{"id":344142,"date":"2026-08-15T11:07:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T11:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ora-visio.com\/speech-therapy-assessment-written-language\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T11:07:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T11:07:51","slug":"speech-therapy-assessment-written-language","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ora-visio.com\/en\/speech-therapy-assessment-written-language\/","title":{"rendered":"Speech Therapy Assessment for Written Language"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speech Therapy Assessment for Written Language: identifying dyslexia, dysorthographia and dysgraphia<\/em><\/h1>\n

Reading laboriously, piling up spelling mistakes, writing illegibly despite constant effort: these difficulties are neither a lack of effort nor a lack of willpower. They may signal a specific written language disorder<\/strong> \u2014 dyslexia, dysorthographia or dysgraphia \u2014 which deserves to be precisely identified in order to be effectively supported.<\/p>\n

The written language speech therapy assessment is the reference evaluation for making this diagnosis. Carried out by a state-qualified speech therapist, it produces an official report recognised for PAP<\/a> requests, MDPH files<\/a> and exam accommodations. On ORA-VISIO, this assessment can be done by video call, with no waiting list, from the end of Year 1 (CP) onwards.<\/p>\n

\n

Book a speech therapy assessment<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What does the written language speech therapy assessment evaluate?<\/h2>\n

Written language covers three major, distinct skills, which can be affected separately or simultaneously. The assessment explores all of them to build a precise picture of the child’s strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n

Reading (phonological and lexical routes).<\/strong> The speech therapist assesses the ability to decode regular words, irregular words and pseudo-words (invented, meaningless words), as well as reading speed, accuracy, fluency and text comprehension. These tests help distinguish different dyslexia profiles (phonological, surface or mixed) and identify the underlying cognitive mechanisms at fault.<\/p>\n

Spelling and writing to dictation.<\/strong> Dictation tests of words, sentences and texts assess mastery of spelling rules, lexical memory (how words are stored in the brain) and phonology (sound-letter correspondence). Qualitative error analysis \u2014 substitutions, omissions, reversals, phonetic errors \u2014 is as important as the numerical score.<\/p>\n

Written production.<\/strong> The child is asked to produce a spontaneous or guided text. The speech therapist observes layout, sentence structure, vocabulary used, spatial organisation and pen grip.<\/p>\n

Phonological awareness.<\/strong> An underlying skill for all written language learning, phonological awareness (the ability to manipulate the sounds of language) is systematically assessed, as a deficit here lies at the heart of most cases of dyslexia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Identifiable disorders: dyslexia, dysorthographia, dysgraphia<\/h2>\n

Dyslexia<\/h3>\n

Dyslexia is a specific, lasting reading disorder<\/strong>, not explained by intellectual disability, a vision problem or a lack of stimulation. It affects around 5 to 10% of school-aged children and shows up as slow, hesitant reading, with reversals, confusions or omissions of letters and syllables.<\/p>\n

It is often hereditary: a child with a dyslexic parent has a significantly increased risk of being affected themselves.<\/p>\n

Worth reading on this topic: What is the difference between dyslexia and dysorthographia?<\/a><\/p>\n

Dysorthographia<\/h3>\n

Dysorthographia is a specific spelling disorder<\/strong> that almost always accompanies dyslexia but can exist on its own. The child produces numerous, inconsistent errors \u2014 often phonetically plausible but graphically incorrect \u2014 and fails to memorise spelling rules despite repeated exposure.<\/p>\n

Both disorders share the same underlying cognitive mechanisms at fault, which is why they are explored together in the same assessment. As explained in the ORA-VISIO blog article on dyslexia and dysorthographia<\/a>, few children with dysorthographia have no reading difficulties at all.<\/p>\n

Dysgraphia<\/h3>\n

Dysgraphia is a disorder of handwriting<\/strong>: writing is illegible, slow, painful, disorganised, unrelated to the child’s intellectual level. It can occur alone or alongside dyspraxia. The written language assessment can identify dysgraphia, which will then be jointly managed by an occupational therapist<\/a> and a handwriting therapist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When should your child take this assessment?<\/h2>\n

The written language assessment is relevant from the end of Year 1 (CP) \u2014 once reading instruction has begun \u2014 and can be carried out at any age, including in adolescence and adulthood for people whose disorders were never identified.<\/p>\n

Signs that should alert you in a school-age child:<\/strong><\/p>\n