Dyslexia is characterized by trouble with reading despite normal intelligence. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability and occurs in all areas of the world. It affects 3–7% of the population, however, up to 20% of the general population may have some degree of symptoms.

Problems MAY include:

Difficulties in spelling words
Reading quickly (300 words per minute or more)
Writing words
“Sounding out” words in your head
Pronouncing words when reading aloud
Understanding what one reads
Being easily confused by acronyms
Getting letters backwards when hearing words spelled aloud
Difficulty keeping "left" and "right" straight
Reading words when they are upside-down.

The underlying mechanisms of dyslexia are problems within the brain's language processing, but there is correlation between this difficulty and having a different wiring that allows for strengths in visual and spatial perception (as long as letters are left out of it).

People with dyslexia have higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental language disorders, autism, and difficulties with numbers. But you don't need to have any of those to be dyslexic.

A visual-spatial learner is a person who learns holistically rather than in a step-by-step fashion. Visual imagery plays an important role in the learners’ process.

Because the individual is processing primarily in pictures rather than words, ideas are interconnected; imagine a web of ideas.

Linear sequential thinking — the norm in American education — is particularly difficult for this person and requires a translation of his or her usual thought processes, which often takes more time.

Some visual-spatial learners are excellent at auditory sequential processing as well. They have full access to both systems, so that if they don’t get an immediate “aha” when they are looking at a problem, they can resort to sequential, trial-and-error methods of problem solving. These students are usually highly gifted with well integrated abilities. However, the majority of visual-spatial learners found in research thus far are deficient in auditory sequential skills.

Visual-spatial learners are “systems thinkers” – they need to see the whole picture before they can understand the parts. They are likely to see the forest and miss the trees.

Other common traits in visual-spatial learners include sensory sensitivities, perfectionism, poor self-esteem (due to negative experiences in the schooling system), and sometimes an almost sixth sense for when someone doesn't like them.