Dysorthographia exercises for sixth form

At sixth form, written work becomes long and demanding: essays, commentaries, summaries. A student with dysorthographia often knows their difficulties well, but must adapt their strategies to this new volume. Here are methods and exercises that help them write more confidently, drawing on their tools.

Writing strategies rather than exercises

At this age, one no longer does spelling exercises as in primary school. It is rather a matter of working methods: preparing one’s written work, proofreading effectively, using the right tools. The student is best placed to say what helps them. They have often already tried several methods since secondary school.

The methods presented here are to be tested, then kept if they work. The aim is to reduce the number of errors and, above all, the fatigue. A student less worn out by writing can concentrate on reasoning. The page dysorthographia at sixth form presents the possible arrangements.

Preparing a subject-specific glossary

Each subject has its own vocabulary: philosophy terms, historical concepts, scientific words. The student can build a small glossary for each subject, with the words they use often and their correct spelling. They revise it before tests.

These words come up in all their written work, and mastering them noticeably reduces errors. The glossary can be kept on paper or on a phone. It is useful to add to it over the year. Each new chapter brings a few words to add. The page on spelling memo sheets gives a method for building them.

Building a long piece of writing

For an essay, the detailed plan is the key stage. The student can practise building it quickly, on several topics, without writing. They also prepare a few well-spelled introduction and transition phrases, which they reuse.

While writing, they leave a line between each line of text, so they can correct neatly. They keep ten minutes at the end to proofread with their checklist. This proofreading time is often decisive. A slightly shorter script that is well proofread is better than a long one full of errors. The page French baccalaureate gives further advice.

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Proofreading in several passes

Proofreading an entire script while looking for all the mistakes at once is ineffective. It is better to do several quick proofreads, each focused on one type of error: verb agreement, then agreement within noun groups, then homophones. The student chooses the points that concern them most.

Reading from the end towards the beginning, sentence by sentence, also helps to focus on form rather than meaning. This technique, somewhat disorienting at first, is very effective. It stops the brain from automatically correcting what it reads. It is practised on homework before being used in exams. The page on proofreading sets out these methods in detail.

Digital tools

Many students with dysorthographia work on a computer, with a spell checker and grammar checker. These tools make it possible to hand in legible work and to concentrate on content. Some checkers also explain the rules, which helps progress. The student thus learns by correcting.

Voice dictation is useful for producing a first draft quickly, especially for long pieces of writing. The student then corrects the resulting text. Use of a computer in exams depends on the arrangements granted. The page on voice dictation presents this tool.

Arrangements for the baccalauréat

For the baccalauréat, arrangements may be requested, such as extra time or the use of a computer. The request is made in advance, following the school’s timetable. A recent assessment is often useful to support it. Deadlines are sometimes set as early as the autumn.

It is important to practise with these arrangements throughout the year, so as to know how to use them on the day of the exam. Extra time well managed leaves room for proofreading. The student learns to divide their time. They know how many minutes to keep for the plan, the writing and the proofreading. The page dysorthographia and the baccalauréat explains the procedure.

Possible support

A student may still benefit from speech and language therapy, focused on writing strategies and independence. An updated assessment will also be useful for higher education. These methods do not replace such support when it is needed.

You will find speech and language therapists who see teenagers in the ProfessionnelsDys directory, by town. Plan the assessment a few months before the requests for arrangements. The page dysorthographia and Parcoursup covers the next steps in studies.