An inclusive classroom is not one where everyone does the same thing in the same way. It is one where every child finds their place, even when they write ‘chatteau’ instead of ‘château’. If you are a teacher and have dysorthographic pupils in your class, this question probably concerns you: how do you manage spelling learning without leaving anyone behind? Spoiler alert: it is easier (and more human) than you might think.
Why inclusion starts with changing how we see things
Before talking about adjustments and tools, one thing needs clarifying: dysorthographia is not ‘lack of goodwill’ or ‘can’t be bothered to learn’. It is a specific disorder of written language that persists even with intense effort. This distinction is crucial, because it changes everything.
When we understand that the dysorthographic child did not choose their brain, we stop blaming them for their mistakes and start inventing solutions. A child who feels judged develops anxiety about writing. A child who feels understood, on the other hand, can focus on progress.
An inclusive classroom starts there: with the conviction that different does not mean inferior. It is simply… different.
Concrete adjustments that make a difference
Let’s get practical. Here are the adjustments you can put in place from tomorrow, without waiting for an administrative decision (even though the MDPH recognises many of them).
Assessment without spelling traps
A dysorthographic child may have brilliant ideas but catastrophic spelling. If you assess their knowledge only on spelling, you are measuring their dysorthographia, not their intelligence. Separate the skills: spelling accuracy on one side, content and logic on the other. In a French exam paper, why should spelling count for 50% if the child has shown they understand the topic? Adjust your marking schemes.
Access to suitable tools
Voice dictation, spell checkers, intelligent proofreading software: these are not ‘unfair aids’. They are the equivalent of a calculator for a child in a wheelchair who cannot bend down to pick up a pencil. Allowing these tools during assessments does not weaken rigour; it democratises it.
Extra time
A dysorthographic child often needs more time to encode their text mentally and then transcribe it. 25% extra time (tiers temps) makes an enormous difference. This is not ‘cheating’; it is levelling the playing field.
An adapted working environment
Visual displays (homophones, common agreements, verb conjugations), access to reference tools, freedom from distractions: an environment designed for inclusion reduces cognitive load and allows the child to concentrate on what really matters.
How to transform teaching itself
Inclusion is not just a matter of adjustments. It also depends on how you teach.
Valuing speaking as much as writing
Dysorthographic children are often able to express themselves brilliantly orally. Use that! Oral presentations, debates, talks: these are contexts where the dysorthographic child shines. And it is also a genuine skill for the 21st century.
Celebrating mistakes as steps
A mistake is not a failure. It is information. ‘You wrote “sont” instead of “son”: let’s look together at why that changes the meaning’ is a thousand times more useful than a red ‘wrong!’ crossed out. The dysorthographic child who understands where they went wrong learns. The one who feels humiliated shuts down.
Introducing creative projects around writing
Why must writing always be checked and graded? Creating comic strips, poems, group stories, class blogs: these formats are playful. The dysorthographic child can take part fully because the spelling judgement is minimised. And in creativity, they often shine.
The role of peers in an inclusive classroom
Inclusion is not only the responsibility of the teacher. It also depends on the culture of the class.
If other children see that spelling mistakes trigger not mockery but a sense of normality, the dysorthographic child feels less isolated. A few ideas:
- Normalise difference: ‘Everyone has their own unique brain. Some are better at maths, others at French, others at creativity.’
- Teach empathy: Activities where children ‘try out’ what it is like to be dyslexic or dysorthographic (without caricature) build understanding.
- Reject hierarchies of value: ‘Being good at spelling’ is no more ‘intelligent’ than being good at problem-solving or at relating to others.
When inclusion also involves the family
An inclusive classroom without support at home is only half the job. If you see that parents are stressing the child at home over homework, a caring conversation helps a great deal. Not saying ‘your child is hopeless’, but rather: ‘Your child has incredible strengths. For spelling, here is what works better…’
Incidentally, how to help a dysorthographic child at home without falling into common teaching traps is a real question. Sharing resources with parents gives them a tool to be allies, not adversaries.
Technology tools in service of inclusion
Do not see technology as ‘a crutch’. It is simply the adaptation of our age. Dysorthographia at secondary school: how digital tools are changing the lives of teenagers shows that when children can write without constant struggle against spelling, their creativity flourishes.
In an inclusive classroom, tools become ‘invisible mediators’: they allow the dysorthographic child to learn alongside their peers without feeling different, or rather, by normalising that difference.
The (invisible) impact of a truly inclusive classroom
You will know your classroom is inclusive when:
- The dysorthographic child raises their hand to answer without fear of ‘giving themselves away’ over spelling.
- The other children ask questions without malice: ‘Why do you write differently?’
- The speech and language therapist and you work together, not in parallel.
- Marks reflect what they understand, not just what they spell.
- The child comes to school without a knot in their stomach on French test day.
Does that sound far off? It is. But every small change counts. And an inclusive classroom is never perfect. It is simply… alive, caring, and a place where everyone finds their place.
Frequently asked questions
Does supporting inclusion for dysorthographic pupils mean letting other children off the hook?
No. Inclusion does not mean ‘assessing differently’ but ‘assessing fairly’. A child without dysorthographia can still have access to technology tools (because they help them too), but will not receive a specific adjustment. Expectations remain; only fairness comes in.
How do I justify to the administration that I am adapting my classroom for dysorthographic pupils?
French law (loi Handicap 2005, Loi pour une école de la confiance 2019) permits it. Dysorthographia is recognised as a ‘dys’ disorder. Reasonable adjustments are not optional; they are a right. Contact your académie, the MDPH or your ‘école inclusive’ coordinator.
What if a dysorthographic child refuses the tools because they are ashamed?
That is normal. Normalisation starts by showing that everyone can use these tools, not just them. When the whole class can do voice dictation or use spell checkers, using a tool is no longer a ‘marker’ of difference; it is simply… practical.
Further resources
- Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale (France): Resources on the schooling of children with disabilities and ‘dys’ disorders.
- MDPH (Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées): Support in setting up PANH (Plan d’Accompagnement pour Niveaux de Handicap) or adapted plans in class.
- Fédération Française des Associations de Dys (FFAAD): Teaching resources and training for teachers on including dysorthographic children.
