Dyslexia Checklist – Nursery

Instructions for use

This checklist should be used to gather information and as a first step in identifying the needs of pupils who are achieving below the expected level in the classroom and to inform planning.

It is not a diagnostic tool and using it does NOT equate to an ‘assessment’.
Use of the checklist should always be followed by the appropriate recommendations and steps.

Health and Wellbeing

Areas that may be affected which are not developmentally age and stage expected for example	Yes	No
Does not appear to want to engage in learning activities
Language development and expressive communication skills appears to be limited
Inconsistent profile – some days can be very good at activities and others less so
Family history of similar difficulties

Not all areas may be applicable to each learner (age and stage appropriate).

Processing of language-based information (auditory and/or visual)

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Appears to have difficulty processing verbal questions
Difficulty finding the right words to use
Appears to have difficulties in following simple instructions
Appears to misunderstand information shared
Appears to have difficulty describing experiences and events
Difficulty in recognizing the relationships between onset and rime – c/at and b/at; m/at and s/at
Confusion of similar sounding letters – d/t; f/v/th; short vowels
Consistent confusion of letters similar in shape: b/d, /p/q; u/n/m/w
Inconsistent use of upper- and lower-case letters
Reversals of words – ‘was’ for ‘saw’, ‘god’ for ‘dog’
Difficulty in copying from the board or jotter

Phonological Awareness

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Child finds it difficult to remember rhymes and understand rhyming link between words
Difficulty with listening to
Difficulty with keeping a simple rhythm e.g., clapping to the beat
Difficulty with identifying and or generating rhyme
Difficulty isolating words when listening to a sentence being spoken
Difficulty with recognizing alliteration (e.g., Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers)

Oral language skills and reading fluency - Oral language

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Difficulty in communicating their message due to speech and language difficulties
Poor articulation (the formation of clear and distinct sounds in speech)
May often use the wrong word

Oral language skills and reading fluency - Reading fluency

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Difficulties with the acquisition of phonics
Severe difficulty in associating letters and sounds
Omission or confusion over small words
Difficulties with the visual tracking of words and symbols
Does not appear to enjoy engaging with age-appropriate books/text independently
Difficulties with the consolidation of previous words learnt

Short-term and working memory

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Appears to forget information previously learnt
Confusion over using full stops and capital letters
Difficulty remembering a short sequence of numbers
Difficulties in remembering some everyday routines

Sequencing and directionality

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
May have difficulty following the sequence of a story
Difficulty retelling a story in a logical sequence
Expression of ideas, feelings and thoughts may be disorganized and poorly sequenced
Has difficulty in following the reading and writing direction of left to right and top to bottom

Number skills

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Difficulty processing the concept of number bonds
Difficulty in processing the relationships between initial number bonds
Difficulties learning early number language and procedures e.g., multiple terms and subtraction and addition
Difficulty associating numbers and symbols
Difficulties with spatial awareness

Organizational ability

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Remembering where things are in the nursery/classroom/home
Difficulty organizing things needed for activities for which they are responsible
Difficulties in carrying out some everyday routines

Motor skills and co-ordination

Areas that may be affected	Yes	No
Struggling to produce evidence of appropriate mark making, letter and number formation
Difficulty and/or extreme tenseness in holding pencil
Difficulties with scissor skills
Difficulties using the keyboard, tablet, or mouse
Reluctance to participate in PE
Gross motor coordination difficulties e.g., star jumps, catching, throwing, balance

Strengths	Yes	No
Has good verbal skills – likes to talk or tell stories
Is good in drawing or painting or sketching
Is good with her/his hands, for e.g., fixing or repairing things, like to work with tools, etc?
Is always full of ideas about various things
Is creative
Has a high sense of curiosity and wants to know about things
Has good general knowledge

Additional Comments

Dyslexia Checklist – Nursery

Instructions for use

Address

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