Orthographic Processing and Dyslexia: Why Spelling Can Be Difficult to Remember

Dyslexia test.

“Those spellings were right yesterday. Why can’t they remember them today?”

This is a question parents sometimes ask when their child practises carefully but struggles to use the same spellings later. Adults may recognise the experience too: knowing a word, understanding its meaning and still hesitating over how to spell it.

It can be frustrating, particularly when the difficulty is mistaken for carelessness or a lack of practice.

Understanding how we learn written words can help us respond more thoughtfully. One relevant area is orthographic processing.

What is orthographic processing?

“Orthographic” refers to the written form of language.

Orthographic knowledge includes knowledge of letters, their sequences and the spelling patterns used in words. We draw on this knowledge when recognising written words and retrieving their spellings.

For example, knowing that the sound at the beginning of “ship” is represented by “sh” helps connect spoken language with its written form.

As literacy develops, we also learn about recurring patterns and meaningful word parts. These connections help us read and spell more efficiently.

How do we learn to recognise words automatically?

When a word becomes familiar, we can often recognise it without consciously sounding it out.

That does not mean we have simply memorised a picture of the whole word. Learning to recognise written words involves connecting their letters with their pronunciation and meaning.

The process of securing these connections in memory is called orthographic mapping.

For a learner, this means paying attention to the sounds in a word and how those sounds are represented by letters. With successful learning, the written word becomes easier to recognise and retrieve.

How does this relate to dyslexia?

Orthographic skills can contribute to the difficulties experienced by someone with dyslexia. They are considered alongside reading, spelling, phonological processing and the wider assessment evidence.

However, difficulties with orthographic skills do not provide a diagnosis on their own. People with dyslexia also differ in their individual profiles.

The useful question is how the person’s knowledge of written language affects their reading and spelling, and what teaching or support would help.

What might spelling difficulties look like?

A child may spell a word correctly in a practice activity but struggle to produce it when writing a sentence. They might use a plausible spelling that represents the sounds but does not match the conventional spelling.

For example, writing “sed” for “said” suggests that the child has represented the spoken sounds but has not yet secured the word’s conventional spelling.

One mistake does not tell us why this happened. We need to consider patterns across their work, what they have been taught and how their skills are developing.

An adult may recognise the correct spelling when it is shown to them but find it difficult to retrieve independently. Recognising an answer and producing it from memory place different demands on the person.

Why can a spelling test look different from everyday writing?

A spelling test and a piece of writing are different tasks.

During a spelling test, a child can concentrate on the words they have practised. When writing independently, they also need to think about ideas, sentence construction and what they want to say next.

A correct spelling in one situation does not necessarily mean it is established securely enough to use consistently in another.

Rather than saying, “You know this word”, it may be more helpful to ask what support will help the child use it independently.

Are letter reversals proof of dyslexia?

No. Reversing letters such as “b” and “d” is not enough to identify dyslexia or explain a person’s spelling difficulties.

Reversals need to be considered in context, including the child’s age, experience and wider literacy development.

It is also important not to assume that handwriting difficulties, visual difficulties and orthographic difficulties are interchangeable. They involve different questions and may require different support.

An assessment investigates the pattern of difficulties rather than assigning a cause from one visible error.

How can spelling teaching help?

Spelling teaching should help learners understand how words work, rather than rely only on repeated copying.

Connect sounds with letters

Support the learner to say the word, identify its sounds and consider the letters or letter combinations representing them.

Where a spelling is less predictable, explain the particular part that needs attention. This makes the task more specific than asking someone to remember the entire word without guidance.

Teach patterns explicitly

Introduce a manageable number of spelling patterns and revisit them regularly.

Practise using them in words and sentences so that learning can extend beyond a weekly test.

Explore meaningful word parts

Prefixes, suffixes and root words can help explain connections between spellings.

For example, discussing “help”, “helpful” and “helpless” shows how a familiar base word connects with related words and meanings.

Teaching should be matched to the learner’s current knowledge and needs.

Provide opportunities to retrieve and use spellings

Looking at a spelling and producing it independently are different.

Build in supported opportunities to recall words and use them in writing, with feedback that helps the learner understand errors.

If something is not becoming secure, review the teaching approach rather than assuming that more of the same practice will solve it.

What can parents do at home?

Ask school which spelling skills your child is learning and how these are being taught. A shared approach can make practice clearer and more manageable.

Keep sessions short and focus on a small number of useful targets. When an error occurs, discuss the part of the word that needs attention rather than treating the whole attempt as wrong.

For longer writing tasks, a word bank or spelling tool may reduce interruptions. These supports can sit alongside teaching; they do not need to wait until the child can spell independently.

Also make room for your child’s ideas. If every conversation about their writing focuses on mistakes, they may become reluctant to express themselves.

What about adults?

Adults with persistent spelling difficulties deserve practical support too.

Spellcheck, predictive text and speech-to-text may help with particular tasks, although each requires checking and some familiarity with the tool.

A personal list of frequently used words, templates for recurring documents or a separate proofreading stage may also be worth trialling.

The aim is to find approaches that reduce the effort involved in everyday writing, while addressing any skills the person wants to develop.

How can an assessment help?

A dyslexia assessment considers spelling alongside reading skills, relevant processing skills, background information and observations.

The assessor looks at patterns of errors and how the person approaches tasks, rather than simply counting correct answers.

This can help explain the difficulties and inform recommendations. It does not mean that every spelling mistake has one underlying cause.

In my work, I want that explanation to support confidence as well as learning. Persistent spelling difficulties should not be interpreted as a judgement about someone’s intelligence or effort.

If you would like to discuss whether an assessment would help you or your child, you are welcome to book a free advice call.

You can also explore my free courses, videos and self-help guides for more information about dyslexia and supporting literacy.

Further reading

Linnea Ehri’s research explains orthographic mapping and how written words become established in memory.

The SpLD Assessment Standards Committee’s assessment guidance provides professional information about investigating literacy difficulties.