Preparing Your Child for the Dysorthographia Assessment

The appointment with the speech therapist is approaching, and your child is wondering what to expect. Perhaps they are anxious, or perhaps they seem indifferent. Preparing this moment well will help them feel confident and show their true abilities. Here is how to explain the assessment to them, what to bring and the mistakes to avoid. A few simple steps make all the difference.

Explaining the Assessment Simply

Your child needs to know what to expect. Explain in simple words that they will meet a person whose job is to help children who find writing difficult. This person will suggest games and exercises to understand how they learn. These simple words often reassure them greatly.

Stress that this is not an exam. There will be no marks, no right or wrong answers. The aim is to find out how to help them, not to judge them. This message removes a great deal of the pressure.

Adapt your explanation to their age. A young child mainly needs reassurance, while a teenager may understand the value of the assessment in obtaining adjustments, for example for the brevet. Every child needs explanations suited to them.

Reassuring Without Dramatising

If your child is worried, listen to their fears without playing them down. They may be afraid of failing, of being judged, or of discovering that they have « a problem ». Take the time to talk about it. Their fears are legitimate and deserve to be heard.

Remind them that many children have this type of assessment, and that it often helps to find solutions that make school easier. Present it as a positive step. This positive framing helps to motivate them.

However, avoid overdoing it. Excessive preparation can turn the assessment into an anxiety-provoking event. A calm, natural tone is the most effective. Your calm will reassure them. See dysorthographie et anxiété.

Not Coaching Them

It may be tempting to have your child revise before the assessment, so that they show their best side. This is a mistake. The assessment should reflect their real abilities, not a prepared performance. This would be counterproductive for them.

A child who has been coached just beforehand might achieve better results than usual, which would distort the diagnosis. They could then fail to receive the help they need. This erroneous diagnosis could deprive them of useful support.

Simply let them live normally in the days beforehand. Being natural is the best preparation. See les tests utilisés en bilan.

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Choosing the Right Time

A tired or hungry child will not show their true abilities. If you can choose the slot, favour a time when they are at their best, ideally in the morning or early afternoon. Their state of wellbeing has a great influence on the results.

Where possible, avoid the day after a celebration, periods of illness or very busy days. Plan a snack and a bottle of water, especially if the assessment is long. A snack can help them keep their energy up.

Arrive a little early, so that they have time to get to know the place without stress. Getting used to the surroundings gently helps them feel at ease. See le déroulement du bilan.

What to Bring

Remember the doctor’s prescription, the carte Vitale and your mutuelle details. Without a prescription, the assessment will not be reimbursed. Get these ready the evening before.

Also bring useful documents: recent exercise books, dictations, written compositions, school reports. If there are reports from previous assessments, speech therapy or otherwise, take them with you. These documents enrich the speech therapist’s analysis.

If you have noted your observations or completed a questionnaire, bring them. If your child wears glasses, check that they have them. These details matter. See le questionnaire de repérage.

During the Assessment

During the interview, answer the speech therapist’s questions as precisely as possible. Do not hesitate to give concrete examples of the difficulties you have observed. Your precise answers are very helpful to the professional.

During the tasks, the speech therapist may ask you to wait outside. This is normal: many children concentrate better on their own. If you stay, avoid intervening or helping your child. Your silent presence is the best help.

Trust the professional: they are used to putting children at ease and know how to adjust the pace if the child tires. The professional knows what they are doing.

After the Assessment

After the assessment, praise your child for their efforts, whatever the outcome. Avoid asking whether they « did well ». Their efforts deserve to be recognised.

They may be tired: plan a quiet moment or an enjoyable activity for the rest of the day. This time to relax is well deserved.

When you receive the report, take the time to explain the results to them in simple words. They have the right to understand what concerns them. See comprendre le compte rendu.

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Questions that keep coming up

Should I Tell My Child They Are Going to Have an Assessment? ?

Yes, it is important to let them know in advance and to explain simply what it involves. Present it as games and exercises to understand how they learn, with no marks. A positive presentation helps them approach this moment calmly.

Should I Have My Child Revise Before the Assessment? ?

No. The assessment should reflect their real abilities. Coaching just beforehand would distort the results. Let them live normally in the days before.

What Should I Do If My Child Refuses to Go? ?

Listen to their fears and reassure them. Explain the value of the assessment in helping them. The speech therapist is used to these situations and knows how to put children at ease. Take the time to talk about it with them.