Dysorthographie.fr a media powered by
the no.1 media on Dys disorders
Dysorthographie.fr a media powered by
the no.1 media on Dys disorders
« He’s clever, so why does he make so many mistakes? » This is a question many parents and teachers ask themselves. The answer is simple: dysorthography has nothing to do with intelligence. Here is why, and how to prevent your child from judging themselves through their mistakes. After all, the first person to doubt them is often the child themselves.
Dysorthography is a specific learning disorder. The word « specific » is important: it means the disorder affects one precise skill, spelling, without affecting the child’s other abilities. This is what distinguishes dysorthography from a general learning difficulty.
To diagnose dysorthography, professionals check precisely that the child has intelligence within the normal range. If the difficulties were explained by an intellectual disability, it would not be called a specific disorder. The speech and language therapy assessment also seeks to confirm that the child’s other abilities are intact.
A dysorthographic child can therefore be just as intelligent as their classmates, if not more so. The disorder concerns the way their brain processes written language, not their capacity to understand, reason or learn. They simply learn differently, with a brain that processes the written word in a different way. See what is dysorthography.
What strikes many dysorthographic children is the gap between their abilities and their written work. Orally, they express themselves well, have a good vocabulary, original ideas and sound reasoning. Some enjoy debating, invent gripping stories or ask surprising questions for their age.
But as soon as they have to write, things become complicated. Their texts are full of mistakes, sometimes hard to read, and do not at all reflect the richness of their thinking. Their marks suffer in every subject. A brilliant oral presentation can thus be followed by a catastrophic written test.
This gap is precisely one of the signs that should prompt suspicion of a disorder. A child who is comfortable everywhere except in writing deserves a closer look. The teacher is often the first to notice this contrast in class. See dysorthography or simple weakness in spelling.
Some dysorthographic children have high intellectual potential. They are sometimes referred to as twice-exceptional children. Their intelligence often allows them to compensate for part of their difficulties for a long time. They are sometimes identified through a very large gap between their oral and written results.
The downside is that their disorder is often identified late. Their good results in other areas mask the difficulties with writing, which are put down to haste or boredom. They may also be judged as too quick or too scattered, when in fact they are genuinely struggling with writing.
These children can feel a great deal of frustration, because they know what they want to write but cannot manage it. Suitable support helps them rediscover the pleasure of learning. See dysorthography and HPI.
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In France, spelling has long been regarded as a sign of education and intelligence. A paper full of mistakes is still often judged harshly, at school as well as in the world of work. This importance placed on spelling is, moreover, peculiar to certain countries, such as France.
Yet spelling is a technical skill, which relies on precise mechanisms of memory and sound processing. One can have a brilliant intelligence and fragile spelling, just as one can be very intelligent and poor at drawing. Intelligence is multiple: verbal, logical, creative, social, practical.
Many well-known figures, artists, scientists or entrepreneurs, have dys disorders. Their success clearly shows that spelling does not determine the future. They have often learnt to surround themselves with people and to use tools to compensate.
The main danger is that the child ends up believing they are less intelligent than others. Through repeated poor marks and comments about their mistakes, they may think they are « useless » or « stupid ». Classmates may also make hurtful remarks, which reinforce this feeling.
This negative self-image can spread to all learning. The child loses confidence, dares to participate less and avoids situations where they would have to write. Sometimes, they start saying they do not like school. They may even hide their exercise books or lie about their marks to avoid reproach.
Remind them regularly of what they do well, and explain that their difficulties say nothing about their intelligence. Your view matters enormously: it is often what determines how they see themselves. See dysorthography and self-esteem.
A psychometric assessment, which measures intellectual abilities, is not compulsory to diagnose dysorthography. The speech and language therapy assessment is sufficient in most cases. It may also be requested if the child has difficulties in several areas at once.
It can nevertheless be useful in certain situations: if high potential is suspected, if the child has other difficulties, or if the MDPH requests it for a file. It is then carried out by a psychologist or neuropsychologist. It generally lasts several hours and may be spread over several sessions.
This assessment helps to better understand the child’s profile, their strengths and weaknesses. It is generally not reimbursed by the Assurance maladie (national health insurance). Check with your supplementary health insurer, as some cover part of the cost. See who to consult.
To protect your child’s confidence, value their talents and successes outside spelling: their ideas, their humour, their knowledge, their skills in sport, music or drawing. Each success in one area strengthens their confidence to face their difficulties elsewhere.
At school, ask that spelling not be penalised in subjects where it is not being assessed. Their marks in history or science will then reflect their true knowledge. This is a simple adjustment that makes a big difference to their motivation.
Also encourage oral expression: presentations, debates, recordings. Your child will be able to show what they are capable of without being held back by writing. Digital tools such as voice dictation can also help them write in a different way. See how to help a dysorthographic child.
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No. By definition, dysorthography is a specific disorder that does not affect general intelligence. A dysorthographic child can be just as intelligent as others, and sometimes more so. Only their written work is held back by the disorder. Their reasoning and comprehension abilities are intact.
Yes. They are sometimes referred to as twice-exceptional children. Their intelligence allows them to compensate for a long time, which often delays the diagnosis. A speech and language therapy assessment is still needed to confirm dysorthography. These profiles require support that takes into account both the disorder and the potential.
No, the speech and language therapy assessment is sufficient in most cases. A psychometric assessment may be useful if high potential is in doubt, in the presence of associated disorders, or for an MDPH file. It can also help to better understand the child’s overall profile.
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