Dyslexia Subtypes

To get technical, dyslexia can be divided into three subtypes. Furthermore, it is important to remember that each subtype has differing levels of severity. If you find yourself saying yes to six or more behaviors, your child may be dyslexic. I also want to note that why I have added recommended “top-down” and “bottom-up” interventions, the Wilson program uses both styles so that every aspect of dyslexia will be addressed.

Dysphonetic Dyslexia - A poor phonological processing where the reader cannot pull the right sound for the letter they are reading or writing. These students have an over dependence on visual cues (such as the shape of the word or the first letter). Typical characteristics are below.

  • Follows oral directions better than those read silently

  • Have a great difficulty remembering information without written notes (even phone numbers)

  • Had difficulty recalling every day words in conversation and takes wild guesses when recalling them

  • Extreme difficulty blending letter sounds

  • Frequently guesses at word using just the first letter (corn for cat)

  • Frequent spoonerisms: “You hissed class today” instead of “missed”

  • Omits vowels in 2 syllable words, such as tkn for taken

  • Substitutes vowels while writing (bit for bed)

  • Can’t identify sounds or “lose” the sound when struggling

  • Struggle to read different texts.

  • Slower paced fluency

  • Poor comprehension and spelling skills

Qualities of most effective intervention programs for Dysphonetic Dyslexia. Bottom up programs with highly explicit phonological training with k-2. Top down programs recommended for 3rd grade and older.

Surface Dyslexia - This subtype, in my experience, is what I see most frequently. Students can easily sound out words but they cannot automatically or easily recognize words in print which leads inconsistent language comprehension. They seem to never get fluent, even as older readers. “I just can’t read today” is frequently heard when reading aloud.

  • Consistently follows along with a finger or pencil while reading

  • Poor fluency: Reads letter by letter or word by word, Laborious “sounding out”.

  • Poor word accuracy while reading (ex: island…island or grind…grinned)

  • Letters swim around

  • Omits words and lines of words while reading

  • Easily sounds out words but cannot always recognize them quickly in print

  • Excessive vocalization while reading

  • Despite much practice, they never become fluent readers.

  • Difficulty copying from board and text in front of them

  • Difficulty copying figures and numbers in mathematics

  • Mixes small and capital letters while writing

  • Fails to notice changes in the environment

  • Difficulty reading maps

  • Difficulty remembering directions when walking

  • Spells better aloud than when writing

  • Gives the right letters in the wrong sequence

  • Difficulty describing visual characteristics of familiar people and places

  • Prefers audio to visual information

  • Omits words and lines of words while reading

  • Excessive vocalization while reading

Qualities of most effective intervention programs for Surface Dyslexia. Top Down Programs emphasizing rapid and automatic whole word recognition.

Mixed Dyslexia - This dyslexia is a combination of dysphonetic and surface dyslexia and ranges in severity. However, as a language disability, it is the hardest dyslexia for students to deal with as there is “no usable key” to unlock literacy’s code. Therefore, along with the above characteristics, the list below contains some of the common behavioral effects

  • Poor phonological processing

  • Slow automatic word recognition skills

  • Inconsistent language comprehension

  • Bizarre reading patterns

  • Strategies used to read cover everything: guessing, attempts at memorizing, sounding out if possible, and making up words

  • Difficulty structuring time

  • Is rigid and inflexible

  • Makes frequent negative comments regarding reading tasks

  • Has a low frustration tolerance (especially during reading activities)

  • Is highly distractible

  • Unaware of nonverbal social cues (tone of voice and physical gestures)

Qualities of most effective intervention programs for Surface Dyslexia. Intensive top down or balanced literacy programs that emphasize visual-phonics.

The Wilson Program is an effective intervention for all known dyslexia subtypes in most most children. Please feel free to contact us to find out if the Wilson Program is right for your child.