Adult Dyslexia Checklist

Please print this page so that you can check off the questions below with a pen or pencil.

The questions are all related to different areas of dyslexia.

Read the questions carefully and be as honest as you can when answering them.

Please tick YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ ) to each question. Don't skip any questions. When in doubt, tick the answer that you feel is true most often.

1. Do you find difficulty telling left from right?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
2. Is map reading or finding your way to a strange place confusing?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
3. Do you dislike reading aloud?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
4. Do you take longer than you should to read a page of a book?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
5. Do you find it difficult to remember the sense of what you have read?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
6. Do you dislike reading long books?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
7. Is your spelling poor?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
8. Is your writing difficult to read?
   YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
9. Do you get confused if you have to speak in public?
10. Do you find it difficult to take messages on the telephone and pass them on correctly?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
11. When you say a long word, do you sometimes find it difficult to get all the sounds in the right order?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
12. Do you find it difficult to do sums in your head without using your fingers or paper?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
13. When using the telephone, do you tend to get the numbers mixed up when you dial?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
14. Do you find it difficult to say the months of the year forward in a fluent manner?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
15. Do you find it difficult to say the months of the year backwards?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
16. Do you mix up dates and times and miss appointments?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
17. When writing cheques do you frequently find yourself making mistakes?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
18. Do you find forms difficult and confusing?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
19. Do you mix up bus numbers like 95 and 59?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )
20. Did you find it hard to learn your multiplication tables at school?
    YES ( _ ) or NO ( _ )

This questionnaire was completed by 679 adults divided into the following groups:
Students enrolled on BA & BSc degree courses. (57%)
Students enrolled on Certificate and Access courses. (7%)
A-Level students. (15%)
Non-student adults. (21%)

The age range was 18 to 68 and the proportion of men and women was approximately equal.

The sample contained 32 known dyslexic individuals. A statistical procedure involving discriminant function analysis, a factor analysis and a series of t-tests was carried out. The objective was to identify those items on the questionnaire that best discriminated between dyslexic and non-dyslexic individuals.

The 12 best items in order of importance are:

If the majority of these items are ticked, this is a strong indication of dyslexia.

On the questionnaire as a whole (i.e. all 20 items):

• 60% of people gave no more than four Yes responses
• 90% of people gave no more than eight Yes responses

Nine or more Yes responses on the questionnaire, as a whole is therefore a powerful indicator of a difficulty. The items ticked should be compared with the 'best twelve' shown above.

Reference: Michael Vinegra: A revised Dyslexia Checklist. Educare, No 48.

Dyslexia and an Inclusive Culture in the Workplace

• Disseminate a written disability policy including Dyslexia  (and where appropriate a Disability Equality Scheme) and clear procedures throughout the organisation.
• Review organisational policies and procedures to avoid direct or indirect discrimination.
• Develop consultation initiatives to increase feedback from disabled staff regarding policies and new developments.
• Ensure opportunities for individuals to request support for disabilities, including at job application and interview stages.
• Make information more accessible by publishing it in alternative formats, for example, audio files, or large print.
• Consider the opportunities to work with specialist disability advisors and suppliers such as VIDA , in addition to identifying funding sources, Incorporate dyslexia-friendly IT adjustments; for example, consider the opportunities to provide software and assistive technology tools.

Disability & Dyslexia -Awareness Training

• Provide Dyslexia  awareness training for all staff.
• Integrate disability & dyslexia awareness into staff induction programmes.
• Consider training mentors or buddies for disabled staff.
• Provide one-to-one skills training and coaching initiatives from a dyslexia specialist such as VIDA.

Further ideas to help dyslexia and visual impairment disabilities include: 

Develop New Communication Strategies

• Review all communication information, both internal and external, from signage to documents. Consider both printed publications and information featured in electronic media.
• Use a variety of ways to present information, including video, charts, diagrams, and images as well as words on labels and signage.
• Enable staff to have a choice of colored backgrounds and fonts, such as Verdona, on computer screens and colored overlays for published material.
• Adopt a clear house style for all written materials.
• Consider how the use of assistive technology and software can support reading digital information e.g. text-to-speech software that reads information ‘out loud’ from websites, intranets and documents.

Dyslexia-Friendly Practices

• Some people may not have had their dyslexic-type difficulties formally identified or may not realize they are dyslexic. Consider offering dyslexia screening with VIDA.
• Consult individuals about their own preferences for doing tasks in the most suitable way and at the right pace. Where necessary, make adjustments to work allocation, such as creating an environment with minimal background noise and interruptions.
• Enable the use of assistive technology to help with a range of skills. For example:
  • a digital recorder for messages and meetings;
  • text-to-speech software and also speech-recognition software;
  • portable spell checkers and grammar-checking software;
  • personal organizers, mobile phones, sat-nav. etc.
• Consider one-to-one support consultancy from a VIDA to develop an ‘individual workplace strategy’ with the most appropriate adjustments for the specific needs of the individual in the context of their role.