Singularities in writing appropriation or diagnosis of dyslexia?

Abstract

This article, based on a socio-historical perspective of language, investigates writing manifestations evaluated as signs of dyslexia. The purpose was to establish differences between two approaches: those considering such manifestations as symptoms of a supposed disease, and those who analyze the writing of children taking as reference the strategies that are part of the appropriation of the writing process, the singular traces of the relationship between the learner and the language, as well as the different conditions involved in the teaching / learning of reading and writing. In order to accomplish this aim, the study analyzed the textual production of an eight year old child, diagnosed as dyslexic. From this analysis, the child in question, contrary to the diagnosis that was assigned to her, was able to build a text making use of cognitive, social interactions and textual strategies, as well as assumptions about the graphical aspects of the object in writing, relevant to the process of written language acquisition. Finally, the ways to operate under this type of language, produced by the child subject of this research, point to processes considered linguistically and cognitively relevant and, therefore, shows a child who can construct knowledge about reading and writing. In order to prevent such mistakes of diagnosis, this study reiterates the need for professionals responsible for assessment and treatment of subjects with complaints of reading and writing to possess a theoretical and practical training, to enable them a consistent apprehension and articulation of different dimensions - linguistic, educational, organic, cultural, economic - concerned with the conditions and processes of written language acquisition.