Dysorthographia exercise: separating words

Writing « lavion » instead of « l’avion », or « il a lé » instead of « il allait », are word-segmentation errors. The child joins words together or splits a word in two. These errors are common in children with dysorthographia. Here are exercises to help them learn to spot word boundaries.

The problem of word boundaries

In speech, words run together without pauses, and linking sounds further blur their edges. « Les enfants » is pronounced as a single block. A child who writes as they hear does not always know where to place the spaces.

They then stick small words to bigger ones, such as articles and pronouns, or split a long word into pieces that look like small words. These errors show that they do not yet picture the word clearly as a single unit. They decrease with practice. They are a good indicator of progress, easy to observe in exercise books. The page my child splits words badly describes this phenomenon.

Counting words aloud

A first exercise is to say a sentence and ask the child how many words they hear. They move one counter across the table for each word. The sentence is then written down to check together.

Small words such as « le », « un » or « et » are often forgotten in this count. The child discovers that they count too. They can be represented by counters of a different colour. Writing is introduced only once this counting is secure.

Word cards

A sentence is written on separate cards, one word per card. The child handles them, mixes them up and puts them back in order. They see concretely that each word is a unit.

The child can then be asked to copy the sentence, leaving a clearly visible space between the cards. For younger children, they can be asked to place a finger between each word. This trick makes the space concrete. It is often used in class. At home, it can be replaced by a small lolly stick placed between the words.

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Articles and the apostrophe

The apostrophe poses a particular problem: « l’avion » is often written « lavion ». It can be explained that « l’ » replaces « le » or « la » before a vowel. One writes « le avion », then shows that the « e » is dropped and the apostrophe is added.

One exercise is to transform groups such as « la école » or « le arbre » into « l’école » and « l’arbre ». The child understands that the apostrophe separates two words. Groups containing an apostrophe can then be dictated. The child checks by saying « le » or « la » aloud again. The page on the use of punctuation also covers the apostrophe.

Words split in error

Some children split a long word when one part resembles a small word: « a lé » for « aller », « en suite » for « ensuite ». They can be taught to check the meaning: do « a » and « lé » make sense here? If not, it is a single word.

Sentences containing these errors are offered, and the child must correct them while explaining. They learn to ask themselves whether each written piece is a real word in that place. This reasoning also helps with homophones. The page on the homophones a and à extends this work.

Finding the words in a joined-up sentence

A sentence is written without spaces, such as « lechienjoueaveclaballe », and the child draws lines between the words. They must read, understand and identify each word. This exercise is an excellent training in segmentation.

One starts with short sentences, using familiar words. The child can then create their own joined-up sentences for a parent. They enjoy catching the adult out while practising. Our page of playful exercises contains other games.

Taking stock with the speech and language therapist

Segmentation errors that persist beyond CE1 may be part of a dysorthographia, often associated with reading difficulties. The speech and language therapist can assess them during an assessment. These word-splitting exercises sit alongside therapy.

To find a speech and language therapist, consult the directory ProfessionnelsDys, which offers a search by town and by age. Bring exercise books where these errors appear. The page when to be concerned gives guidance on age.