--- title: Is it OK to let my child with dyslexia use spellcheck? description: When is it OK to let your child with dyslexia start using spellcheck? What are the best spellcheckers for kids with dyslexia to use? Get an expert’s advice. slug: is-it-okay-to-let-my-child-with-dyslexia-use-spell-check author: Elizabeth Babbin, EdD published: '2019-08-05T15:57:41.573Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/B2291CBD98B8405C8B213A0ECF0389D5/4910fd50905b8d3c1be4a1faab616144/46570844.jpg source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/is-it-okay-to-let-my-child-with-dyslexia-use-spell-check lang: en --- # Is it OK to let my child with dyslexia use spellcheck? **Q. ****My fifth grader has dyslexia, and spelling is a huge problem. Should I start letting her use spellcheck this soon, or would that be letting her off the hook, so to speak? Any guidance on when or how often kids with dyslexia should be allowed to use spellcheck?** **A. **Waiting to introduce spellcheck might be the best choice if your fifth grader is spelling significantly below grade level. Why? Because spellcheck won’t be very helpful unless your child understands some basic rules about spelling. Does your child know how words are formed and how they fit together in sentences? Is she still struggling to master the connection between letters and sounds? Ask your child’s teachers to see whether they recommend using spellcheck now or if they recommend waiting. The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) recommends waiting until a child is spelling at a fifth-grade level. The IDA also advises that kids start out using spellcheck with an adult. Your child will need help learning to use this tool. She’ll also need you to be her proofreader, at least in the beginning. That’s because the spellcheck tools in Microsoft Word and other mainstream programs don’t do a great job of examining words *in context*. Let’s say your child types “I lik this storie.” Microsoft Word’s spellcheck will flag *lik* and suggest a long list of words to use instead. The tool’s first three suggested replacements for *lik* are *like*, *ilk* and *lick*. Hopefully your child will know to choose *like*. Then the spellcheck will flag *storie *and suggest *stories* as the top choice to replace it. If your child chooses *stories*, then the updated sentence will be “I like this stories.” But that updated sentence isn’t right either. The next step is the spellcheck tool asking if your child wants to say *these stories* or *this story*. This means it takes three steps to correct a four-word sentence. I’m using this example to show how a mainstream spellcheck tool can only help if your child is able to read each suggestion and figure out which one is the correct match. This can be a tall order. Even with the help of one of these spellcheck tools, your child is still likely to have trouble putting her thoughts down on paper. When you and the teachers decide your child is ready to use spellcheck, you might want to look for tools that were developed for students with dyslexia. These tools usually do a better job. They tend to correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Examples include Ghotit and VeritySpell. Both are good for children, especially under the watchful eye of a parent or teacher. Both tools also define each suggestion and show examples of how to use it. This feature can help kids with dyslexia find the word they’re trying to spell. Lots of [apps, games, and other tools](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/specialfunctional-needs) can help kids practice spelling. But the most important way to help your child with dyslexia is to work on connecting letters and sounds. That skill is called [phonological awareness](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/phonological-awareness-what-it-is-and-how-it-works). And it’s the foundation for learning to read — and spell. --- ## Explore related topics and articles - [I think my child has dyslexia. Now what?](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/does-my-child-have-dyslexia) - Your child struggles with reading. Maybe sounding out wordsis a challenge. Or reading without making a lot of mistakes. Could this be dyslexia? If you think your child has dyslexia, you may worry about what it means. There are a few things to know. First, dyslexia is very common. Second, kids who ha - [Understanding dyslexia in your child](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/dyslexia-in-children) - Kids with dyslexia need different types of help at different times. You may not yet know if your child has dyslexia. But the more you understand about this common learning difference, the better you can support your child. With the right support, kids who struggle with readingcan improve skills and - [The question I’m always asked about my son’s dyslexia](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/the-question-im-always-asked-about-my-sons-dyslexia) - As a parent of a child with dyslexia, Ive struggled for years to come up with an answer to one question. Its a question Im often asked by other parents of children with dyslexia. It usually comes after we talk about shared experiences when we saw the warning signs, where we looked for help, how scho --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/is-it-okay-to-let-my-child-with-dyslexia-use-spell-check#webpage","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/is-it-okay-to-let-my-child-with-dyslexia-use-spell-check","description":"When is it OK to let your child with dyslexia start using spellcheck? What are the best spellcheckers for kids with dyslexia to use? 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