Dyslexia Testing for Adults in the UK – FAQs

The test is based on academic and practical experience with dyslexic adults over the last 20 years. The QuickScreen programme is based on the well-established, successful, tried and tested StudyScan test, but the analysis process and reporting is new. Plus, the test can now be completed in a far shorter time (under 1 hour).

The rationale for the screener and the individual tests are all documented in the completed PhD Thesis entitled ‘Dyslexia in Higher Education’ which is available in the online library of Leicester University here http://www2.le.ac.uk/library/find/theses/theses#uol-theses-and-masters-dissertations.

Unlike other computer based screening tests for dyslexia, QuickScreen provides a more extensive cognitive and literacy skills report together with individually tailored recommendations.

QuickScreen offers you the chance to test yourself. You start with the Processing Skills task – basic literacy, processing and memory. You can immediately view your results on a bar graph and check your levels for reading speed, writing and /or typing speed, understanding of written text, quality of spelling and punctuation, memory span for spoken language and your level of accuracy in taking a short dictation. This can be done in about 10 minutes. You can then go on to complete the other 5 tasks and receive a detailed individual report with recommendations for skills improvement and ways to have your difficulties accommodated.

Quickscreen for organisations combines the cost effectiveness of computer generated screening with the benefit of comments from the study support tutor. It therefore combines the mechanics of testing with the specialist’s experience and personal interaction with the candidate. As an agreed document, it is then signed off by the tutor to ensure a monitored, balanced and professional report.

This screener is not specifically designed to test for dyscalculia and a more specialised test would be needed. However, as with a standard dyslexia assessment, there will be an indication if you have problems doing the memory task. This task requires you to show your ability for immediate recall of numbers and for working out sequences of numbers in your head correctly, which is a vital element in doing arithmetic.

Equally, in the sequencing task, if you have difficulties with the direction of shapes and remembering mirror opposites of symbols then this will be picked up. So, it can act as a good starting point.

QuickScreen is intended for any adult who is experiencing difficulties with aspects of literacy and wish to find out whether this is possibly due to dyslexia. However, if an adult is dyslexic, but is effectively using strategies to deal with this and achieving high levels of literacy attainment, then this programme may not be appropriate.

However, there may be some aspects which you are still finding less easy to do. Our dyslexia testing for adults will still flag up dyslexic characteristics that are often not possible to disguise. Even a marked level of dyslexia can be compensated for to varying degrees, by ability, performance, positive attitude and sheer strength of purpose.

There are some tasks in the screener that do not rely on English language for you to do well. Also, the first part of the dyslexia testing for adults (the Processing task) will give you an immediate idea of how well you are coping with basic literacy at adult level. In addition, you may be quite good at spelling, having been taught it in your earlier education, but your knowledge of written vocabulary will be put to the test here. This will indicate if your fluency is below expectation in relation to your ability and overall performance.

Whatever your speed of working through tasks that involve reading and writing, and your worries with regard to what will show up in a screener, it is still a very positive and bold first step to finding out exactly where you are at the present time. It will put you in a position to access a training course which is individually geared to your strengths and weaknesses. If you feel you need to follow this up with a personal consultation or even to carry out the screener in the company of a tutor to help or guide in case of problems in accessing the tasks then please make a contact as recommended below. If you feel you need to follow this up with a personal consultation or carry out the screener in the company of a tutor (to help or guide you in accessing the tasks) then please make contact with a dyslexia tutor or educational psychologist.

In some ways working with a computer programme may be less daunting. As long as you approach the task in a relaxed state and look upon it as a game or a challenge that is there to be enjoyed, then you will get an detailed picture of your learning potential.

Some people are more likely to be relaxed and prefer to be tested by another person, and in such a case you could either have someone nearby when doing it or opt for a one-to-one session with a dyslexia tutor or educational psychologist, rather than using a computer screener as the first step.

In any case, you can do the items in any order you like over several different days. You can do one task and then leave it for a day or two or a week before doing another item. That way you can give your full concentration in a comfortable way and choose when you want to take part. You just log in again to carry on each time.

This is a specialist area that requires appropriate testing. However, if it is an area you are concerned about then you may wish to try the handwriting option on the processing task. If you have a tendency to write slowly, or not very legibly, then this task will highlight it. When you put in your hand written text onto the computer, your speed and accuracy of doing so will be checked. This would be a starting point to arranging further tests.

The report which you get from QS dyslexia testing for adults will be detailed and very practical – similar to what a specialist tutor would compile. It is clearly set out, comprehensive and, where required, will give you suggestions for how to build on existing skills with specific recommendations for future action.

This is followed by bar graphs showing your results in all the items and gives you three conclusions:

• The first is whether you have indicators of dyslexia and this is qualified by giving you the reasons why this conclusion has been reached
• The second is your overall literacy skills level in relation to your other results, so you are given a reference point based on your own general performance
• The third is your overall speed of processing over a variety of tasks when using both language and symbols, which once again is measured against your own level of performance in the other tasks.

If you understand your level of dyslexia you can plan strategies to use your strengths to your advantage and find ways of dealing and managing the weaker areas. You cannot do this quite so effectively if you do not have this information to hand.

If you know your literacy level you have a way forward to upgrade your skills and knowledge as required. In addition, your speed of reaction, working things out in your head, of grasping the meaning of text and bringing your own experience to interact quickly and efficiently with whatever task is before you, is a key to being successful in your chosen course of study or work. Having an understanding of your own speed of processing will allow you to be focused on selecting the right allocation of time, concentration and working environment to get the best results.

All of the above, with comments from your study support tutor.

At present no computer assessments are acceptable to the Joint Council for Qualifications. However, QS dyslexia testing for adults will give a good indication of any difficulties such as dyslexia. The report, upon completion of the test, is detailed and practical. The scores and reports can be used in research by colleges/organisations and be submitted as relevant background information.

Yes, the report in part or total can be shared with consent. It is used in full within the public sector organisations and it tends to be used (sometimes without the table of results) in some schools and colleges. Equally, the front and the last page and table of results can be used as a summary report.

Since this is a computer based screening test and not a diagnostic assessment, such as one that is administered by a specialist tutor or educational psychologist, we do not issue a user manual detailing the psychometric properties of the tests.

However, the original research for the test is presented in the author’s PhD thesis (Leicester University) and the test items are all standardised, having been the subject of a Government funded project on Dyslexia In Higher Education and led by the author with a group of advisors based at Kingston University and documented at that time.

There have been many studies carried out over the years and the participants drawn from a wide range of adults (aged 17-55+) from a number of universities, FE colleges, 6th form colleges, public sector organisations and general members of the public therefore a fairly wide range of age, gender, ethnicity and levels of education.

The test is regularly upgraded and subject of statistical surveys. We have a statistical study that has just been completed (May 2021) which aims to provide an overall accuracy rate for the test, together with a cut-off percentage to be used as a guideline – between dyslexia and non-dyslexia profiles. The overall accuracy for QS as a dyslexia screener has been recorded at 93%.

The QS test is not recommended for anyone who is struggling at a basic level of literacy. Ideally candidates need to have the equivalent of a good GCSE level of proficiency in English. It can, however, be taken by candidates whose first language is not English. Things particularly to look out for would be, lack of fluency in vocabulary and verbal reasoning, and in such cases the slow processing and/or slow reading levels may be more likely due to language difficulties than to dyslexia.

However, the QS test can still be used to identify dyslexia in the cases where even without good literacy levels or fluency in English, low scores on two key tests – namely memory and sequencing – would often provide a positive indicator of dyslexia. Equally, the visual skills test, which is not dependent on fluency in English will flag up particular strengths or difficulties in visual and analytical skills – a key component in ability.

So where the vocabulary or verbal reasoning may be deflated by English language difficulties, visual skills can provide an indicator of ability. This, however, does not provide a full picture of ability – particularly in cases where the individual may happen not to be good at solving visual puzzles.