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dysgraphia how can you help?

You can help a student with dysgraphia, by using Multi-Sensory Teaching Methods; developing skills through play and hand strengthening exercises.

developing skills through play can help students with dysgraphia

Playing with things like:

• Practising letter formation in sand/salt trays. (I use cat litter trays they are very cheap.)
• Using chalk or coloured pens, to do letter formation on black/white board.
• Shape and pattern copying.
• Using ‘Spirograph’ to practice writing – write, shake it and it goes away.
• Tracking objects to their 'homes', i.e., tracing along the line back to the rabbit hutch etc.
• Colouring in ‘mosaics’ or 'paint by number' are excellent to improve ‘fine motor’ control, (much better than simply writing).
• Colouring in old-fashioned 'dolies' (for cakes) is another way to improve fine-motor control.
• Threading coloured beads.
• Jigsaws.
• Juggling.
• Swimming.

Dysgraphia - Hand Strengthening Techniques:

• Hand/Finger strengthening (helps handwriting).
• Squeeze balls.
• Play hockey, tennis etc.

dysgraphia - developing skills, including:

* Sequencing
* Space organisation
* Directional awareness
* Strategies.

dysgraphia and handwriting

Most teachers will allow student’s to complete their homework, either in a cursive script or on a computer.

Children’s handwriting is always a talking point at school and it appears to be accepted in the teaching community that children can/will grow out of reversing letters by the time they are seven years of age. Why should they grow out of it? It would make handwriting easier for children, if they were taught to use a ‘cursive script’ when they start to learn to write. This would help in two ways;

1. Children would not have to learn to print and then to change to a cursive script at a later time.
2. This would also avoid the confusion that typical dyslexic people have with letters such as: ‘b’ ‘d’, ‘p’, ‘q’, because when you use a cursive script, there are very few reversible letters, because of the way the letter start and how it connects the other letters together.
3. It is important for good writing that the forearm is well supported on the desk and that the paper is placed at an angle. This is even more important if a student is left-handed.
4. Student’s should use a ‘tripod grip’ and practice 5 minutes each day, this is habit forming.
5. For young students: ‘Pencil Grips’ are a good way to ensure that the child is holding the pen correctly and reduces stress on the hand. These are available quite cheaply through most stationery shops.
6. For older students: PenAgain Ergo-Sof Pen.

dysgraphia - some items have been found to be useful including:

* Pencil Grips – help to hold the pencil correctly.
* Templates – help to keep paper in the right place/angle.
* Pre-formed letter shapes, children follow with their fingers.
* Word Predication and Speech Synthesis software packages.
* Voice Recognition Software
* Sloping Board Posture Pack (available from ‘Back in Action’) .

i am a teacher, how can i help a student with dysgraphia?

You can help a student with dysgraphia by helping to develop skills with sequencing, space organisation, directional awareness and strategy. Multi-Sensory Methods are best for developing these skills and the earlier it’s started the better.