The difference between dysgraphia and dyslexia
Dyslexia and dysgraphia are both learning differences. Dyslexia primarily affects reading. Dysgraphia mainly affects writing. While they’re different issues, the two are easy to confuse. They share symptoms and often occur together. This simple table can help you tell them apart.
Dysgraphia | Dyslexia | |
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What is it? | An issue that involves difficulty with the physical act of writing. Kids may also find it hard to organize and express their thoughts and ideas in written form. | An issue that involves difficulty with reading. It can also affect writing, spelling, and speaking. Kids may find it hard to isolate sounds, match sounds to letters or blend sounds into words. |
Signs you may notice |
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Possible emotional and social impact | Messy written work that’s full of mistakes may lead kids to hear they’re “lazy” or “sloppy.” Confusion or frustration at school can make them anxious. They may avoid taking risks and may have low self-esteem. | Not meeting expectations can make kids feel inadequate. Missing verbal jokes, sarcasm and subtle meaning in language can affect them socially. So can struggling to come up with the right word or timely answer to a question. |
What can help |
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Accommodations |
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What you can do at home |
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If your child is struggling with reading or writing, it can be difficult to know exactly what the problem is. Talking to your child’s teacher about what she has observed is a good starting point. Together you can develop a plan. There are lots of ways to help kids with reading and writing issues succeed in school.