Signs by Grade Level

Preschool and Kinder

Preschool and Kinder

Preschool and Kinder

Avoids letters or confuses them
Late learning to talk or slow to learn new words
Difficulty rhyming
Mixes up speech sounds

K-1

Preschool and Kinder

Preschool and Kinder

Trouble learning phonics
Difficulty reading words in isolation
Poor spelling and handwriting
Cannot remember "sight" words

2-3

Preschool and Kinder

2-3

Cannot recall sight words, even after practice
Poor phonics skills
Poor spelling
Avoidance of reading and writing
Difficulty with sequential memory

4-6

High School and Adults

2-3

Slow on oral reading fluency tests
Inaccurate reading of real and nonsense words
Weak in reading strategies
Weak reading comprehension compared to listening comprehension

7-8

High School and Adults

High School and Adults

Slow and laborious reading
Cannot work fast enough to cope
Lack of effective strategies for studying
Difficulty learning a foreign language
Written work remains a huge problem
Needs accommodations and modifications

High School and Adults

High School and Adults

High School and Adults

Emotional difficulties arise in high school, if not before
Struggle to fit in with classmates in group projects
Overwhelmed by amount of reading/writing required
Often misplaces materials, forgets homework, neglect to study for test
May have difficulty reading social cues
Adults avoid reading and spelling tasks, which limit job opportunities