Dysorthographia adult exercises

Dysorthographia does not fade with age. Writing a professional email, drafting a report or filling in a form can remain a source of stress. Many adults are ashamed of their mistakes and avoid writing. Here are exercises and strategies to build confidence in writing.

Everyday writing as an adult

An adult with dysorthographia often makes mistakes with agreements, homophones and less common words, especially when writing quickly. These errors can be poorly perceived in a professional context. Some adults avoid jobs that require a lot of writing. Others spend considerable time rereading every message before sending it.

Many discovered their disorder late, or never had it diagnosed. Understanding that their difficulties have a specific origin often helps them accept them. It is not a lack of intelligence or effort. The page dysorthographia in adults presents the signs and the steps to take.

Identifying your typical errors

Rather than revising everything, it is more effective to identify the five or six mistakes that come up most often. You can reread a few recently sent emails, or ask a close friend for help. These errors become the priority. They often account for a large share of the mistakes made.

For each one, note the rule and a tip in a small memory aid, on paper or on a phone. Consult it before sending an important piece of writing. Over time, these errors become rarer. The memory aid can then be simplified. The page on proofreading offers a simple method.

Writing a professional email

For an important email, it is useful to separate writing from correcting. First write the message without stopping, then reread it separately, preferably after a break. Reading the text aloud, or listening to it with text-to-speech software, helps to spot certain errors.

Templates for frequent messages, such as an appointment confirmation or a follow-up, save time and limit mistakes. You then only need to personalise them. The spell checker in your email software remains a valuable ally. The page writing emails at work offers further advice.

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Adult homophones

Adults with dysorthographia often confuse homophones such as « ces » and « ses », « quand » and « quant », or the endings in « é » and « er ». The substitution tricks learnt at school still work. It is useful to find them again and write them down.

A short practice session using sentences taken from your everyday work makes the exercise concrete. You can do five minutes a day for a few weeks. Many adults are surprised by how quickly they progress. The pair ces, ses and c’est is covered in detail on a dedicated page.

Spell checkers and voice dictation for adults

Advanced spelling and grammar checkers catch many errors that simple checkers let through. Some explain the rule, which helps you progress. Voice dictation also lets you write faster, correcting afterwards.

These tools are now built into most computers and phones. Using them is nothing to be ashamed of; it is a smart way to compensate for a difficulty. An employer may also fund some of them. The choice depends on use, budget and available equipment. Our comparison of solutions is on the page spell checker.

Workplace adjustments

An employee with dysorthographia may request adjustments, such as spell-checking software or extra time for certain written tasks. Recognition as a disabled worker can make these steps easier, but it is not mandatory. The employee remains free to talk or not to talk about their disorder.

The occupational health doctor can be consulted, in line with medical confidentiality, to suggest adjustments. Some adults prefer to set up their tools without mentioning it. Everyone chooses according to their situation. There is no right or wrong answer. The page workplace adjustments sets out these options in detail.

Getting support as an adult

A speech and language therapy assessment can confirm dysorthographia in adulthood and specify its characteristics. Some speech and language therapists support adults in developing writing strategies. These practical tips do not replace this support.

The directory ProfessionnelsDys lets you search for a speech and language therapist who sees adults, by town. Not all practices do so, so it is worth checking this point before calling. The page on support for adults explains how follow-up works.