Which of the following is a symptom of individuals exhibiting poor orthographic awareness?

The correct answer highlights a key characteristic of poor orthographic awareness, which is the tendency to confuse similar symbols. Individuals with limited orthographic awareness often struggle to differentiate between letters or symbols that look alike, such as "b" and "d" or "p" and "q." This confusion can significantly impact their ability to read and write effectively, as they may misinterpret words or spell them incorrectly.

Understanding orthographic awareness is critical for reading development, particularly as it involves recognizing patterns in written language. When individuals have strong orthographic awareness, they can quickly identify and process these symbols accurately, contributing to better reading and writing skills. In contrast, the other options highlight skills or traits that are not typically associated with poor orthographic awareness; for instance, consistent spelling of complex words and quick recognition of irregular words indicate stronger skills in this area, while high proficiency in math calculation is unrelated to linguistic abilities.