Imagine sitting with your child as they do their spelling homework. You’ve practiced the same words all week, but “because” still becomes becos, and “friend” turns into freind. You start to wonder whether they’re just distracted — or if something deeper is happening.
That repeating pattern might point to dysorthography, a learning difference that affects how the brain stores and recalls written words.
Here’s how to recognize it, what signs to look for at home, and how you can make writing practice less stressful.
Dysorthography in a Minute — Quick Glossary
🟠 Dysorthography: persistent difficulty storing and recalling correct spellings.
🟠 Spelling errors: wrong letter order, missing endings, or confusing sound-alike words.
🟠 Dyslexia vs dysorthography: dyslexia affects reading; dysorthography affects spelling.
🟠 Diagnosis: confirmed through language and writing assessments.
According to Wikipedia’s definition of dysorthography, it’s a specific learning disorder distinct from general intelligence or motivation. The challenge lies in encoding and retrieving the written form of words.
What Is Dysorthography?
Dysorthography is a language-based learning disorder that affects how children remember and reproduce correct spellings. These children often understand spoken language perfectly and have average or above-average intelligence — yet struggle when letters must match sounds on paper.
It’s not laziness or carelessness. Their brain simply processes written language differently.
A typical sign: your child can explain a story clearly out loud, but writes sentences full of missing endings or swapped letters. They might spell “there,” “their,” and “they’re” interchangeably, even after many reminders.
How Dysorthography Differs from Other Learning Differences
Parents often hear the words dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dysorthography and wonder which applies to their child. They sometimes overlap, but each describes a different difficulty.
Is Dysorthography the Same as Dyslexia?
Dyslexia primarily affects reading — the ability to decode printed words, read smoothly, and understand what’s read.
Dysorthography affects spelling — the ability to encode words accurately when writing.
Your child might read “friend” correctly yet consistently write frend. Both issues stem from phonological-processing weaknesses, but they appear in different parts of literacy.
According to the NCBI’s overview of dyslexia, dysorthography, and dyscalculia, the same underlying language difficulties can express themselves through separate symptoms in reading, writing, or math.
Find practical signs and examples in Dyslexia: What It Is and How to Recognize It Early.
Dysorthography vs Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia concerns handwriting and fine-motor control — how neatly and fluently a child forms letters.
Dysorthography concerns language and spelling rules. A child may have perfect handwriting yet write “beter” instead of better.
The Child Mind Institute explains that dysgraphia makes the physical act of writing hard, while dysorthography makes remembering spelling patterns difficult.
Telling the two apart matters: it helps teachers design support that truly fits your child.
Learn more in Dysgraphia: How to Recognize Symptoms in Children for a detailed explanation of handwriting-related challenges.
Everyday Signs You May Notice at Home
You’ll probably notice the first signs at the kitchen table during homework time. Your child seems bright, curious, and talkative, but when it’s time to write, something doesn’t add up. The sentences they speak fluently turn into messy, inconsistent spelling on paper. Written work doesn’t match what you know they understand.
These differences are often confusing for parents — you see clear thinking but inaccurate writing. Some parents initially mistake these writing challenges for handwriting problems.
Dysorthography can show up in small ways: longer homework time, frustration when copying from the board, or repeated requests for help spelling the same words again. Below are common signs parents report.
Frequent and Inconsistent Spelling Mistakes
Your child might spell the same word three different ways in one paragraph — “becos,” “becus,” and “because.” They often rely on sound alone, guessing at letters that seem right. Silent letters, irregular words, and vowel combinations are especially tricky.
Banter Speech notes that these patterns reflect difficulty connecting sounds (phonemes) to written symbols (graphemes). It’s not forgetfulness — it’s how the brain processes written language.
You may also notice that your child corrects one word but repeats the same mistake a few lines later. They might do well in oral quizzes yet fail spelling tests because spelling from memory feels unpredictable.
Typical examples include:
- beter for better
- freind for friend
- wat for what
- wich for which
If these errors keep reappearing despite practice, it’s a sign your child is memorizing by sound, not visual pattern.
Trouble Remembering Word Patterns
Children with dysorthography have trouble remembering what words look like, even when they’ve written them correctly before. They forget silent letters, double consonants, or endings like -ed, -ing, and -tion. You might see knite for knight, haping for hopping, or maked for made.
Repetition often doesn’t fix the problem because their orthographic memory — the brain’s visual record of word patterns — doesn’t store these details reliably. Instead of automatic recall, each word feels new every time.
To help, use color-coding or visual anchors. Highlight tricky letters in bright colors, underline endings, or group similar patterns together (“make,” “cake,” “take”). Some parents keep a small notebook of “tricky words” where children decorate or illustrate the hardest ones. The more senses involved, the better the retention.
You can see similar multisensory methods described in Dysgraphia Exercises: 7 Ideas You Can Do at Home — short, engaging tasks that strengthen memory through touch and movement.
Table: Common Spelling Error Types in Dysorthography
| Error Type | Example | What It Shows |
| Phonetic | “beter” for better | Sound–letter confusion |
| Visual | “frend” for friend | Weak orthographic memory |
| Morphological | “hoping” vs hopping | Difficulty applying suffix rules |
Avoiding Writing Tasks
Avoidance is one of the most overlooked signs. Many children with dysorthography dread writing, not because they don’t have ideas, but because getting them on paper feels exhausting. Homework may end in tears, frustration, or endless erasing. Some children write only the bare minimum or try to keep answers short to avoid mistakes.
Perfectionism can also appear — they might refuse to hand in work they think looks “messy” or insist on rewriting everything. Over time, this can lower confidence and make children believe they’re “bad at school,” even when they’re capable thinkers.
To make writing less stressful, start small. Label drawings, write shopping lists, or type short text messages together. You can also let your child dictate stories while you write them down — they’ll see their ideas valued without the spelling pressure.
These low-pressure tasks rebuild confidence and remind them that their ideas matter more than perfect spelling.
How Schools Assess Dysorthography
If your child’s spelling stays unpredictable despite steady effort, schools can arrange an evaluation to understand why.
What Dysorthography Testing Looks Like
A full assessment usually includes:
- dictation or copy tasks,
- standardized spelling tests,
phonological-awareness and memory exercises, - analysis of the types of errors made.
As Aiderson Enfant explains, the goal isn’t just counting mistakes but identifying underlying patterns — for example, whether the child confuses similar sounds or forgets word endings.
Who Does the Testing
Evaluations are usually carried out by school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, or special-education teachers. You’ll receive a written report explaining test results and suggested interventions.
Why Early Testing for Dysorthography Helps
Early identification prevents a cycle of frustration and self-doubt. If you notice recurring issues, save a few samples of your child’s writing across subjects — these help specialists see consistent patterns and decide what kind of support is needed.
Practical Things You Can Try at Home
You don’t need to turn your living room into a classroom. A few playful routines can make spelling easier and reduce stress.
Three easy spelling habits to start today:
- Keep a small, tricky-word notebook where your child writes words that often trip them up.
- Use color or highlighting for silent letters and endings.
- End each session by typing or saying aloud three new words.
Make Spelling Multisensory
Let your child trace letters in salt, sand, or shaving cream. Say each sound while writing.
Combining visual, auditory, and tactile input helps the brain store word patterns more effectively.
Banter Speech recommends using materials children enjoy, such as magnetic letters or simple apps that read words aloud.
Spot and Chunk Word Patterns
Show how long words contain smaller parts — “un-help-ful,” “re-member”. Breaking them down helps children see that words follow rules rather than random sequences.
Compare it to cooking: you add ingredients step by step; spelling works the same way.
Keep Practice Short and Positive
Aim for 5- to 10-minute sessions several times a week instead of long, tiring drills. Praise effort and small progress. Avoid correcting every word — choose one focus each time, such as final consonants or vowel pairs.
Encouragement builds persistence, while constant correction creates resistance.
When to Seek Professional Support
All children make mistakes. But if spelling remains unpredictable even after steady practice, it might be time for professional insight.
Warning Signs
- Spelling two grade levels below reading level
- Forgetting familiar words soon after learning them
- Trouble applying spelling rules independently
- Family history of dyslexia or other learning differences
Next Steps
Start by talking with the classroom teacher about your observations. Ask if similar issues appear at school. If concerns persist, request a referral for a language or learning assessment through the school or a private specialist.
Aiderson Enfant and NCBI both note that testing helps identify strengths as well as weaknesses, guiding targeted support rather than labels. Testing isn’t about assigning a diagnosis — it’s about understanding how your child learns best.
Encouragement for Parents
Dysorthography doesn’t define your child’s intelligence or potential. It simply means they learn the written form of language differently. Progress can be slow, but it’s steady when teaching matches how their brain processes words.
Stay patient, celebrate small victories, and remember that spelling skill grows through consistent, gentle practice — not pressure.
With time, guidance, and belief in their abilities, your child can become a confident writer who feels proud of every word they master.
Support for Children with Dysorthography
Home adjustments help, but some children need more than extra time or practice sheets. Tutoring for dysorthography provides focused support that blends patience with structure. A skilled tutor helps your child improve spelling step by step, turning frustration into confidence.
Private lessons offer one-on-one attention that classrooms often can’t provide. Tutors use multisensory techniques such as tracing words in sand, saying sounds aloud, or grouping similar word patterns. These methods help the brain link what it sees, hears, and writes, making spelling more consistent and less stressful.
Parents often look for local help using phrases like “dysorthography tutor London”, “spelling support Manchester”, “private teacher for dysorthography Leeds”, or “writing lessons Birmingham.” On meet’n’learn, you can find tutors who understand learning differences and adapt lessons to your child’s pace.
Dysorthography: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is dysorthography in simple terms?
Dysorthography means your child has ongoing spelling difficulties, even though they understand language well. It’s a language-processing difference — their brain struggles to store correct written forms of words.
2. Is dysorthography the same as dyslexia?
No. Dyslexia affects reading, while dysorthography affects spelling and written expression. Some children have both, but the symptoms and strategies are different.
3. How can I tell if my child has dysorthography?
Look for inconsistent spelling errors, forgetting familiar words, or avoiding writing tasks. If problems persist despite practice, talk to the teacher or a specialist.
4. Can dysorthography be cured?
It’s not something to “cure,” but children improve significantly with proper support, structured spelling programs, and multisensory learning techniques.
5. At what age can dysorthography be diagnosed?
Usually, around age 7–8, when formal spelling instruction begins. Earlier signs can appear in preschool through poor phonological awareness.
6. How can I help my child at home?
Keep practice short and positive, use color-coding, and let them trace words while saying sounds aloud. Celebrate small progress, not perfection.
7. Do children with dysorthography need special education?
Not always. Many succeed in mainstream classrooms with adjustments like extra time, reduced writing load, or oral testing options.
8. Can tutoring help with dysorthography?
Yes. A qualified tutor can teach spelling rules and memory strategies tailored to your child’s learning style, often leading to visible improvement in confidence and school results.
