Spelling - Learning Disorders Message Board

Nicole-Brittany · 12-14-2003, 07:30 PM

Is there such a thing as a spelling disability? I am doing very well in school however I can't spell anything. Everyone just tells me to work harder at it but there is really nothing I can do. It is really annoying because on tests that is like the only thing that i lose marks on. Also, when I am really tired I tend to reverse my letters. Like instead of writing "cat" I would write "cta". Just wondering because I am sick of losing marks over this. No matter how hard I try i just can't do it.

Hope2Heal · 12-15-2003, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicole-Brittany

Is there such a thing as a spelling disability? I am doing very well in school however I can't spell anything. Everyone just tells me to work harder at it but there is really nothing I can do. It is really annoying because on tests that is like the only thing that i lose marks on. Also, when I am really tired I tend to reverse my letters. Like instead of writing "cat" I would write "cta". Just wondering because I am sick of losing marks over this. No matter how hard I try i just can't do it.

HI

You could have dyslexia. Also how is your reading skills? Usually the 2 are related. You may not notice it at much with reading if you are using surrounding information to understand the text. Do you read for enjoyment or only if you have to? Do you understand everything you read?

If it is only a matter of spelling only, it may be a problem with memorization skills. Basically, we are taught to read and write using phonics(sounding things out) but there are so many exceptions to the rule. Most people just memorize how words are spelled, it has nothing to do with how words sound. Maybe you can use the computer for papers and use the spell check. Or keep a list of words you spell wrong a lot and have it on hand to refer to. Also a pocket dictionary is helpful.

Good luck

plymouth · 12-21-2003, 09:04 PM

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cabmrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is that the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mind deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Bob2 · 12-27-2003, 10:02 AM

Nicole-Brittany

It could be that you have a problem that I discovered my daughter had. She is 21 years old now and doing well in college. The problem I discovered was when she was in fifth grade. She has a learning disability, known as speech processing delay. Anyway, I spent hours helping her with her home work, when she was in elementary school. What I discovered is she could not sound out a word by its syllables. She was trying to memorize every letter in each word. That would stretch any one's mind. If you sound out a word by its syllables, you are more than halfway to spelling it correctly. Of course, there are irregular words that this doesn't work on, but it will work on most words. I called her LD teacher and told her about the problem. The LD teacher tested all of the kids in the LD program and discovered it to be a common problem. Needless to say they worked on it and my daughter's ability to spell words correctly improved dramatically in a short time. The one hour or more I spent on her spelling each night turned into about 15 minutes.

Another thing you could do to help yourself is to read things. It doesn't matter what, just as long as you read. I bought my daughter every young girl magazine that interested her. I did not care if she read one article or many. I just wanted her to read. That also helped her.