It has recently been suggested that the linguistic difficulties exhibited by dyslexics are a manifestation of more fundamental difficulties specifically that information cannot be learnt sufficiently well for skill sequences to be performed automatically. Early learning difficulties may re-emerge later in the context of complex tasks such as learning to drive. This paper tests this hypothesis by comparing two groups of university students, dyslexic and non-dyslexic. The questionnaire asked for details of experience and a self-assessment of skills in driving and in swimming. The main differences between the two groups were the length of time taken by dyslexics to pass the driving test and their difficulty with task control in complex circumstances.
Abstract