Orthographic Disabilities and Language Learning
February 26, 2025
Dyslexia and dysgraphia are two distinct orthographic disabilities, each affecting individuals learning a new language in unique ways. Dyslexia primarily impacts reading and language processing, leading to difficulties with word reading, decoding, oral reading fluency, and spelling. On the other hand, dysgraphia is associated with challenges in writing and motor skills, which can result in handwriting issues and struggles with written expression.
While dyslexia revolves around processing language, dysgraphia focuses on the mechanics of writing. Interestingly, dysgraphia can occur independently or alongside dyslexia and other language-related disorders, such as oral and written language learning disabilities (also known as selective language impairment). For individuals with dysgraphia, writing abilities often do not align with their cognitive age, despite having received adequate instruction.
Symptoms of dysgraphia can vary depending on the individual’s age, highlighting the importance of identifying and addressing these conditions with tailored support and interventions. Symptoms of dyslexia can vary depending on severity of the language learning disability and the specific challenges the individual faces with reading and writing. However, as symptoms of dyslexia manifest, it can look different in young children when compared to dyslexic adults.
Varying degrees of language learning challenges...
Since each person is unique, so is everyone’s experience with dyslexia and dysgraphia with the severity of either ranging from mild to severe. Neither language learning disability goes away on its own nor does the individual outgrow the specific learning difficulties. So, there’s no cure that makes these conditions go away but that doesn’t mean that people with the disorder can’t become more successful at language-based activities. While dyslexia affects people of all ages, it is more commonly identified in children during early schooling years. Although dysgraphia affects men more often than women, there are as many adults living with the language learning disability as there are children.
The Role of Orthographic Mapping & Decoding
Orthographic mapping is the process of linking a word’s sounds to its written form, enabling it to be permanently stored in long-term memory. This differs from orthographic decoding, which is a technique used to learn how to read words by blending letter sounds together. Moreover, orthographic processing plays a crucial role in forming, storing, and recalling words using the visual system, while orthographic coding focuses on the ability to store and manipulate written words in memory.
At an early age, people with dysgraphia or orthographic processing difficulties may struggle with orthographic coding. In fact, children may have physical problems in planning finger movements to form words while writing with a pencil or pen. Since orthographic coding requires developing the ability to store written words in working memory while the letters in the word are analyzed, they may also make multiple spelling errors and can fail to become fluent readers and writers, as the ability to create permanent memory is linked to word pronunciation and meaning.
Orthography encompasses the rules of written language, such as spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, which students learn by connecting letter patterns to specific sounds. Orthographic processing requires having the ability to recognize and recall written words and their components. Strong orthographic processing is essential for reading fluency. While not all children with dyslexia struggle, research suggests that deficits in orthographic processing can impact the accuracy and speed of retrieving written information.
Dyslexia Language Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia is a language-based learning challenge that predominantly impacts reading and spelling abilities. It refers to a spectrum of symptoms, where individuals can experience significant challenges that often stem from trouble decoding sounds and connecting them to corresponding letters. As a result, learning a new language can be especially difficult for those with dyslexia. Beyond reading, dyslexic individuals may face struggles with spelling, writing, pronouncing words, and grasping complex grammar in foreign languages.
Contrary to common misconceptions, dyslexia is not due to vision issues or reading letters backward. Instead, it is linked to a deficit in phonological processing, which is the ability to distinguish and manipulate individual sounds in words. This foundational difficulty makes associating new sounds with letters in another language a significant hurdle. Difficulties with native language spelling often carry over into second-language learning. But, languages like Spanish with simpler letter-sound relationships are more accessible for dyslexics.
One effective strategy for language learning with dyslexia is to prioritize listening and speaking over reading and writing. While some individuals with dyslexia can decode words in their native language, they may find it challenging to understand complex vocabulary or sentence structures in a foreign language. By focusing on oral comprehension and verbal communication first, they can build a foundation without the added complexity of written language. Stealth dyslexia is subtype identified by measuring visual-spatial processing where individuals read normally.
Dysgraphia Language Learning Disabilities
Dysgraphia is a neurological condition that impacts writing ability, causing distorted or incorrect written expression. While not officially recognized as a standalone diagnosis, it is typically considered a result of developmental coordination disorder or a specific learning disorder. Dysgraphia can exist on its own or alongside other learning challenges such as dyslexia or ADHD. Described as the "forgotten learning disability" by psychologist Robert C. Colligan, it often remains underdiagnosed despite its impact on academic performance.
Since dysgraphia is an invisible disability, it can complicate language learning and writing acquisition in otherwise typically developing learners. Research supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development highlights potential instructional strategies to support students with dysgraphia. These include focusing on attention during letter formation, spelling, idea generation, and composition. For those with co-occurring ADHD, explicit attention strategies while writing are particularly important.
To mitigate challenges, students should focus on oral communication and listening comprehension first by using tools like voice recorders and incorporate multisensory approaches, such as visual aids, gestures, and physical activities. Assistive technologies like text-to-speech software and specialized writing tools can also provide valuable support. Building a routine with short practice sessions rather than less-frequent longer sessions and advocating for typing instead of handwriting supports language learning success.
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By identifying children with visual processing deficits more effectively, experts hope to develop targeted training methods to enhance fluency in individuals with orthographic problems. At ProLingo, we encourage everyone to exercise their language learning skills whenever the opportunity arises, regardless of their challenges or handicaps. To learn more about today’s multilingual world, contact a language specialist at ProLingo at 800-287-9755.
