How to Teach Drawing to Dyspraxic Children

Make adaptations in the art classroom for a dyspraxic student.

A dyspraxic student faces a variety of obstacles, the most serious of which is difficulty in moving smoothly and with coordination. This poses a problem in learning the precise skill of drawing. Other symptoms of dyspraxia affect the student's ability to function in a normal classroom, such as a tendency to become easily distracted. Simple adaptations of the classroom environment can overcome these problems.

Instructions

1. Foster a calm, organized classroom environment with soft lighting and few visual distractions. A person with dyspraxia is extremely sensitive to stimuli of any kind.

2. Counteract the effects of uncoordinated movements with the use of tracing or stencils. This starts to condition the child's brain to enable him to draw what he sees.

3. Use instruction cards to give a student sequenced directions describing the steps of his project. This helps to keep a student on task and supports his organization skills.

4. Break down the project into smaller steps that the student can handle, reducing frustration.

5. Require only that students create, not that they turn in realistic drawings. Have them draw with their eyes closed, drawing what they feel as they touch an object. Or have them scribble, then try to find an animal in the scribble. Allow students to draw not only with a pencil, but also with paint or pastels, allowing them to make bigger strokes.

6. Combat the discouragement typical of dyspraxic students by allowing them to choose ways of making art that match their interests. Offer plenty of choices so that students can succeed with their projects.

References

• Medical News Today: What is Dyspraxia? How is Dyspraxia Treated?
• Dyspraxia Foundation: Classroom Guidelines for Schools and Teachers

Resources

• Dyspraxia Foundation USA