Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy backwards letters and numbers?

DS7 is reading two years above his grade level, doing two digit multiplication, and is starting on division. Problem is, he still frequently makes letters and numbers backwards! Every once in a while he writes something, then gives me a look as if he's checking to see if I'll notice. It doesn't happen all the time, and I could be misinterpreting his expressions - so I don't know if he's doing it on purpose or not. Then he gets REALLY upset when I tell him to fix it. So many questions on this one....is it normal to be so far ahead in almost everything, but still make backwards letters? Should I be worried about dyslexia or anything? And do I sound totally insane for thinking that he may be doing it on purpose, at least part of the time?

I can't speak to the dyslexia issue, but one of my DDs was making letters backwards on purpose in Kindergarten. When I caught her was when she wrote her name backwards (almost perfectly) -- in mirror image. Why? Just to see if she could.

My DS7 (who also reads several years above grade level) does this with some letters. A couple different 2nd grade teachers said this is still fairly common in second-graders, and they weren't concerned. Since DS7 is sort of perfectionist, we try not to make a big deal out of it, but we do point it out.

This makes me think that he recognizes that it's wrong. I wouldn't worry about. I think it's really a developmental thing, which should iron itself out with practice.