Free resources
Not another page of links. These are tools, checklists and guides you can use here and now, free, private and with no obligation to book anything. Find your situation below: parents, adults, university students, or teachers and SENCos.
Who are these for?
Start here
Short, plain-English checks that help you put words to what you have noticed. They look for patterns across reading, spelling and written work, processing, memory and history rather than producing a single yes or no. They cannot diagnose dyslexia, but they are an honest first step, and no email address is required to see your result.
For parents and carers
For a child or young person aged 7–15. Covers reading, spelling and written work, processing, memory and organisation, and educational history.
For adults and students 16+
For adults and students completing it about themselves. Covers reading, spelling and writing, processing, memory and organisation, study and work, and historical indicators.
Both checks are indicator tools, not diagnostic assessments. Only a full diagnostic assessment carried out by a qualified specialist assessor can identify dyslexia.
For parents and carers
Indicator checks, checklists and guides for the questions parents actually ask. Is this dyslexia, what do I do next, and how do I get school to listen.
Interactive tools & checklists
Indicator check · 3–5 minutes
Thirteen plain-English questions about reading, spelling, processing, memory and history, a profile across five areas, not a single yes or no.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · no email needed
Choose whether the report is about a child, a student or an adult, and get a practical checklist of what to do next, understanding the report, prioritising recommendations, sharing it with school, university or work.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · no email needed
Everything worth sorting before Year 7, information to share with the new school, organisation systems, homework routines and growing independence. Tick items off and print it for a meeting with the SENCo.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · saves in your browser
An interactive checklist of the school reports, work samples and background information worth gathering. Choose child, adult or university, tick items off, and print it when you are done.
Open the toolPathway finder · under a minute
Two or three short questions that point you towards the free resource, assessment or conversation most likely to help, including doing nothing paid at all.
Open the toolFor adults
Tools for adults who suspect dyslexia, have just been identified, or want to ask for support at work, private, practical and honest about what each step can and cannot do.
Interactive tools & checklists
Indicator check · 3–5 minutes
Fourteen questions about reading, writing, memory, study and work, and history, private, with answers staying on your device.
Open the toolThinking tool · private to your browser
A structured way to prepare for a conversation about support at work: strengths, tasks that take more effort, strategies you already use and what might genuinely help. Not a workplace needs assessment.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · no email needed
Choose whether the report is about a child, a student or an adult, and get a practical checklist of what to do next, understanding the report, prioritising recommendations, sharing it with school, university or work.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · saves in your browser
An interactive checklist of the school reports, work samples and background information worth gathering. Choose child, adult or university, tick items off, and print it when you are done.
Open the toolPathway finder · under a minute
Two or three short questions that point you towards the free resource, assessment or conversation most likely to help, including doing nothing paid at all.
Open the toolFor university students
Evidence, DSA deadlines and study systems, the things worth sorting before term starts, plus the checks that help you decide whether an assessment is worth pursuing.
Interactive tools & checklists
Indicator check · 3–5 minutes
Fourteen questions about reading, writing, memory, study and work, and history, private, with answers staying on your device.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · no email needed
Understanding your evidence, contacting student support, DSA deadlines and the study systems worth setting up before term starts.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · no email needed
Choose whether the report is about a child, a student or an adult, and get a practical checklist of what to do next, understanding the report, prioritising recommendations, sharing it with school, university or work.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · saves in your browser
An interactive checklist of the school reports, work samples and background information worth gathering. Choose child, adult or university, tick items off, and print it when you are done.
Open the toolFor teachers & SENCos
Printable reflection tools, staff-facing guides and curated reading for classroom practice, access arrangements and conversations with families. Free to use and share in your setting.
Interactive tools & checklists
Printable checklist · on the schools hub
The evidence that carries weight for exam access arrangements, grouped so a SENCo or exams officer can tick off what the setting already holds and print the result.
Open the toolCurated reading · for staff
The most useful Knowledge Centre articles and free tools, curated for staff and organised by scenario, classroom teaching, transitions, exams, families.
Open the toolInteractive checklist · saves in your browser
An interactive checklist of the school reports, work samples and background information worth gathering. Choose child, adult or university, tick items off, and print it when you are done.
Open the toolPathway finder · under a minute
Two or three short questions that point you towards the free resource, assessment or conversation most likely to help, including doing nothing paid at all.
Open the toolFree downloadable quick guides
Our practical quick guides explain common areas of need and provide realistic strategies that can be used at school and at home. They are designed to support early understanding, classroom discussion and conversations with a SENCo.
Each one is a free dyslexia guide for schools and families in plain English: what the area of need is, how it may look day to day, and what tends to help. Between them they cover classroom practice for dyslexia support for teachers, ADHD classroom strategies, working memory strategies for pupils, auditory processing and listening demands, and attention and concentration strategies, so they work equally well as SEND resources for families and SENCos preparing for a review meeting.
Teachers, SENCos and families · PDF
An accessible introduction to dyslexia, how it may present in the classroom and practical strategies that can reduce barriers to learning.
Teachers, SENCos and families · PDF
A practical guide to how ADHD traits may present at school, alongside supportive approaches for attention, organisation, emotional regulation and classroom participation.
Teachers, SENCos and families · PDF
A clear explanation of working memory, how difficulties may affect everyday learning and practical ways to reduce unnecessary memory demands.
Teachers, SENCos and families · PDF
Understand the signs of auditory processing difficulties, their possible causes and practical ways to reduce listening demands. This guide also explains when specialist hearing advice may be appropriate.
Teachers, SENCos and families · PDF
Explore common signs of attention and concentration difficulties, possible contributing factors and practical strategies for school, home, study and work.
These are practical guidance documents, not assessments. The ADHD guide is not a diagnostic tool: educational ADHD traits screening looks at how traits present in learning and is not a medical diagnosis, which only an appropriately qualified healthcare professional can make. Attention and concentration difficulties described in the guides are observations, not diagnoses. Auditory processing difficulties are not automatically auditory processing disorder: Defining Dyslexia does not diagnose auditory processing disorder or replace an audiology assessment, and the guide explains when specialist hearing advice may be appropriate. Identifying dyslexia does not in itself guarantee an EHC plan, exam access arrangements or any other outcome; those decisions rest with the school, exam centre or relevant body.
The guides are written by Mark, a specialist assessor registered with PATOSS who holds a current Assessment Practising Certificate.
Defining Dyslexia provides diagnostic dyslexia assessments, educational ADHD traits screening and support for schools, families, young people and adults.
Talking to school
Two printable resources to help you get the most out of conversations with your child's school: one to help you prepare before a SENCo meeting, and one to record what is agreed during it. Free to download, with no email address needed.
Defining Dyslexia parent resource · PDF
A practical three-page guide to help parents organise their concerns before speaking to school. It includes signs to consider, useful questions and space to record the child’s views and the family’s priorities.
Download the parent checklistDefining Dyslexia parent resource · PDF
A printable three-page template for recording concerns, school observations and support already in place. It also provides a structured action plan with responsibilities and a clear review date.
Download the meeting templateFor schools and education settings
Effective dyslexia support begins with high-quality teaching and develops through a graduated response. This provision grid helps schools consider what is already in place, identify appropriate next steps and review whether support is making a meaningful difference.
Defining Dyslexia resource · PDF · 2 pages · A3 landscape
A graduated working tool for schools
A practical two-page resource to help schools assess needs, plan support, implement appropriate provision and review its impact. It covers universal, targeted and personalised support, alongside specialist assessment and trusted sources of guidance.
It sets out a graduated approach for dyslexia across universal, targeted and personalised support, with prompts for Assess, Plan, Do and Review, so that dyslexia interventions for schools can be chosen for a clear purpose and evaluated honestly.
This is a practical guidance resource. It does not replace individual assessment, professional advice or your local authority's SEND pathways.
Defining Dyslexia provides staff training, SENCo support, consultancy, diagnostic assessment and access arrangements assessment for schools and education settings.
Discuss support for your schoolDownloadable guides
These are published Defining Dyslexia documents, written by Mark and used with families and schools. They are separate from the interactive tools above: the tools are website resources you complete yourself, while these are documents you download, print and share. Free, with no email address needed.
Defining Dyslexia guide · PDF
A practical guide to help parents compare assessors and understand what to look for before booking a diagnostic assessment.
Download the guideDefining Dyslexia guide · PDF
The same practical comparison guide, written for adults arranging an assessment for themselves.
Download the guideDefining Dyslexia guide · Slides
What to expect before, during and after a diagnostic assessment, in clear language, for a child or for yourself.
Download the guideDefining Dyslexia guide · PDF
What dyslexia is, the cognitive processes involved, common co-occurring differences and practical classroom strategies.
Download the guideDefining Dyslexia guide · PDF
A staff-facing guide to access arrangements and how they support learners in exams and everyday classroom work.
Download the guideDefining Dyslexia guide · PDF
What standardised scores and percentiles actually mean, and why scores should always be read alongside the bigger picture.
Download the guideDefining Dyslexia guide · PDF
Practical strategies to make homework calmer and more manageable for children who find it hard going.
Download the guideThese files are still served from the previous Defining Dyslexia website while they are moved across to this one. The documents themselves are unchanged.
Assistive technology
Assistive technology can reduce the barriers involved in reading, writing, recording ideas, studying and organisation. Our central guide explains how to choose a tool for a clearly defined purpose, trial it properly and review whether it genuinely helps.
CALL Scotland provides free guidance about technology that can support people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. Its resources include app wheels, practical posters and guidance covering reading, writing and organisation. The resources also highlight useful accessibility features already built into many devices.
CALL Scotland is an independent organisation based at the University of Edinburgh. It is not connected to Defining Dyslexia and does not endorse this service. The links below open the original CALL Scotland pages in a new tab, so the resources are always the current versions.
External resource · CALL Scotland
Independent guidance on technology for learners with dyslexia and literacy difficulties, including built-in accessibility features.
Open on callscotland.org.uk (opens an external website in a new tab)External resource · CALL Scotland
A downloadable app wheel grouping iPad tools by the barrier they are intended to reduce.
Open on callscotland.org.uk (opens an external website in a new tab)External resource · CALL Scotland
The same idea for Android phones and tablets, covering reading, writing and organisation.
Open on callscotland.org.uk (opens an external website in a new tab)External resource · CALL Scotland
Chromebook apps and extensions, useful where a school or college works in Google Workspace.
Open on callscotland.org.uk (opens an external website in a new tab)External resource · CALL Scotland
The wider library of free posters and practical leaflets, including accessibility guidance.
Open on callscotland.org.uk (opens an external website in a new tab)Also free
A free 15-minute telephone call gives you the chance to ask questions, find out how the assessment process works, and get honest upfront information about costs. It is available by telephone call, and there is no obligation afterwards.
There are no silly questions. If you are not sure whether an assessment is the right step, or whether it is the right time, this is usually the quickest way to find out.
Knowledge Centre
The Knowledge Centre is where the information lives; this page is where the practical things live. These three articles are the ones people find most useful at this stage.
Why a capable, articulate child can still find reading and spelling exhausting, and what to look for.
Read the guideA walk through the structure of a full diagnostic report and how the recommendations are used.
Read the guideAn honest look at what you are paying for and when an assessment genuinely makes a difference.
Read the guideThe journey
Needs change as education and work change. These are the points where the demands shift most, and what Defining Dyslexia offers at each one, guidance and free resources as well as assessment.
Reading and spelling are being learned. Some able children compensate well, so difficulty can be hidden behind good comprehension and strong spoken language.
Organisation, timetables, multiple teachers and heavier reading arrive together. A little planning in Year 6 makes the move considerably calmer.
Subject vocabulary, note-taking, coursework and timed exams place different demands on literacy, memory and processing speed.
Support is requested rather than arranged for you. Knowing your own profile and who to contact matters more than it ever did at school.
Reading volume, independent study and academic writing increase. Evidence of a specific learning difficulty may be needed for study support or a DSA application.
Dyslexia looks different at work: email, reports, meetings, deadlines and reading under pressure. Many adults are identified for the first time here.
If you want to go further
An indicator check can tell you whether your concerns are worth exploring. Only a full diagnostic assessment can give a formal identification, a written report and the kind of evidence schools, exam boards, universities and employers may ask for. It costs £495, with no hidden extras.
