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Does your child make a lot of spelling mistakes, despite revised dictations and hours spent on homework? Not all errors are a sign of dysorthographia. But some, when they build up and last, should alert you. Here are the signs to look out for, by type of error and by age, so you know when to seek advice. Bear in mind that no single sign is enough on its own: it is their accumulation that matters.
All children make mistakes while learning to write. What sets dysorthographia apart is the intensity and duration of the errors. Your child makes noticeably more mistakes than their classmates, and their progress remains very slow despite practice. The difference shows mainly over time, over several months, and not from one bad dictation.
Another characteristic sign is inconsistency. A word spelt correctly on Monday will be misspelt on Tuesday, or spelt in two different ways within the same piece of writing. A well-prepared dictation may go well at home and badly in class. This lack of consistency often unsettles parents, who think it is a lack of attention.
Finally, the gap between spoken and written language is striking. Your child expresses themselves well, has a good vocabulary and plenty of ideas, yet their written texts do not reflect their level at all. This contrast is one of the most telling signs, and it is worth mentioning to the doctor.
Some errors concern the correspondence between sounds and letters. The child confuses similar sounds, such as “f” and “v”, “t” and “d”, “ch” and “j”. They may write “fache” for “vache” or “chardin” for “jardin”. These confusions often stem from difficulty distinguishing close sounds, not from a hearing problem.
They may also leave out letters or syllables (“arbe” for “arbre”), add some, or put them in the wrong order (“boulson” for “blouson”). They may also write certain words in such an unrecognisable way that they struggle to proofread their own work.
These errors are normal at the start of CP. They become a warning sign when they persist in CE1 and beyond. Note down a few precise examples: they will be useful at the medical appointment. To learn more, read our page on phonological dysorthographia.
Other errors show a difficulty in memorising the visual image of words. The child writes phonetically: “oto” for “auto”, “fame” for “femme”, “sinéma” for “cinéma”. What they write can be read aloud, but the spelling is wrong. This is a sign of difficulty in memorising the visual form of words.
Common words that are learnt by heart, such as “beaucoup”, “toujours” or “maintenant”, remain difficult even after many revisions. Weekly word lists seem to vanish as soon as the dictation is over. They may get the week’s dictation right, then write the same words incorrectly a few days later.
The child also struggles to split words correctly: “la vion”, “lécole”, “il sapelle”. These splits show that the child has difficulty identifying where each word begins and ends. If your child writes as they hear it, it is not necessarily laziness.
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Grammar is often the most visible area, especially from CE2 onwards. Agreements are forgotten: plurals without “s”, adjectives not agreeing, verbs conjugated at random. They may also add agreements at random, inserting “s” or “nt” where none are needed.
Homophones cause many problems: “a” and “à”, “et” and “est”, “son” and “sont”, “ces” and “ses”. Often, the child knows the rule and can explain it, but does not think to apply it when writing. The gap between the lesson recited and the written exercise is very characteristic.
This is typical: writing requires thinking about meaning, words, handwriting and rules all at once. For a child with dysorthographia, that is too much at once, and grammar gets dropped. Errors increase markedly in longer texts and when they write quickly. See also my child forgets agreements.
In grande section, dysorthographia is not yet discussed. But certain difficulties may point to a disorder: struggling to play with sounds, to find rhymes, or to split a word into syllables. These signs are not a diagnosis, but they warrant attention and a conversation with the teacher.
In CP and CE1, it is the persistence of sound confusions and phonetic spelling that should raise concern. In CE2 and at the end of primary school, it is more often agreements, conjugation and an inability to memorise words. A child who progresses very slowly despite the help provided in class should be flagged.
At secondary school, difficulties affect all subjects, as a great deal of writing is required, and quickly. Some children have been compensating until then and fall behind at this stage. Mistakes may also appear in foreign languages, with the same types of errors. See the signs in adolescents.
Dysorthographia is not only visible on the page. Many children affected are very slow at writing, as each word requires effort. They tire quickly and do not finish their exercises. Homework can become a moment of tension, even conflict, at home.
Some avoid writing: they write as little as possible, choose simple words they know how to spell, or refuse to do their homework. Others lose confidence in themselves: “I’m useless”, “I’ll never manage”. These avoidance strategies can give the impression of a lack of motivation, when it is often a matter of self-protection.
These reactions are important signals. They show that your child is suffering from their difficulties, and that it is time to understand what is going on rather than constantly asking for more effort. Reassure them: they are not useless, they simply need to learn differently.
Start by speaking to the teacher: they see your child writing every day and can compare them with other pupils. On your side, also note the recurring errors, with examples. Keep a few exercise books and dictations: they will give the professional a concrete idea of the difficulties.
Then make an appointment with your GP or your paediatrician. They will check vision and hearing, then prescribe a speech and language therapy assessment if needed. The school doctor may also be consulted. Other tests may complete the assessment if the doctor considers it useful.
Do not wait for things to sort themselves out: waiting times for an assessment are often long. The earlier help arrives, the more confidence your child keeps in themselves. In the meantime, simple adjustments can already be put in place in class with the teacher. See who to consult for dysorthographia.
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Signs can appear as early as CP, but the diagnosis is generally made from CE1 or CE2. Before then, many errors are part of normal learning. Early identification remains useful for starting support without delay. Talk to the teacher and the doctor as soon as the difficulties worry you.
No. Mistakes can come from a lack of practice, a vision or hearing problem, a difficult period, or an attention disorder. Only a speech and language therapy assessment can establish whether it is dysorthographia. A medical opinion helps rule out these other causes before speaking of a disorder.
Yes. Dysorthographia can exist without dyslexia. Some children read well, even very well, but remain in great difficulty as soon as they have to write words or apply rules. These difficulties are often poorly understood, which is why an assessment is worthwhile to get things clear.
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