The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate/fluent word recognition and by poor spelling/decoding abilities.
These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

As many as 15-20% of the population exhibit symptoms of dyslexia which vary in scope and severity. Dyslexia generally runs in families and occurs in people of all ethnicities. Although it is not due to a lack of intelligence nor laziness, dyslexic students may get discouraged in school and suffer poor self-esteem without early intervention.

While dyslexic students struggle with reading, writing and language processing, they so often possess significant strengths that conform to one of four profiles or a combination of them. According to Fernette and Brock Eide, authors of The Dyslexic Advantage, “dyslexic brains are organized in a way that maximizes strength in making big-picture connections at the expense of processing finer details.”

1. Some dyslexic individuals are particularly good at 3-D design and make good architects, engineers, designers and chemists.
2. Others are gifted at interconnected thinking and viewing problems from multiple perspectives. These individuals often find themselves working in an interdisciplinary field which might involve analyzing systems.
3. Many dyslexics associate facts with experiences or stories, rather than abstractions and  excel in professions which require storytelling such as trial lawyers, counselors or teachers.
4. The fourth profile is the ability to reason well in dynamic settings when the facts are incomplete or changing. People strong in this area often work in the business field, in financial markets or in scientific fields that reconstruct past events  or make predictions.