Your child can tell you all about their weekend, with characters, jokes and sound effects. Then they sit down to write two sentences about it and the page comes back nearly blank, or full of words spelled three different ways. Homework turns into a nightly battle, and it's hard to tell whether the problem is effort, handwriting, spelling or something else. This post explains why writing is so demanding, how spelling and writing connect to spoken language, and what parents can do when writing is consistently hard.
Why is writing so much harder than talking?
Writing asks a child to do many things at once. A review in Translational Pediatrics describes writing as "a complex process that requires the higher order cognition (language, verbal working memory and organization) coordinated with motor planning and execution."[3] The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) puts it similarly: "Written expression is a complex process. It requires the ability to use language with other skills at the same time. This includes attention, organization, planning and movement coordination."[2]
Even one sentence involves several steps. The same review lists them: "(I) internally creating the desired statement; (II) segmenting the desired statements into sections for transcription; (III) retaining the sections in verbal working memory while executing the task of writing; and (IV) checking that the completed written product matches the original thought."[3] As children get older, the load grows. "Beyond the early school years, writing projects require the additional ability to organize, plan, and implement a complete written product. Such tasks require the recruitment of executive functioning and higher-order language processing."[3]
Writing also starts small. Among the CDC's milestones for 5-year-olds is "Writes some letters in her name."[5] From there, the demands build year after year.
Is it a handwriting problem or a language problem?
Sometimes it's one, sometimes the other, and sometimes both. The AAP separates two kinds of difficulty:
- Dysgraphia, which the AAP describes as "difficulty with the physical act of writing. It can affect handwriting or typing on a keyboard."[2]
- Disorder of written expression: "Sometimes a child has difficulty using the language or concepts involved to express themselves in writing. This is called disorder of written expression. The condition may also be referred to as a written language disorder."[2]
In the AAP's words, "Dysgraphia, which involves the mechanical skills of writing, is only half the story when it comes to writing challenges."[2] The two can affect each other, too. The AAP notes that dysgraphia "causes children to focus a great deal on physically transcribing words. This, in turn, can affect how they think about and convey ideas."[2]
Experts don't fully agree on the labels. The Translational Pediatrics review notes that "Much controversy exists regarding the precise definition of and deficits seen in dysgraphia," and that some researchers "have placed much more focus on the language processing deficits related to written expression, with less emphasis on any motor issues."[3] For parents, the practical point is that a writing struggle can have more than one cause, and figuring out which pieces are hard is the first step.
What does spelling have to do with language?
Spelling can look like a memory task, but researchers describe it as a language skill. When a child spells a word someone says aloud, the Translational Pediatrics review explains, "the listener must utilize phonological awareness to access phonological long-term memory and the associated lexical-semantic representations."[3] In plainer terms, a child has to hear the sounds in the word, connect it to its meaning, and then recall how those sounds are written. If phonological awareness is new to you, our post on phonological awareness explains it.
Sounds aren't the whole picture in English. Word parts matter as well. Researchers McCutchen and Stull write that "the development of spelling skill reflects contributions of morphological knowledge, at least for writers of English." Morphology means the meaningful parts of words, like roots, prefixes and suffixes. They explain that English spelling does not "map phonology directly," and that spelling skills are related to "writers' growing awareness of how orthography reflects both morphology and phonology."[4] That's why, as they put it, "the same spelling is maintained across different pronunciations (heal, health)."[4]
Some spelling mistakes are a normal part of learning. The same authors note that children "experiment with linguistic rules as they acquire them, evidenced by young children's invented spellings," and that "Although such errors reflect incomplete knowledge, they suggest a developing understanding of how linguistic rules function."[4] A young child who writes a word the way it sounds is often showing what they know, not just what they don't.
Can a language disorder show up as a writing problem?
Yes, it can. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) defines developmental language disorder (DLD) as "a communication disorder that interferes with learning, understanding, and using language," and says that "DLD can affect a child's speaking, listening, reading, and writing."[1] Among the symptoms NIDCD lists as common in older children and adults with DLD are "Disorganized storytelling and writing" and "Frequent grammatical and spelling errors."[1]
NIDCD explains that children with DLD "may struggle with translating letters into sounds for reading. Their writing skills may be weakened by grammatical errors, limited vocabulary, and problems with comprehension and organizing thoughts into coherent sentences." It adds that "Some children with DLD may show signs of dyslexia," and that "By the time they reach adulthood, people with DLD are six times more likely to be diagnosed with reading and spelling disabilities" than people without DLD.[1]
Writing problems also travel with reading problems more broadly. The Translational Pediatrics review reports that "Depending on the definitions utilized, anywhere from 30% to 47% of children with writing problems also have reading problems."[3] The AAP notes that dyslexia "mostly affects reading" but "can also affect writing, spelling and speaking."[2] Our post on how speech-language pathologists help with dyslexia goes into that connection.
Some signs parents and teachers may notice, drawn from the sources above, include:
- Frequent spelling and grammar errors in written work[1]
- Written stories or reports that are hard to follow or out of order[1]
- For school-age children, "Difficulty with word-finding, sentence completion, and written comprehension"[3]
- For teens, "Difficulty with written syntax and written grammar that is not duplicated with oral tasks"[3]
These are examples, not a checklist, and none of them on its own means a child has a disorder. Only a qualified professional can sort out what's behind a writing difficulty.
Not lazy, not sloppy: The Translational Pediatrics review notes that "students with difficulty writing are often mislabeled as sloppy or lazy rather than being recognized as having a learning disorder."[3] The AAP agrees that having dysgraphia "does not mean that a student is lazy or that they lack intelligence."[2]
What helps at school and at home?
For students with disorders of written expression, the AAP lists school accommodations and strategies that "may include":[2]
- "Extended time on tests and assignments"
- "Very clear instructions"
- "Word banks"
- "Pre-writing exercises such as brainstorming, creating mind maps or other visual organizers"
- "Assistive technologies such as grammar and spelling checkers and talk-to-text programs"
Technology helps with some parts of writing but not all of them. The Translational Pediatrics review cautions that "accommodations may not directly address impairment of executive functioning tasks related to writing, including planning and organization," and that computers and voice-to-text "do not address higher-level writing difficulties."[3] That's one reason it helps to know which parts of writing are hard for your child.
At home, the AAP suggests "practicing keyboarding skills or trying a handwriting program" for children with dysgraphia, and working on letter formation "in a new and fun way, such as writing in the air, in shaving cream or in sand!"[2] Because writing starts with language, talking through ideas before your child writes, and asking them to tell you their story out loud first, can be a low-pressure place to start.
Who can evaluate my child's writing difficulties?
Writing problems often need more than one set of eyes. The Translational Pediatrics review says a learning disability diagnosis is "typically made in an educational setting by a team assessment, which often includes occupational therapists, speech therapists, physical therapists, special education teachers, and educational psychologists."[3] The AAP adds that "It is often helpful to have a full learning disorder evaluation done through school or privately."[2]
When language may be part of the picture, NIDCD notes that "a speech-language pathologist (a professional trained to assess and treat people with speech or language problems) can evaluate the child's language skills." For school-age children with DLD, NIDCD says treatment may include "Improving speaking, reading, and writing skills," and that people "can benefit from treatment regardless of when it begins."[1] Every child is different, and progress varies.
If you'd like to learn more, see our reading and literacy services and our speech and language evaluations.
The bottom line
Writing pulls together language, memory, organization and fine motor skills all at once, so a struggle with spelling or writing can come from more than one place. Some trouble is a normal part of learning, and invented spellings often show a child working out the rules. If writing stays consistently hard, or comes with reading or language concerns, talk with your child's teacher, pediatrician, or a speech-language pathologist about an evaluation.
Sources
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (n.d.). Developmental Language Disorder. NIDCD, National Institutes of Health.
- Gill, R. E., & Leppert, M. (2024). Dyslexia, Dysgraphia & Dyscalculia: Helping Kids With Learning Disorders Thrive. HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Chung, P. J., Patel, D. R., & Nizami, I. (2020). Disorder of Written Expression and Dysgraphia: Definition, Diagnosis, and Management. Translational Pediatrics (via PubMed Central).
- McCutchen, D., & Stull, S. (2015). Morphological Awareness and Children's Writing: Accuracy, Error, and Invention. Reading and Writing (via PubMed Central).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). Milestones by 5 Years. CDC, Learn the Signs. Act Early..
Articles from Speech Me Therapy, a pediatric speech-language therapy practice in North Phoenix serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and families across Arizona by telehealth. Our posts summarize published guidance from professional and public health organizations; sources are listed at the end of every article.