Strategies to help students with dysgraphia??

[Janie]

I have a 6th grade student with apparent dysgraphia. She is a good student, studies well, attentive, but her handwriting (the only sign of dysgraphia that she has) is almost indecipherable. Sometimes when she takes more time, it is legible. But usually it literally looks like chicken scratches. She says she has always had this problem. But when she intentionally takes time, the writing is much better.

 

In class, I've notice her talking notes by using her binder as a back, leaning it against the nearest edge of the desk for support, and writing while leaning back in the seat, if you can imagine my description. I always tell her to sit up and lean more over her paper. Slouchy seating usually results in sloppy writing, imo.

 

So, if you have a child with apparent dysgraphia, what techniques have you found to help his handwriting?

 

Thanks!

[Peela]

Copywork and handwriting practice books right into highschool. Only a few minutes a day, but every day. Eventually- around age 13-14- his handwriting became legible and he started taking pride in it. It's still not brilliant unless he really concentrates- which he cant do most of the time.

 

For many kids, thinking of content while trying to write is too hard to do at the same time, for a long time. So I tried not to make too much of a fuss if the assignment was content driven and I could at least read the writing, but I would be more demanding if it was meant to be neat on purpose (such as a single paragraph of writing, when he was older).

 

I dont believe everyone is going to have super neat handwriting- I would focus on legibility if its a big issue- well, thats what I did. Otherwise its too big a hill to die on.

[Guest lynnmollica]

She may need a slant board. That may be what she is trying to create with her positioning herself. For about $18 dollars you can get one that will help her with positioning that makes the act of writing easier. Ther-a-pro web site has Occupational therapy supplies. You might consider an occupational therapy consult. They can determine if her issue is fine motor, gross motor or neuro and they can offer advice, exercises, grips for writing utensils, cursive as opposed to print and some insurances will give you up to 12 sessions.

[bettyandbob]

I taught my son to type at 6. He did OT for gross and fine motor strength and handwriting for 2.5 years twice a week. I put him in a lot of sports to continue gross motor work. When we homeschooled handwriting work with Handwriting without Tears was part of our program. However, teaching him to type at a young age was probably the best thing I did for him. Typing was not easier to learn than handwriting, but once he typed, he could read it and so could anyone else. He continued to do handwritten work and handwriting exercises. He went to public high in 9th grade. His teachers almost immediately asked for a 504 plan so he could have accommodations. A computer is available for his use during each of his classes. None of his teacher want to see his handwritten work. He has on occassion turned in handwritten work. His English teacher has noted that not only is it incredibly difficult to read, the quality of the writing is much lower than when he types.

 

My son has this accommodation with the College Board. I had to send in testing and apply for it. He is permitted to type the essays on AP and SAT tests. He is also given a large print answer sheet--not the typical tiny oval scantrons. He does not get extra time (and I never thought he needed extra time).

 

I would suggest this child get into an exercise program that builds her gross motor strength so she can have proper posture and that she learns to type.

[freerange]

Slouchy seating usually results in sloppy writing, imo.

but what you describe isn't necessarily slouchy seating. Perhaps she needs an incline to feel comfortable? Experiment with different seating positions & heights relative to the desk, different angles of sloping writing surface, different pens - fountain pens, gel, rollerball, thin pens, fat pens, etc. Figure out what works best for her, without any preconcieved opinions getting in the way.

[RoughCollie]

My son has dysgraphia. He can write legibly if he tries hard to do so, and it takes him a very long time to produce written work that way. He types 100 wpm. Last week, he started going to PS, and he uses a netbook in class to take notes. Otherwise, there would be no way he could write legibly and fast enough to keep up.

[rwilliams]

At her age it is more efficient to teach typing than to remediate handwriting. The effort to write takes away from the energy she could be using to formulate her thoughts. Her ability to express more complex ideas in writing should improve after she has mastered keyboarding.

[RamonaQ]

typing/ dictation software.

[Tammyla]

Note taking can be done in different ways. It sounds like she is making adjustments herself at the desk. A slant board might help her.

 

1. Record the lecture and take notes later

2. Type them

 

Handwriting accommodations such as typing/computer or verbal answers are possible. It is often hard for someone with dysgraphia to focus on both handwriting and content at the same time.

[Kim in Appalachia]

For math I buy graph paper, but even that doesn't work for ds8. After about 15 just a few lines he can't put numbers in the blocks.

 

Yes, they do better if they are slow and intentional, but that gets frustrating after a while. I try to have them save that for certain work. My oldest (now 16) has learned how to take notes that work for her. Her work is normally typed, but for math she slows down and takes her time. She has learned to do the problems in a block pattern, leaving a lot of space between each problem. My 8 year old has not learned this yet, but I think it will improve as he gets older and more determined. I try not to give him a hard time and cut down the amount of writing he has to do. Maturity and determination will help eventually.

[Laurie]

She may need a slant board. That may be what she is trying to create with her positioning herself. . .

:iagree:

 

My dd has dysgraphia and she writes with a slant board and uses a Grotto Grip on her pencil.

 

Does your student's handwriting become more difficult to read following PE/recess? Gross motor activity right before handwriting might also have a negative impact on legibility.

[Laurie4b]

At her age it is more efficient to teach typing than to remediate handwriting. The effort to write takes away from the energy she could be using to formulate her thoughts. Her ability to express more complex ideas in writing should improve after she has mastered keyboarding.

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

As a society, we don't do much in the way of handwriting anymore. I occasionally write a note or make a list; that's about it. The rest, I type.

 

I would get her tested though because she'll likely need accomodations on the SAT writing section. (It has to be legible and that is going to take her more time.) You can hope by the time she is old enough, they are keyboarding the exam! However, the earlier you start the paper trail documenting differences, the easier it is to get accomodations.

Edited February 3, 2011 by Laurie4b

[Jann in TX]

I practiced and practiced and cried and cried-- my mother and sister had such beautiful penmanship-- still mine is barely legible.

 

It is NOT an issue of laziness!

 

Practice may or MAY NOT help.

 

It is a disability.

 

Colored paper can help. Using colored pencils can help-- using colored pencils WITH colored paper helps a lot!

 

I cringe anytime I have to write a hand-written note-- it takes 3-4 tries and they still look sloppy. If I send out Christmas cards I usually have to purchase at least twice as many--just to get them legible!

 

If I take notes during a class even I cannot read them afterward!

[Sandragood1]

I have two with handwriting problems and a third that I work with for other classes.

 

Sometimes an alternate grip on the pen or pencil can really help with legibility and with ease of writing. There are a number of alternatives.

 

One of my kids really felt improved comfort by resting the pencil on the webbing between the index and middle finger. Then directing the pencil tip with the thumb, index, and middle fingers.

 

I'm sure you can also Google other grips. I found this one in a book on self-improvement for handwriting.

 

Good luck,

 

Sandra

[RoughCollie]

It is a disability.

 

It sure is. That's why I stopped making DS practice his handwriting and he learned to type instead. Nothing helped him other than that, not pencil grips, specially lined paper, graph paper, fine motor skills activities, etc.

 

He still has a problem with math. It takes him at least 3x as long to do math because he has to write slowly to be sure the numbers are legible. He has spent many hours writing numbers and he showed no improvement over time.

 

He brings home employment applications which have to be filled out by hand so I can do the writing for him.

 

He emails thank-you notes because there is no way I am going to make him suffer through writing them by hand.

Edited February 3, 2011 by RoughCollie