Dyslexia is one of the most widely recognised learning differences, yet it’s still deeply misunderstood. It’s often thought of as simply “mixing up letters” or “struggling to read”, but there is a lot more to it. Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence or effort. It comes down to how the brain is structured and how it works.
Knowing what is going on in the brain helps get rid of some tired stereotypes, and makes it much easier to give dyslexic people support that actually helps. The British Dyslexia Association is a good starting point if you want an overview of dyslexia itself.
The dyslexic brain: built differently, not defectively
People with dyslexia have brains that are wired in a different way. That is meant literally. Brain imaging studies, particularly fMRI scans, have revealed measurable structural and functional differences.
Key research has shown that dyslexic people tend to show:
- Less activation in the left hemisphere regions responsible for language processing
- More reliance on areas in the right hemisphere and frontal lobes
- Differences in grey matter volume in language-associated regions like the left temporal lobe
- Slower or disrupted connections between the parts of the brain responsible for decoding written language
These differences don’t mean something is “wrong” with the brain. They simply show that dyslexic people process written and spoken language differently. We look at this from another angle in how dyslexic brains actually work.
The main brain regions involved
Here are the parts of the brain most involved in reading and language, and how they tend to work differently with dyslexia.
1. Broca’s area (left frontal lobe)
- Associated with speech production and articulation.
- In dyslexia, this area may be overactive as it tries to compensate for underactivity elsewhere.
2. Wernicke’s area (left temporal lobe)
- Responsible for understanding written and spoken language.
- Shows reduced activation in dyslexic brains, which can make understanding written text take more effort.
3. Angular and supramarginal gyri (parietal lobe)
- Help with decoding words and phonological processing.
- Dyslexic people may show less activation here, affecting their ability to break words into sounds.
4. Occipitotemporal area (visual word form area)
- Essential for recognising familiar written words quickly and automatically.
- Often underactive in dyslexia, leading to slower reading and difficulty recognising words at a glance.
5. Right hemisphere compensatory activation
- Many dyslexic people rely more heavily on the right hemisphere, especially for visual and spatial reasoning.
- This shift helps with creativity and problem-solving but doesn’t always make up for challenges with reading.
What do these differences mean in practice?
These neurological differences affect how dyslexic people process information, especially written language. The effects go well beyond reading, though, and can touch every part of someone’s work or academic life.
Here’s how these brain differences show up:
- Reading speed is slower: not because of laziness, but because the brain takes a different pathway to decode language.
- Spelling is inconsistent: the brain connects sounds to letters differently, so spelling may vary even within the same paragraph.
- Note-taking is hard: processing spoken information while also writing it down can overload working memory.
- Written expression may not reflect verbal ability: many dyslexic people are articulate in conversation but find it harder to translate those thoughts to paper.
- Directionality is confusing: the brain may find it harder to distinguish left from right or interpret mirrored symbols, especially in younger children.
- Focus can be drained quickly: decoding language takes a lot of cognitive effort, leaving less energy for comprehension or retention.
The strengths dyslexic people have
Most conversations about dyslexia focus on what’s hard. That misses half the story.
With different wiring, and often strong visual and spatial skills, many dyslexic people are particularly good at:
- Big-picture thinking: seeing patterns and connections others miss
- Problem-solving: approaching challenges from new and creative angles
- 3D reasoning: useful in engineering, architecture and design
- Storytelling and narrative thinking: many dyslexic people are highly imaginative
- Empathy and emotional intelligence: possibly because they’ve had to learn alternative communication strategies
Many successful and creative people have spoken publicly about their experiences with dyslexia, including Richard Branson, who champions “dyslexic thinking”. For employers, these strengths are a genuine advantage, which we explore in the benefits of employing dyslexic people.
It’s not about intelligence
Worth saying again: dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence, as the NHS also makes clear. In fact, the gap between verbal understanding and reading ability is often what flags a potential diagnosis in the first place.
You could have someone who understands complex ideas, loves learning and contributes great insights, but who avoids reading or finds written work harder to produce. Without support, this mismatch can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety and feeling misunderstood.
Rethinking support: it’s not just about reading lessons
Once we understand how a dyslexic brain works, it becomes clear that support shouldn’t just be about teaching phonics or giving extra time in exams. Support should fit how the dyslexic brain actually works.
In practice, that means:
- Allowing students or employees to use text-to-speech software or audiobooks
- Giving instructions both verbally and visually, for example through flow diagrams or colour-coded information
- Breaking tasks into manageable steps
- Using diagrams, mind maps and visuals
- Letting people show knowledge in different formats, not just written ones
- Allowing note-takers or transcriptions in meetings
- Creating environments where different ways of thinking are welcomed, not penalised
- Sending materials or slides in advance so people have time to process them
Technology is making many of these easier than ever, as we cover in how AI is becoming a powerful assistive technology. If you manage a team, our list of reasonable adjustment examples for dyslexic employees and our guide to dyslexia in the workplace go into more detail.
Why understanding the brain matters
Understanding the neuroscience moves the conversation from blame to biology. It helps teachers, managers and colleagues see that dyslexic people aren’t trying less. They’re working harder, just on a different path.
It also gives dyslexic people language to explain what they’re experiencing, and the confidence to ask for what they need. Our free dyslexia styles guide can help with that conversation.
Final thoughts
Dyslexia is a different way of processing language, rooted in how the brain is built. Look past the surface signs and it gets much easier to support dyslexic people properly, at school and at work.
If you teach, parent or manage someone with dyslexia, understanding how their brain works is a good place to start.
How Enna can help
To help your teams get past the stereotypes, our Neurodiversity Deep Dive workshop builds a grounded understanding of how different minds work, and our workplace needs assessments pinpoint the right support for individual dyslexic employees. Book a call to find out what would suit your organisation.
If you’re dyslexic and looking for your next role, you’ll find employers who value different thinking on the Enna jobs board. If you’re already in a job, our Empowering Neurodivergent Employees workshop helps people understand their own brain and ask for the support they need, so it is worth suggesting to your employer.
