My Child has a Learning Disability in writing

This page is dedicated to Learning Disability in Writing. See separate pages for a description of Learning Disability in Reading and Learning Disability in Math.

Other types of learning disabilities can also occur. For example, a child with intellectual disability or language impairment could have difficulty mastering reading, writing, and math. These other forms of learning difficulty are described separately.

Essential skill: phonics

We discussed phonics in the chapter on Learning Disability in Reading. Phonics is as critical to reading as it is to writing. Just as we ‘decode’ text when we sound out letters and words in print, we also have to be able ‘encode’ the sounds of English into the right letters and words to create printed text. Encoding is the mirror image of Decoding.

Your child will not become a good encoder unless they are also a good decoder. These two skills are inter-dependent and support each other. For struggling encoders, decoding and encoding need to be taught together. Spelling is the same thing as ‘encoding.’

what it looks like when writing is under-developed

Children who struggle with writing will commonly show poor letter formation, poor spacing of letters on the page, and spelling errors. They may wish to avoid writing altogether. They are likely to have difficulty with reading.

However, spelling is not the only skill that the young learner needs to master in order to be a proficient writer. There are several skills that children have to master before they become proficient writers. Click on the button below to see the full framework for Writing.

ready for a deeper dive?

If your child is struggling to write, you will likely need to look at the entire Writing Skills Framework. Even though phonics and spelling are the critical first skills that your child needs to master, there are other skills that your child also needs to develop before they will become a good writer. Click on the button below to learn more.