Experience with Callirobics and dysgraphia?

[displace]

I think we're at a standstill with writing. We do HWT but DS is still anxious and sensitive about his writing. I try to encourage his efforts but there needs to be some corrections like start at the line, try not to go past this line, form the letter this way, etc. Most times I try to correct he gets upset and self defeatist. Then the emotions take over and we usually have to stop. I try to talk through letter formation ahead of time but he doesn't appreciate or sometimes pay attention. He dislikes making large arm movements for it first.

 

I'm considering doing Callirobics and taking a break from formal handwriting, plus prep a little before we switch to cursive. I'm thinking it may be a more lighthearted approach.

 

Then again, taking even a few days off handwriting and we are back to square one again with some letters. We only do 10-15 min per weekday of formal writing. If I have him write spelling words (once a week or so), I do insist on legibility (he can't spell car with the r looking like an n). We do work on other fine motor practice and pencil activities daily like mazes, etc. But the mazes or pencil activities are not controlled (out of lines, etc). I don't care but I'm not using that time to make him try to control his writing.

 

Any tips? :)

[PeterPan]

Have you thought about an OT eval and some OT for handwriting?  

 

HWT also isn't the only way to teach handwriting.  Our OT uses EZ Write, which was developed by a dyslexic teacher and an OT.  There are some good videos on it.  It makes more sense to me.

[OneStepAtATime]

No suggestions but listening in....and hugs.  :)   :grouphug:

[Heathermomster]

Have you seen the HWT IPad app? I used it with DD, and it was great because it took Mom out of the equation and taught DD proper letter formation. The app is challenging too.

 

I almost wonder whether your son would benefit from cross body types exercises. Did your DS see an OT? Does you son have dyspraxia? Were you provided with any exercises and if so, how is that going?

 

Have you looked at Dianne Craft?

[PeterPan]

Guess I didn't answer your actual question.  My dd's handwriting is not automatic, even though she doesn't get a dysgraphia label, and she HATED Callirobics passionately.  I wouldn't change from normal writing to Callirobics, because it's not going to do anything to solve your issue of the motor planning not going to be automatic.  You have to buckle down and figure out where the glitch is.  I can tell you that because of what happened with dd I'm spending a LOT more time at the sandpaper, kinesthetic, air, visualization, on your back stage and not freaking out about getting to paper.  It's MUCH more important to get the handwriting motor planning automatic and really in there than it is to get it on paper.  I've been drawing lines in his sand tray and we talk about spacing.  You can use a pen or wooden spoon handle or stylus in the salt tray.  You can use a large pad of paper with lines and go gross motor.  If he's good with a whiteboard marker, you could do that on a lap size that has lines.

 

I'll have to think about it more, but I have NO gut sense Callirobics is useful to my ds right now, and I have both levels.  It's more like that bridge before cursive.  It focuses on fluid motions and handling distractions while you write, neither of which is what my ds needs right now.  I've just spent months on letters starting at the top, not the bottom, kwim?  

[prairiewindmomma]

A few thoughts:

1. Three five minute sessions are better than one 15 min block.

2. You need to build muscle memory---that takes a TON of work. It just does. You are literally building body-brain connections.  Are you doing the chalkboard work? Whatever you can do to create more drag to send stronger sensory feedback to the brain should help.  So, write in a sandbox with a stick. Do chalkboard work. Use sandpaper letters. Use the word phrases in the book if that's something that resonates with your child.

3. Start those typing lessons.  Look into the technology now. If you have the "official" label, it's not like this is going to go away. It just isn't. Things can improve, but in looking at the other curricula you are using, you have a young child.....lots of those things that you describe can be normal issues for a young child. (I have a perfectly normal six year old who still mixes up which letters descend, doesn't always use the proper stroke sequence, etc.) If you have the official label or things are obviously super bad, I wouldn't work on writing spelling words. Type them. I think helping a child embrace technology early on helps them develop the facility so that you aren't fighting the technology while you are also working on writing essays, learning to do citations, etc. My dysgraphic kid doesn't type easily either---that motor stuff is just hard.

4. Painter's tape on a white board creates some nice feedback if you need to work with hands that fatigue easily but the child still needs some help.  You can also tape paper to a table (painter's tape, so it won't rip), if positioning the paper is hard.

[displace]

DS does have dyspraxia. Our initial OT consult was months ago and the recommendation was first to do general PT which we have now finished for strength. I do some OT work independently (from books, Internet) while we're waiting for formal OT treatments but we are on a long wait list still. I have looked at Diane Craft's website but I can't figure out really what it was about but maybe it'll make more sense now. I try to do some cross body movements as we take breaks during the day but they're not consistent daily.

 

I'll look into the other writing program mentioned. IDK if learning how to form letters another way would be detrimental. One of the problems is public K did not have direct handwriting instruction so DS just made up his own way to write. Then he used that until we pulled out to homeschool and we focused more on writing. I was after schooling HWT in K but no one made sure he wrote well.

[displace]

I have tried the iPad app but it's too hard for DS and he gets horribly frustrated at it. But we haven't done it for a while so maybe it would be better now.

[FairProspects]

Is he spatial? Do you build letters like with playdough or the HWOT blocks or trace them on a clock? All three of those things were critical to getting my boys writing. I think the 10-15 minute writing period should stay, but we have to build and get it off the page for my kinesthetic learners to even start to internalize letter formation.

[displace]

Good ideas on more gross motor. I think I've been short changing him on it. We use a sand tray for phonics and he does okay usually. Maybe I'll do that with a pencil, more motor stuff, and less fine motor. And maybe switch to a different OT so we can get actual treatment. It was hard because we were working with large muscle weakness first, dyslexia stuff, homeschooling, etc. And now I can move to the next thing on the list. :)

 

ETA - sorry for lack of quotes. My phone's not letting me.

[FairProspects]

Oh yes, and chalkboard work. That is huge too. If you haven't been doing the wet-dry-try part of HWOT on the chalkboard with short pieces of chalk you should. The pressure is incredibly important for these kids and the chalk forces them into proper grip. They need the feedback from the chalkboard and the borders on the small chalkboard also give them a physical reminder for letter starts & stops. Crayon rocks are another one the corrects grip and requires the right amount of pressure to work.

 

Also, HWOT does NOT recommend using a whiteboard at his age. The pressure/feedback is different and the chalkboard is what you want to focus on according their research.

[displace]

Is he spatial? Do you build letters like with playdough or the HWOT blocks or trace them on a clock? All three of those things were critical to getting my boys writing. I think the 10-15 minute writing period should stay, but we have to build and get it off the page for my kinesthetic learners to even start to internalize letter formation.

This is a good idea. Maybe more Lego time or building letters with blocks. I just would think that he's "beyond" that and he knows it already but reinforcement is always good and maybe I'm pushing too hard. Which is ironic to me because I don't have him write hardly anything, just those 10-15 min. But maybe prep ahead of time on planning, gross motor, building, tactile, then the pencil and paper. I don't incorporate enough other multi sensory things into it I think.

[FairProspects]

Fwiw, my 8 y.o. still frequently traces on a clock before starting his copywork. If letter formation isn't automatic, then he isn't beyond it. :)

[displace]

Oh yes, and chalkboard work. That is huge too. If you haven't been doing the wet-dry-try part of HWOT on the chalkboard with short pieces of chalk you should. The pressure is incredibly important for these kids and the chalk forces them into proper grip. They need the feedback from the chalkboard and the borders on the small chalkboard also give them a physical reminder for letter starts & stops. Crayon rocks are another one the corrects grip and requires the right amount of pressure to work.

 

Also, HWOT does NOT recommend using a whiteboard at his age. The pressure/feedback is different and the chalkboard is what you want to focus on according their research.

I did the chalkboard when we were after schooling and over last summer so I felt that "we did that already". I'm thinking now that should be a regular part of the day. At least I've been doing sensory sand and plastic canvas writing.

[displace]

This is why I love this board. You are all helping me be a better teacher and parent, and helping my sweet DS be more successful. THANK YOU!!!

[prairiewindmomma]

I find that continuing to switch up "fun stuff" while doing the basics (chalk work) helps.

 

Amazon sells theraputty.  I often hide small things inside of it or do a bit of clay work during the day.

 

HWT sells clay that you can put onto laminated letter shapes.  The clay is nothing special---a little thicker than playdoh--but the idea is that you roll out the letters and overlay the clay on the shape.  With my ds, we found that that built hand strength and increased visual recognition of letter orientation, but it did nothing to make his handwriting look better.  

 

HWT also sells wooden letter shape parts (straight lines and half-circles) that were fun to do when aged 4-7.  Realizing that letters are made up of just those things was an interesting concept for ds.  The wood pieces use different muscles than those in handwriting, so it can be something to do when the fine motor needs a break.

 

Pinterest has a ton of fine motor activities that are fun for kids. You kind of learn to look at life differently.  Right now ds is filling Easter eggs for me. He is doing OT work, but it's fun and so he has no clue that I am writing that down as a learning activity for today.   We likewise flipped sight word "pancakes" over with a spatula, stomp out spelling words sheets of paper on the floor, and do a number of other crazy looking but fun things.

 

Time begins to run short when you are addressing a lot of needs, I'd spend some time looking around and see where you can multi-task since you know you have years of work ahead of you. 

[PeterPan]

Not to butt in too much, but it also sounds like grade level expectations are biting you.  

[PeterPan]

Oh yes, and chalkboard work. That is huge too. If you haven't been doing the wet-dry-try part of HWOT on the chalkboard with short pieces of chalk you should. The pressure is incredibly important for these kids and the chalk forces them into proper grip. They need the feedback from the chalkboard and the borders on the small chalkboard also give them a physical reminder for letter starts & stops. Crayon rocks are another one the corrects grip and requires the right amount of pressure to work.

 

Also, HWOT does NOT recommend using a whiteboard at his age. The pressure/feedback is different and the chalkboard is what you want to focus on according their research.

Hmm, I need to try that!  And no, the whiteboard flopped when I tried it with him.  I had forgotten about the sensory issue.  That's why we've been sticking to salt tray.  I was looking for next steps, so I'm thinking that wet-dry-try would be it.  He'd like that.

 

So have you made crayon rocks?

[FairProspects]

I didn't make the crayon rocks, I just got them off of almighty Amazon. ;) But they did work.

[displace]

I find that continuing to switch up "fun stuff" while doing the basics (chalk work) helps.

 

Amazon sells theraputty. I often hide small things inside of it or do a bit of clay work during the day.

 

HWT sells clay that you can put onto laminated letter shapes. The clay is nothing special---a little thicker than playdoh--but the idea is that you roll out the letters and overlay the clay on the shape. With my ds, we found that that built hand strength and increased visual recognition of letter orientation, but it did nothing to make his handwriting look better.

 

HWT also sells wooden letter shape parts (straight lines and half-circles) that were fun to do when aged 4-7. Realizing that letters are made up of just those things was an interesting concept for ds. The wood pieces use different muscles than those in handwriting, so it can be something to do when the fine motor needs a break.

 

Pinterest has a ton of fine motor activities that are fun for kids. You kind of learn to look at life differently. Right now ds is filling Easter eggs for me. He is doing OT work, but it's fun and so he has no clue that I am writing that down as a learning activity for today. We likewise flipped sight word "pancakes" over with a spatula, stomp out spelling words sheets of paper on the floor, and do a number of other crazy looking but fun things.

 

Time begins to run short when you are addressing a lot of needs, I'd spend some time looking around and see where you can multi-task since you know you have years of work ahead of you.

Thanks for this post. I was going to do the Easter eggs myself but instead I had DS and DD fill them. I can multitask probably if I organize better. I do have kinesthetic games for reading and such but most involve big muscle groups like jumping. Maybe I can have him hand walk to activities with my help instead. I think this is key to getting more done: being efficient.

 

We use playdoh for fine motor but maybe switching to clay which should be thicker, plus making letters or short words would be better, and then a sculpture for art.

[displace]

Oh yes, and chalkboard work. That is huge too. If you haven't been doing the wet-dry-try part of HWOT on the chalkboard with short pieces of chalk you should. The pressure is incredibly important for these kids and the chalk forces them into proper grip. They need the feedback from the chalkboard and the borders on the small chalkboard also give them a physical reminder for letter starts & stops. Crayon rocks are another one the corrects grip and requires the right amount of pressure to work.

 

Also, HWOT does NOT recommend using a whiteboard at his age. The pressure/feedback is different and the chalkboard is what you want to focus on according their research.

I have the little chalkboard and can use it again.

[displace]

Not to butt in too much, but it also sounds like grade level expectations are biting you.

I encourage all outside thoughts :). I don't feel like I have much in the way of expectations with the dysgraphia. But I'm admittedly less knowledged about dysgraphia and dyspraxia vs dyslexia so I feel uncertain about our progress or lack thereof.

In the big scheme of things I'm assuming his primary means of written communication will be from a dictation or typed means. But on the other I feel like I've taught how to write an f already a dozen times and we should know it already. But that's not the case so I'm evaluating our daily work. Maybe write the whole alphabet daily or weekly to make sure there's a constant reinforcement? Do all letters again with all the multi sensory stuff and a new letter each week? I know each child is different and I'm not sure if I'm moving too fast and that's why we're struggling or if it's just the nature of the disability and just switching to cursive would be a better use of our time and effort. We do keyboarding but only 2 times per week or so.

[displace]

I didn't make the crayon rocks, I just got them off of almighty Amazon. ;) But they did work.

Ok, if these are worth the effort I'll make or buy some. Do they help?

[FairProspects]

Ok, if these are worth the effort I'll make or buy some. Do they help?

 

Is he having problems with pressure or grip? Your descriptions make it sound like the issues are more visual memory and motor planning, so no, they would not necessarily be helpful in that situation. But if some of it is about grip or pressure, then yes.

[displace]

Is he having problems with pressure or grip? Your descriptions make it sound like the issues are more visual memory and motor planning, so no, they would not necessarily be helpful in that situation. But if some of it is about grip or pressure, then yes.

 

His grip is the lesser of the problems or not a major problem.  His fine motor concerns have to do more with dexterity and speed.  But we use a grip-silicone thing to help with positioning as well as pressure.  He doesn't usually have pressure problems but when he's frustrated it becomes an issue.  Usually if he's that frustrated it's the end of our session.  He doesn't hold utensils with a pencil grip though still because of the feel of the utensils but I'm going to have to start enforcing it.  And he hates coloring so I'm uncertain it would be useful as I don't make him color.  We work on other things like mazes, dot-to-dots, etc. 

[FairProspects]

Have you moved to colored pencils? How does he do with those? Coloring with crayons was like torture to my older ds, but he adores coloring with colored pencils. In fact, he just created and colored his own league of hockey team mascots. You might be able to work something like that in with your flag project - coloring the various flags or incarnations of the flags as they changed with colored pencils.

[prairiewindmomma]

How is he with Legos?

[displace]

Have you moved to colored pencils? How does he do with those? Coloring with crayons was like torture to my older ds, but he adores coloring with colored pencils. In fact, he just created and colored his own league of hockey team mascots. You might be able to work something like that in with your flag project - coloring the various flags or incarnations of the flags as they changed with colored pencils.

 

Thanks for this suggestion.  We have colored pencils which we usually use for writing to have a little diversity.  I haven't asked him to do a coloring project with them but that's a good idea for the flag project.  Maybe if I make the flags small enough he may agree to color some of them. 

 

He has used colored pencils when we have had some math projects and he didn't really color, just mark the paper enough to show he knew the answer (for instance those pictures where you color a part of it green when the number equals X and then after doing all the answers it's a picture).  Then again they are whole-page projects so maybe that is too overwhelming.

[displace]

How is he with Legos?

 

He loves them but he struggles with them often to get them apart and sometimes together.  I let him play with them whenever he wants for a break and he's usually fiddling with them during read alouds.  He prefers bigger objects that remove easier (I have some Trias? blocks which he actually loves but we don't have a ton and they don't have a cool factor).  A pretty win was actually our molecular atom set.  They are super hard to connect, even for me, and he likes to make molecules and really works with them.  We're likely going to start some guitar soon too which should help a little.  He's also in gymnastics and there's not a ton of grip per class but usually some. 

[geodob]

You wrote that: " He dislikes making large arm movements for it first."

Which raises the question of whether his shoulder control is the issue?

Maybe you could pick up a pen, and write a sentence across a page.

But as you do it, observe how your shoulder glides your hand across the page?

 

Though when their is a shoulder control difficulty?

The hand rather needs to be picked up and moved across the page.

Then as one writes, the hand is turned at the wrist.

If you try writing with your hand anchored and just turning it at the wrist?

You will find that it severely restricts your writing.

 

This also relates to 'colouring in',  where only something very small can be coloured in.  With movement at the wrist.

You note that he has an issue with 'utensils'?

Where you might observe whether he uses his shoulders, when using utensils?

 

So that I would just raise the possibility, that it is his shoulder control, that could be causing his writing difficulties?