Remember the first time you got something wrong in school, and your teacher put a big fat red X on it or drew a long red line through your work?

Think about how you felt… the sinking feeling in your stomach, the embarrassment, the mental anguish.

Children with dyslexia have a learning difference that often makes it hard for them to spell words correctly.

In fact, spelling is one of the biggest, and most widely experienced difficulties for a child with dyslexia.

Many educators believe that giving spelling tests is important. However, I disagree. I believe it is cruel to force a child with dyslexia to take these tests. Dyslexia is a difference in how the brain processes information, so these tests are not effective for them, especially the way spelling is taught in most schools.

Your child has trouble with spelling because of how his/her brain takes in information from his/her eyes and ears. Small units of sound can make a difference in meaning. For example, if I say “fed” – “wed” – “red”, the first sound of each word is different and changes the meaning every time.

Because of this difficulty, spelling tests are a nightmare for the dyslexic child.

People with working memory deficits, which is like the scratch pad of their brain, have a hard time remembering words. They usually spell words correctly one day and wrong the next.

They especially struggle with common linking words like “in” “and” “but” and “the” which are found in many reading materials like textbooks, magazines, and newspapers.

Spelling lists usually have random, unrelated words and are taught using rote memorization techniques. The words are also often taught out of context and isolated from grammar.

That is a disastrous combination for children with dyslexia and only increases their stress and anxiety.

Stress and anxiety are the main causes of focus and attention problems in children who are struggling to learn.

• The first benefit of ditching spelling tests is decreased stress and anxiety and improved focus and attention.

Criticism and negativism about their weaknesses will destroy your children’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

• Second, self-confidence is crucial for learning. It promotes resilience in your children, so they are willing to learn from their mistakes and try again.

Classroom teachers rarely teach spelling rules in a systematic way. Dyslexic children thrive when they can perceive the meaning behind something. This absence sets them up for failure.

• Thirdly, ongoing failure results in children with a defeatist attitude. After a while, they stop trying.

If teachers stop making spelling tests mandatory and start grading for content instead, dyslexic children will show improvement in focus and attention. They will also become more confident in their abilities and be more willing to try new methods of learning. Most importantly, they will be more determined to succeed despite the challenges they face.

That’s why I’ve created a program for parents of children with dyslexia with tips and tools to build their children’s self-confidence while working on strengthening their weak academic skills.

What other benefit can you think of for stopping spelling tests for children who have underlying difficulty with the sounds of language?