Reflecting on the process of acquisition of writing and dyslexia

Abstract

This study investigates and turns problematic the recognition of the dyslexia as a learning disability of writing. It discusses the inconsistencies associated with the assessment of symptoms of this presumed disability, as well as the vulnerability of the evaluation tasks used to diagnose what has been considered dyslexia. Taking the language as a component in historical and social work, this study attempts to raise some weaknesses of tests designed to diagnose dyslexia. As they do not consider the texts produced by the subjects, the tests presented in manuals related with dyslexia diagnosis are detached from their objectives, in that they do not assess writing. As an attempt to curb such problem, this study presents an analysis of the case of a boy, identified by the initials G.W.G., that was considered a case of a learning and writing disability. Departing from the view that acquisition of writing is a unique process, the present analysis indicates that, contrary to the diagnosis previously received, G.W.G. produced texts with referential and topical progression. In addition, the use of literal strategies, besides different hypothesis about graphical and conventional factors of writing, are indications of writing as a knowledge object.