techniques: “Some dyslexics can read fine, but when you look at their spelling, there can be some strange combinations. This may not be apparent in simpler spelling tests, but more obvious in extended writing when they are multitasking. This is because their working memory will weaken at this point, causing the errors to arise.”
Support Your Child’s Journey with Confidence
Recognising dyslexia early is one of the most empowering steps you can take as a parent or teacher. When you understand your child’s learning profile, you can give them the tools, encouragement and specialist support they need to thrive. At SENsational Tutors, we believe deeply in nurturing a love of learning, building confidence and celebrating neurodivergent strengths. We truly understand the lived experience of dyslexic and SEND learners.
If you feel your child may benefit from structured literacy support, sensory-aware teaching or a calm, low-demand learning environment, we would love to help. Our team specialises in dyslexia, working memory, phonics, anxiety and school-based challenges – always with warmth, patience and respect.
To learn more about our affirming, personalised tutoring services, please book a free consultation call today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the most common early signs of dyslexia?
Early signs include difficulty blending sounds, slow reading progress, inconsistent spelling, and trouble remembering phonics patterns. These signs often appear in Reception or Year 1. If they persist despite practice, it may be helpful to explore dyslexia-focused strategies or speak with a specialist tutor.
Does dyslexia affect intelligence?
No. Dyslexia is not linked to intelligence. Many dyslexic children excel in creativity, problem-solving, storytelling and visual thinking. With the right support, they can thrive academically and emotionally.
Should I wait for a formal diagnosis before seeking help?
You do not need to wait. Early support – such as multi-sensory phonics, structured literacy teaching or specialist tutoring can begin immediately, and often prevents frustration from building.
How can I support my dyslexic child at home?
Use multi-sensory tools, read together daily, practise phonics in short bursts, and celebrate effort rather than accuracy. Apps, audiobooks and visual supports can also help reduce pressure.
How can teachers support dyslexic learners in class?
Teachers can provide coloured overlays, modify instructions, offer extra processing time, and use dyslexia-friendly fonts. Seating a child away from distractions and providing scaffolded writing tasks can also help.
Where can I find reliable information about dyslexia?
The NHS provides clear guidance on dyslexia, and the British Dyslexia Association offers practical resources for families. SENsational Tutors also provides specialist dyslexia support and personalised advice.
Please note: The information provided within this blog, by SENsational Tutors, is for general information purposes only. We appreciate that every person is unique, and any advice/experiences mentioned within the content of each blog may not be reflective of your own personal experience. All information on the site is provided in good faith and is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with appropriate professionals.
Author: JOANNA GIBBS
https://www.sensationaltutors.co.uk/founder-and-director/