4 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
So I was "THIS" student and here's why I did it. I had undx dyslexia, and my spelling was TERRIBLE. I was very embarrassed about it, and I hated being marked down for the bad spelling. I also likely on the ASD spectrum, so I was always extremely annoyed when the teacher said things like "write me a story about a cat." I complete the assignment, a wonderful gripping tale, and my paper comes back all marked up in red. Why? Because my spelling, grammar and punctuation sucked. I was never actually graded on the literal assignment of my story. I was never told "write me a correctly spelled, grammatical correct, story about a cat, because what I'm actually grading isn't your story telling ability, but your spelling, grammar and punctuation." So I decided to make my handwriting as messy as possible. I came up with a symbol that could be 13 different possible letters. I would semi erase the E at the end of the word on a spelling test because I was never certain if the word was spelled with an E at the end. If asked I would say "obviously it was erased/not erased" depending on the correct answer. When the teacher gave back my illegible paper, saying she couldn't read my story about a cat, I would take it and recite for her what I wrote. My paper would receive full marks because I actually did write a decent story about a cat. As I got older I got better about hiding my lack of spelling ability, to the point where if anyone did notice and try to help I would have been extremely against is, and embarrassed by it because I was so far behind my peers. I wouldn't have wanted the help.
What did help? The invention of spell check and the normalization of computers. One teacher in 5th grade that introduced journalling. This was especially critical as it was a place for me to practice writing without the judgement of someone criticizing my handwriting, grammar, or punctuations. The integration of my art, eg creating comic strips which required word bubbles, learning about different symbols eg zodiac symbols, which lead to me trying to copy them through drawing. Finally, just time. As I grew up my handwriting did improve. I gained greater control over fine moter movements (often through art), and this resulted in my handwriting being able to be more legible if I chose. As student advance they're less likely to take spelling tests, and that was a huge relief for me, as I did put a lot of stress on myself due to this. It cause me to shut down, to reject help, to find creative solutions out of the problem.
I would recommend you check this kids spelling to assess for dyslexia, and talk with him about WHY his handwriting is so messy. Just be aware, he may lie, I know I would have at that age because my entire goal was to make it illegible, but to pretend I would definitely try harder next time. Also look at his art. If he has good painting/drawing control this will mean he is likely purposely making the handwriting illegible. If his drawing/painting is also a mess, then he likely has poor fine moter control, and this could indicate a development delay, or other issues.
Comment by Aprils-Fool at 10/03/2025 at 02:44 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Unfortunately, teachers aren’t allowed to check for dyslexia.