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the no.1 media on Dys disorders
You revise the word list all week, the Friday dictation goes fairly well, and by the following Monday everything seems to have been wiped out. This pattern is exhausting for children and parents alike. It does not come from a lack of effort. Here is why some children find it so hard to remember spelling, and what can really help. Don’t worry, simple solutions do exist.
Many parents describe the same situation: their child studies their words seriously, gets them right in the dictation, then spells them wrongly a few days later in a written composition. It is as if all the work had been for nothing. This is discouraging for everyone. Parents also end up doubting their methods.
The child does not understand it either. They worked hard, they knew their words, and yet they get them wrong. They may end up thinking they are « hopeless » or that their memory simply does not work, which dents their motivation. Some even come to hate dictations.
This phenomenon is not a mystery, however. It is explained by the way spelling memory is built, and by certain weaknesses specific to each child. Understanding it makes it possible to adapt revision methods. It is the first step towards breaking out of this discouraging cycle.
When a child revises a word list just before the dictation, they keep the words in short-term memory. That is enough to succeed in the exercise, but not for the words to settle in durably. Without regular reminders, they fade quickly. It is a little like learning a phone number in order to dial it straight away, then forgetting it.
Moreover, in a word dictation, the child knows which words they will be tested on, and all their attention is focused on them. In a written composition, they have to think about meaning, grammar and the act of writing, and the words they have learnt are no longer mobilised. Composition is therefore a far more demanding test than a word dictation.
This is why success in dictation does not guarantee that the words have truly been acquired. Revision sessions need to be spaced out over time so that the words move into long-term memory. This is a well-known principle among memory specialists. See learning a list of dictation words.
In some children, memory for spelling is particularly fragile. They need many more encounters with a word to keep a precise image of it, and that image fades faster than it does for other children. This is not a matter of willpower, but of how memory works.
This is often the case with children who have dysorthographia, particularly in the so-called lexical form. They have a good grasp of the link between sounds and letters, but cannot store the exact spelling of irregular words. They therefore write phonetically. They may also spell the same word in several different ways.
This difficulty may also be linked to slow reading, difficulties with visual attention or a limited working memory. Only an assessment can clarify this. Each profile calls for slightly different revision methods. See visual memory for words.
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Seek advice if the words learnt never stick over time, despite serious and regular revision. A temporary difficulty is normal; a difficulty that lasts for months or years is not. Note down some precise examples to show the doctor.
Also watch for phonetic spelling that persists beyond CE1 (Year 2), for words spelt in several different ways within the same text, and for a gap between their spoken abilities and their writing. Together, these signs suggest dysorthographia. The more of these signs there are, the more an assessment is justified.
Talk to the teacher and your GP, who can prescribe a speech and language therapy assessment. The earlier help arrives, the more confidence your child keeps. Waiting times for an assessment are often long, which is why it is worth planning ahead. See my child writes as they hear it.
The first rule is to limit the number of words. Five or six words well worked on during the week are worth more than twenty words skimmed over. If the class list is long, ask the teacher to shorten it: it is a simple and effective adjustment. Many teachers are happy to adapt it.
The second rule is to space out revision. Go over the words on the same day, the next day, then three days later, then the following week. These spaced reminders are the key to long-term memory, far more than intensive repetition. This rhythm may seem demanding, but a few minutes each time is enough.
The third rule is to regularly return to older words, even when they seem learnt. A short revision game once a week, using words from previous weeks, helps to consolidate them durably. You could make it a small routine, for example at breakfast.
Copying a word ten times rarely helps: copying becomes mechanical and attention drifts. It is better to look closely at the word, spot the tricky part, colour it in, then write the word from memory with the model covered, and check. This method requires a little more thought, but it is much more effective.
Use several channels: spell the word aloud, write it in the air or in sand, type it on a keyboard, draw it. The more senses are involved, the more solid the memory trace. Children who move a lot particularly enjoy these active approaches.
Give it meaning: word families, the word’s origin, short stories. Linking a drawing to the tricky letter also creates a strong visual landmark. Let your child take part in choosing the pictures and stories. See illustrated spelling and learning spelling differently.
While words are still settling in, tools can help your child write accurately. A small personal word book of difficult words, arranged alphabetically and kept in the pencil case, is a good start. Your child can add to it through the year, which makes them feel valued.
Posters in the classroom or at home, showing the most frequent invariable words, also serve as useful reference points. Your child can look at them when writing, without having to memorise everything. Change them regularly according to current difficulties.
From the end of primary school, the spell checker becomes a valuable ally for this profile. These tools do not replace learning, but they allow children to write with confidence. Above all, they help them keep faith in themselves. See memorising invariable words.
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Because revision just before the dictation relies on short-term memory. Without reminders spaced out over time, the words do not move into lasting memory. In a child with dysorthographia, this forgetting is even faster. That is why spaced revision is so important.
For a child who is struggling, five or six well-worked words are often enough. Fewer words that are truly learnt are better than many words quickly forgotten. You can ask the teacher to shorten the list. Talk to them to find the right balance.
Rarely. Repeated copying becomes mechanical. It is better to look at the word, spot the difficulty and write it from memory a few times, with revision spaced out over time. Each step should stay short to hold the child’s attention.
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