Stress Representation in Written Greek: Error Patterns in Students with and Without Learning Disabilities

This study examines the representation of stress in written Greek among 10- and 11-year-old students with and without learning disabilities (LD). Specifically, it analyzes stress omission and non-omission errors (including transpositions and additions) in students’ written productions. The sample comprises of 155 students from public schools in Greece (n = 47 with LD). Participants completed a descriptive writing task, and their written responses were analyzed for word length, syllabic structure, and parts of speech. The results revealed that both groups exhibited more stress omission errors than expected in short words, while non-omission errors were influenced by word length and syllabic structure. These findings underscore the challenges associated with mastering orthographic conventions for stress representation, particularly for students with LD, and have implications for the development of instructional strategies that can enhance learners’ literacy acquisition.