As a parent, it is natural to feel anxious or worried when your child repeatedly makes mistakes in reading, recognising words or characters, or copying text, or even develops a fear of learning. In many cases, this is not because the child is lazy or lacks ability; the child may be experiencing dyslexia. According to local research data, approximately 9.7% to 12.6% of schoolchildren in Hong Kong have reading and writing difficulties of varying degrees (Chan, Ho, Tsang, Lee & Chung, 2007).
Early identification and intervention are important when addressing this type of special learning need. This article explains the early signs of dyslexia, the professional assessment process, common forms of support and training, and indicative budgets for different services, helping parents and children rebuild confidence in learning with professional support.
What Is Dyslexia? Signs and Impacts at Different Learning Stages
Dyslexia is a common type of specific learning difficulties. It is mainly associated with innate differences in how the brain’s neurological systems process speech sounds and written symbols. It is not directly caused by a student’s intelligence, sensory abilities or access to educational resources at home.
Children with dyslexia often find it difficult to connect the written form, sound and meaning of a word or character effectively. As a result, word recognition, dictation and reading comprehension may require considerably more effort than they do for their peers.
Dyslexia may present differently at different stages of development:
- Preschool stage: language development may be somewhat delayed; the child may have difficulty remembering simple letters or numbers, or may appear less coordinated when holding a pencil or drawing lines.
- Early primary stage: reading may lack fluency, with frequent skipped or omitted words. Writing may include reversed letters or characters (“mirror writing”), added or missing strokes, or misplaced components.
- Upper primary and secondary stages: the student may find it difficult to understand long passages and organise written work. Motivation to learn may gradually decline, potentially affecting social interaction and self-confidence.
The Professional Dyslexia Assessment Process
An accurate diagnosis of dyslexia requires a professional assessment. Generally, a student needs to be at least six years old or attending Primary One before a formal, standardised diagnostic assessment can be conducted. However, preschool children in K2 or K3 who show clear signs may undergo preschool literacy screening / early identification (for example tools used by qualified professionals such as the Hong Kong Dyslexia Early Screening Scale from the Department of Health). Preschool screening indicates risk and guides early support but it is not a formal dyslexia diagnosis.
Who Conducts the Assessment?
A standard dyslexia assessment is usually led by a clinical psychologist or educational psychologist. At a private hospital or specialist centre, the assessment process generally includes:
- Parent interview: gathering information about the child’s background, developmental history and everyday learning performance.
- Standardised intellectual assessment: assessing the student’s overall cognitive abilities and helping to rule out learning difficulties arising from intellectual impairment.
- Literacy testing: using tools such as the Hong Kong Test of Specific Learning Difficulties in Reading and Writing for Primary School Students (Third Edition) (HKT-P (III)) to assess areas such as word reading and writing, rapid naming, phonological awareness, phonological memory and orthographic knowledge.
- Feedback and report: the psychologist prepares a detailed assessment report and explains the findings and recommended support plan to the parents.
