Dysorthographia is a spelling disorder that makes learning to write difficult. How can you recognise and manage it? Find clear answers and practical solutions in this article.
Key points
- Dysorthographia is a persistent writing disorder, characterised by spelling errors such as omissions and reversals of letters, often associated with dyslexia.
- Early detection and appropriate educational support are essential to minimise the impact of dysorthographia on children's learning and self-esteem.
- Strategies such as the use of assistive technology and multisensory approaches can improve the spelling skills of dysorthographic pupils.
Dysorthographia: recognising and managing this spelling disorder
Dysorthographia is a persistent disorder linked to difficulties in acquiring and mastering spelling. This disorder manifests itself in a variety of errors in writing, such as omissions or reversals of letters, and can make learning to spell particularly difficult. For dysorthographic children, every word can turn into a complex puzzle, where the spelling rules seem elusive.
There is often a link between dyslexia and dysorthographia, with reading difficulties often exacerbating writing difficulties. However, dysorthographia can also exist without other language problems, although it is often associated with dyslexia. Understanding this association is essential for adapting learning and rehabilitation methods to the specific needs of each child.
Around 8% of children attending school experience learning difficulties such as dysorthographia, underlining the need for appropriate educational adaptations. Early re-education of written language and handwriting disorders is often effective in improving spelling skills and reducing the negative impact on self-esteem and motivation at school.
Introduction
Dysorthographia is not simply the result of a lack of effort or practice. It results from neurological dysfunctions that specifically affect the ability to write correctly. This persistent writing disorder can lead to confusion, inversion and omission of letters, making the acquisition of spelling difficult and laborious.
Early recognition of dysorthographia is essential to minimise its impact on learning. With appropriate management, the spelling skills of affected individuals can be improved, enabling them to overcome the challenges associated with this specific disorder.
What is dysorthographia?
Dysorthographia is a persistent disorder linked to difficulties in acquiring and mastering spelling. It is characterised by various errors in writing, such as omissions or reversals of letters. Dysorthographic children may have difficulty with sentence segmentation and the application of spelling rules.
This disorder can exist without other language problems, although it is often associated with dyslexia. Around 8% of schoolchildren experience learning difficulties such as dysorthographia, which highlights the need for appropriate educational adaptations.
Written language disorders, such as dyslexia and dysorthographia, occur in children with normal intelligence and no sensory deficits.
Symptoms of dysorthographia
Dysorthographia is characterised by various errors in writing, such as omissions or reversals of letters. People with dysorthographia may experience persistent spelling difficulties, often associated with lexical memory problems. Spelling errors include confusion between closely related sounds and omission of letters. These errors can make it particularly difficult for children to transcribe words correctly.
Dysorthographic children may show errors in syntax, leading to sentences that are not very coherent. They may also have difficulty applying gender and number agreements, verbal conjugations and correct sentence structure. It is not uncommon for the same word to be spelt differently in the same text by a dysorthographic child.
Diagnosis of dysorthographia
Dysorthographia can be detected at an early stage of learning to read and write. The examination carried out by the speech and language therapist is designed to test common spelling and the application of grammatical rules. The tests included in the written language examination may include :
- dictation of invented words
- syllables
- words
- sentences
- texts
It is important to diagnose dysorthographia early to provide the necessary support and avoid a negative impact on the child's school career. A neuropsychological assessment helps to identify the adaptations needed for each child with dysorthographia.
Dysorthographia can be officially diagnosed after spelling has been taught in class.
Possible causes of dysorthographia
The causes of dysorthographia include alterations to the brain system, in particular to the areas responsible for language and writing. The possible origins of dysorthographia are neurological and hereditary.
Abnormalities in the child's cognitive development and the complexity of spelling in certain languages can aggravate dysorthographia.
Impact of dysorthographia on learning
Dysorthographia is often associated with difficulties in recognising and tracing letters, as well as poor hand-eye coordination. The mechanisms involved in learning to read and write are interdependent, involving complex processes such as phonemic assembly and word identification. Dysorthographic children often have difficulty concentrating and remembering information, which can reduce their engagement at school and affect their participation in class.
The social and emotional consequences of dysorthographia can also be significant. Negative peer perception can exacerbate dysorthographic children's sense of isolation. Appropriate educational support can alleviate the negative effects on self-esteem.
A good relationship between pupil and teacher can improve the child's motivation and engagement in learning. Dysorthographic children may have good cognitive potential, enabling them to develop strategies to compensate for their difficulties, although these difficulties are often more persistent than those observed in reading.
Teaching strategies to support dysorthographic children
Early management of dysorthographia is crucial to improving spelling skills and reducing the negative impact on self-esteem. The implementation of a Personal Support Plan (PAP) is essential to provide specific adaptations for dysorthographic pupils. Educational adaptations must be based on the child's specific difficulties in order to facilitate learning.
Assistive technologies, such as correction software, enable dysorthographic pupils to focus on content rather than spelling. Digital tools offer personalised solutions to help children with learning disabilities. Applications such as WordQ and Dys-Vocal make writing and note-taking easier for dyslexic pupils. Using educational games makes learning more engaging for children with dysorthographia.
Adopting a personalised teaching approach can improve the participation of dysorthographic children by diversifying learning methods. Dysorthographic children can benefit from a multi-sensory approach, combining listening and visualising words to improve comprehension.
Providing a calm environment is crucial to maximise dysorthographic children's concentration during their tasks. Reducing the written workload by offering digital dictation or group work helps pupils to focus on content rather than form. Using audio aids, such as books or applications, facilitates access to information without the need for writing. Parents can help their child by allowing them to interact with the language in context, thus facilitating the acquisition of new words.
Speech therapy
The main aim of speech therapy is to compensate for spelling difficulties as far as possible. Re-education aims to help children compensate for their spelling difficulties and develop effective writing strategies. Re-education exercises should specifically target sound/letter correspondences to improve spelling transcription.
Using mnemonic methods, such as the keyword method, can help dysorthographic children to memorise vocabulary effectively. During re-education, phoneme/grapheme correspondences and spelling rules and peculiarities are reviewed.
Regular speech therapy follow-up is recommended to ensure continued progress in learning to spell. The speech therapist works on phonological segmentation exercises and the application of grammatical rules. Individual follow-up with speech therapy or orthopedagogy after the diagnosis of dysorthographia is essential.
A speech therapy assessment is essential to distinguish between an established dysorthographic disorder and a simple delay in spelling acquisition. Analysis of the nature and frequency of errors helps to guide re-education.
Psychological and social support
Dysorthographic children may experience psychological effects linked to their disorder, such as anxiety, mood disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity. These effects can also include relationship difficulties, increased stress, family problems and a lack of self-confidence. Dysorthographia has a negative impact on children's self-confidence and self-esteem.
Cognitive behavioural therapies and support groups can help dysorthographic children. Prompt speech therapy support helps to develop compensatory strategies and improve spelling. Olivier, who has benefited from rehabilitation, has regained his self-confidence, illustrating the importance of early treatment.
Dysorthographia in adulthood
Dysorthographia in adults is diagnosed by means of a speech and language assessment carried out by a speech and language therapist. Adults with dysorthographia often experience frequent remarks about their spelling, perceived as a lack of effort. This perception can affect their self-esteem and confidence in their professional abilities.
Adults with dysorthographia can apply to have their workstation adapted through the Recognition of Disabled Worker Status (RQTH) scheme. Speech therapy for dysorthographic adults often focuses on compensatory strategies rather than on learning the basic rules of the language.
Although less common, adapted speech therapy can also be beneficial for adults.
Games and activities to improve spelling
The 7 Families of Simple Sounds game helps pupils to master basic sounds by associating pictures with words. The Simple and Complex Sounds Dobble encourages children to quickly identify a common sound between two cards. Difference observation games develop children's concentration and visual perception.
Reading rallies encourage pupils to read a variety of books, reinforcing their comprehension and spelling. Syllable exercises, such as clapping games, help to increase reading fluency and speed.
Adaptations at home
To reward children's efforts and avoid criticism of their mistakes, it is advisable to create a conducive learning environment. For example, leaving the radio on in a foreign language or labelling objects in the house can help. These small adaptations can make learning more natural and less stressful for the child.
Regular work on spelling and grammar exercises, as well as the use of educational games and interactive applications, can help considerably. These practices help to anchor spelling and grammatical rules while making learning more fun and engaging.
Collaboration between parents and teachers
Effective communication between parents and teachers is essential to ensure consistent support for dysorthographic children. Here are some key points to consider:
- Parents and teachers need to work together to tailor school support to the child's needs.
- This helps to identify the child's specific needs.
- It is important to put in place appropriate teaching adaptations.
By working together, parents and teachers can provide a more favourable learning environment for dysorthographic children.
Teachers can benefit from training to identify difficulties and work with parents and speech therapists. Online training courses, such as the MOOC Dys programme, offer practical strategies to help parents better manage their children's educational needs.
Special cases of dysorthographia
Lexical dysorthographia is marked by difficulties in recognising words in their entirety, making reading very slow and laborious. This form of dysorthographia is linked to difficulties in the global recognition of words, affecting the memorization of their spelling and posing a real difficulty.
In phonological dysorthographia, the child experiences decoding difficulties, often omitting or reversing sounds in words. This form involves difficulties in segmenting words into sounds, which complicates correct writing. The forms of these disorders can vary.
Resources and help available
Parent communities provide an opportunity to share experiences and practical advice, offering important emotional support. A variety of resources are available to help families and teachers better support dysorthographic children.
These include support groups, online training courses and teaching tools.
In a nutshell
Dysorthographia is a complex disorder which requires early recognition and appropriate management. From definition and symptoms to rehabilitation and teaching strategies, every aspect is crucial in supporting dysorthographic children and adults. By working closely with teachers, using assistive technology, and creating a supportive environment at home, we can help sufferers overcome their challenges and develop their potential. Together, we can make a significant difference to the lives of people with dysorthographia.
Frequently asked questions
Can dysorthographia be corrected?
Dysorthographia can be corrected through personalised speech therapy, which helps children to overcome their difficulties. Appropriate treatment is therefore essential if progress is to be made.
What is dysorthographia?
Dysorthographia is a persistent disorder that manifests itself in difficulties in mastering spelling, leading to various errors in writing. It is essential to recognise this disorder so that appropriate learning strategies can be put in place.
What are the symptoms of dysorthographia?
Symptoms of dysorthographia include writing errors such as omissions, inversions and substitutions of letters, accompanied by grammatical and lexical difficulties. It is essential to recognise these signs so that appropriate treatment can be provided.
How is dysorthographia diagnosed?
Dysorthographia is diagnosed by a speech therapist using spelling tests and neuropsychological assessments. This enables the individual's specific difficulties to be identified.
What causes dysorthographia?
The main causes of dysorthographia are alterations to the cerebral system, hereditary origins and abnormalities in the child's cognitive development. It is essential to recognise these factors in order to provide appropriate support.
Original content from the Upbility writing team. Reproduction of this article, in whole or in part, without credit to the publisher is prohibited.
