Dysorthographia exercise: the sound “o”: o, au, eau

The sound “o” can be spelt in several ways: “o” as in “vélo”, “au” as in “chaud”, “eau” as in “bateau”. By ear, nothing tells you which to choose. For a child with dysorthographia, this is a frequent source of errors. Here are some landmarks and exercises to help you find your way.

One sound, several spellings

In French, the sound “o” is most often written “o”, but also “au”, “eau”, “ô”, and sometimes “ot” or “os” at the end of a word. A child who writes what they hear usually chooses “o”, which gives “bato” or “cho”. Their reasoning holds up; they are simply missing the information.

To choose the right spelling, it is necessary to rely on memory of words and on a few landmarks. There is no absolute rule, but there are useful tendencies. It is important to introduce them gradually. The page dysorthographia and complex sounds presents the principle of these sounds with several spellings.

Some useful landmarks

The spelling “eau” is almost always found at the end of a word, as in “gâteau”, “château” or “oiseau”. It is very common in nouns ending in the sound “o”. The spelling “au” often appears at the beginning or in the middle of words, as in “aujourd’hui” or “chaussure”.

The spelling “o” remains the most frequent, especially in the middle of a word. These landmarks do not work every time, but they reduce hesitation. You can write them on an illustrated card. It stays on the desk, within sight.

Looking within the word family

Word families often help in choosing the spelling. “Chaud” keeps its “au” in “chaudière” and “réchauffer”, whereas “chaleur” changes form, which shows the limits of this tool. By contrast, “beau” and “beauté” keep the same “eau”.

With the child, you can build lists of words from the same family that keep the same spelling. They see that the spelling repeats. This method complements memorisation. The page on word families explains it in detail.

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Sorting words by spelling

A simple exercise is to give a list of words containing the sound “o” and ask the child to sort them into three columns: “o”, “au” and “eau”. They read each word, identify the spelling and file it. In this way they build a visual memory of these words.

You can then colour each spelling in a different colour, always the same one. The child links the colour to the spelling. When writing, the colour can help them remember. This colour code is useful for all sounds with several spellings.

Illustrated landmark words

For each spelling, choose a very common landmark word and a picture: “vélo” for “o”, “chaud” for “au”, “bateau” for “eau”. The child makes their own cards and keeps them to hand. They compare the word to be written with their landmark words.

You can also create a small poster with several words for each spelling, added to over the weeks. The child adds the words they come across. This poster becomes a reference tool. This approach is explained on the page illustrated spelling.

Short dictation and checking

Once the words have been learnt, offer a short dictation of words or sentences containing the sound “o”. The child writes, then checks with their landmark cards. They correct their own errors.

It is useful not to mix too many difficulties at once. Start with words already practised, then gradually add new words. The child gains confidence. These words naturally find their place in an adapted dictation.

Multiple spellings: possible support

If spelling errors remain very numerous, the speech and language therapist may work on the memory of word spelling in a more targeted way. They may also suggest tools suited to the child’s age. These exercises support remediation, without replacing it.

Speech and language therapists in your area are listed in the directory ProfessionnelsDys, with a search by age. Bring along the cards and lists already worked on to the appointment. The sound é, er, ez, ai poses problems of the same kind.

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Questions that keep coming up

How to choose between o, au and eau ?

The spelling eau is almost always at the end of a word, au is more often at the beginning or in the middle, and o remains the most frequent. It is also necessary to memorise the words.