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Dysgraphia How can we help our students?

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Dysgraphia fact sheet presentation

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DysgraphiaHow can we help our students?

Objective

• After viewing this presentation students will:* be familiar with the causes and characteristics of dysgraphia.* be familiar with teaching strategies used to help students with dysgraphia.* have a list of resources for further investigation.

Opening Activity

• First write your full name with your dominant hand. Then try writing you name with your non-dominant hand.

• How did writing with your non-dominant hand feel?

• Do you think that you could write quickly with your non-dominant hand?

Dysgraphia

• Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects children’s ability to write and use written language to express their thoughts.

It is difficult to write!

For some students with dysgraphia it is actually difficult to write. They may have an unusual grip and complain of a sore hand. I imagine it is like writing with your non-dominant hand. (unless you are ambidextrous of course!)

Causes

Possible causes of dygraphia include• The brain has difficulty processing what the

eye sees.• The brain has trouble making sense of what

the ear hears.• There is difficulty planning sequential finger

movements. (The actual physical task of writing is difficult.)

Symptoms/Characteristics

• Illegible printing and cursive writing (even when there is plenty of time)

• Mixtures of print and cursive, upper and lower case or irregular sizes, shapes and slants of letters

• Unfinished words or letters, omitted words• Inconsistent spacing• Strange wrist, body or paper position• Difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation

Symptoms cont.

• Copying or writing is slow or labored• Poor spatial planning on paper• Cramped or unusual grip/may complain of

sore hand• Difficulty thinking and writing at the same

time

How can we as teachers help?

There are to basic ways to help. 1. A teacher who has the opportunity to work

with the student individually can help the student learn to write better. This can be done through handwriting and spelling instruction.

2. A content area teacher can provide accomodations.

Handwriting Instruction

A recent study (Crouch, A. 2007) shows that a combination of handwriting drills and the building of fine motor skills can improve handwriting as much as 50%.

Drills

• The teacher provides a clear example of good handwriting and the student practices writing letters or phrases. This can help a student because sometimes what there are seeing in their mind is not correct.

Building fine motor skills

• Participating following activities can strengthen the hand muscles that may be weak in students with dysgraphia.

*rub hands together*squeeze a tennis ball*Play with Wikki Stix (or Bendaroos)*Build with small legos*String small beads*Roll clay between fingers

Motor skills cont.

* “Walk” fingers up and down the pencil. Keller, M. (2001)

Spelling Instruction

• Review tried and true spelling rules.• Memorize frequently used words. (like in

primary spelling tests)• Start a writing session with a work bank or a

bank of ideas.• It is also helpful for students with dysgraphia to

use various writing strategies. (outlines etc.)

Before Handwriting Instruction

After Handwriting Instruction

Accomodations

If you are a content area teacher, you will not have the time to supervise handwriting drills or watch a student play with clay. The following accommodations can help a student with dysgraphia be successful in your class.

Accommodations cont.

• Use of a word processor• Tape recorder for lectures• Use of a note taker• Provide notes or outlines to reduce the amount of writing• Reduce coping aspect of work (pre-printed math problems)• Allow the use of wide rule paper and graph paper• Suggest use of pencil grips• Provide alternatives to written assignments.

(LDA of California 2002)

Resources

• Learning Diasbilities Association of Americawww.LDAAmerica.org

National Center for Learning Disabilitieswww.ncld.org

Assistive devices can be found through Franklin Electronic Publishers.www.franklin.com

References• Crouch, A. (2007). Dysgraphia: How It Affects A Student’s • Performance and What Can Be Done About It. TEACHING• Exceptional Children Plus, Vol. 3, Issue 3, 1-13.• Kelly, M. (2001). Hanwriting Club: Unsing sensory intergration • strategies to improve handwriting. Intervetion in School and Clinic, • 39,9-12.• Learning Disabilities Association of America (2013). Retrieved from • http://www.ncld.org• Learning Disabilities Association of Minnesota (2013). Retrieved from• http://www.ldaminnesota.org• National Center for Learning Disabilities (2013). Retrieved from • http://www.ncld.org.

Assessment

1. If you suspect that one of your students has dysgraphia what would you look for in their writing?

2. Do you think that some of the accommodations mentioned could help your students with normal writing ability? Why or why not?