Some children have fluent speech, a rich vocabulary and form logically connected sentences. At the same time, however, when they start to write, they struggle—skipping letters, confusing words, making spelling mistakes, or producing an incoherent text. This difference shows that while the skills for speaking and writing are closely linked, they rely on different brain processes.
Speech is an instantaneous process that we can divide into three main stages: a thought process (the brain forms an idea of what it wants to say), a language process (the idea becomes words, sentences, and grammatical rules), and a speech process (the brain sends signals to the muscles of the face, tongue, and vocal cords to produce the sounds). All of these steps happen in a fraction of a second, which makes speech a spontaneous and intuitive skill.
Written language is a more complex and conscious process. It requires the child to convert the sounds they hear (phonemes) into graphic symbols (letters). This process is called phonemic analysis and synthesis and is the basis of literacy. It's different from the process of speaking because it requires a conscious breakdown of words into individual sounds, and then associating each sound with a specific written symbol. This is precisely why a child who speaks well can have problems with writing. The problem isn't in their linguistic thinking, but in the specific neurological pathway needed to turn a sound into a letter. If the perception of sounds isn't perfect, it will affect their writing.
How to Recognise the Problem
- At the level of letters and sounds: They skip, add, or swap letters when writing, or confuse sounds that are close in their point of articulation.
- When writing words: Even when they can handle individual letters, the child may have difficulty arranging them correctly within the word.
- At the level of sentences and text: The child avoids writing because they struggle to build a complete sentence. Their texts are short and made up of simple, disconnected sentences, while they express themselves completely freely in spoken language.
- When reading: They often have difficulty reading words they've just written. This can show a lack of connection between what they write and what they read.
- When taking dictation: The child writes slowly and hesitates when trying to write a word from dictation. To write the word, they must first break it down into individual sounds and then put it back together.
How to Help
- Sound chain: Say one word, and the child must say another that begins with the last sound of the previous one.
- Clap for syllables: Say a word and clap for each syllable. Then, the child can try to guess the word just by the number of syllables.
- Word hunters: During a walk or at home, the child can look for objects that start with a specific sound or contain a particular letter in the middle.
- Analyse the text: While reading, ask questions such as: "Why do you think the character did that?" or "What do you think will happen next?"
- Retell together: After the child finishes a story, have them retell it. Even if they don't use the exact same words, it's important that they can recreate the plot and sequence of events.
- Play a play: Assign the roles of characters from a story. This connects words with emotions and actions, which makes them easier to remember.
- One after the other: Start a story with a sentence, and the child adds the next one. Take turns until you have a whole story.
- Letter to a favourite character: Encourage the child to write a letter to their favourite animated character, athlete, or a figure they admire. The goal is for them to write out of motivation, not a sense of duty.
- Draw and write: Have the child draw something they like and then write just two or three words that describe the drawing. They can then be encouraged to structure a whole sentence.
Speaking and writing are like two hands that work together to express a person's thoughts. With patience and the right games, you will help the child build this connection and feel confident in their abilities.