How to Teach Kids Who Have Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that makes writing difficult for a child. Students with dysgraphia often have difficulty with spelling, recording their thoughts on paper and hard to read or illegible handwriting. Giving these students the opportunity to practice their writing skills and providing support in the classroom through modified or adapted activities helps them feel successful in the classroom and allows them to improve their skills at the same time.
Instructions
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Provide an assortment of writing materials and paper types. Give the child an assortment of pens, pencils and other writing utensils to help her find the one that is most comfortable. Offer a selection of pencil grips to encourage proper hand positions. Let the child select paper that meets her needs. While some students may benefit from writing paper with raised lines others may prefer wide or narrow-ruled paper.
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Teach the child cursive writing or word processing skills. Allow him to use a computer and keyboard from an early age and introduce him to proper typing skills. Introduce cursive handwriting early as well. For some students with dysgraphia, cursive is easier to write and more legible than print letters.
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Include time for handwriting practice in the child's daily schedule. Provide direct instruction and complete tactile activities such as making letters from modeling clay to reinforce proper letter formation. Request occupational therapy or special education services for a child with severe dysgraphia.
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Reduce the amount of writing the child must complete or change the assignment's complexity. Allow the child to dictate his ideas to a scribe, ask a classmate to share his class notes with the student or allow the child to write short answers instead of full sentences on classroom tests. For required writing activities, focus on just spelling or grammar, taking some of the pressure off of writing, let the child have more time to finish the assignment or allow him to edit assignments after you provide feedback on his writing.
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Provide alternatives to written tasks. Assign students group projects where only one or two members of each group are required to write as part of the activity. Allow the child with dysgraphia to present an oral report instead of a written one. Give the child a tape recorder so he may record class sessions instead of taking notes.
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Tips & Warnings
Mechanical pencils appear to be very popular with students, so be sure to offer them to your disgraphic students.
According to Reading Rockets, most students would have better handwriting if they had the ability,so avoid becoming frustrated or concluding your student is just not trying.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
