Dysgraphia is learning disability that affects handwritng, spelling and the ability to put thoughts on paper. It affects fine motors skills leading to illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing between letters and poor spelling ability. It is possible for dysgraphia to be part of the diagnosis of ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. Signs often include an awkward pencil grip, becoming quickly tired from writing and lack of punctuation and capitalization. The following links provide teaching strategies which will help to improve writing skills.
Some might be surprised to learn that there are several types of learning disabilities. Dysgraphia is describes as a learning disability that affects writing, spelling and fine motor skills. Dysgraphia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can occur as a stand alone disorder or part of a co-occurring disorder with other disabilities such as ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia. Typically it is diagnosed or discovered in the early years when children are beginning to learn how to write. Most adults often remain undiagnosed.
Early Signs of Dysgraphia
Signs and symptoms of dysgraphia generally begin to show up when children began to lean how to write. Early signs of Dysgraphia include:
Inconsistent spacing between letters
Poor spatial planning
Poor spelling
Unable to read own handwriting
Poor fine motor skills
Omitted words
Writes slow
Pain in hand from writing
Messy unorganized papers
Difficulty organizing thoughts on paper
Illegible printing and cursive letter formation
Slopping handwriting
Tight, cramped pencil grip
Tires quickly when writing
mixes upper and lower case or irregular sizes and shapes of letters.
A early signs that rarely disappears is having a “sloppy” handwriting. The person when writing leaves out letters at the end of a sentence, difficulty reading own handwriting after meetings, trouble with filling out routine forms, displays unorganized papers on the desk, difficulty thinking and writing at the same time and tends to mixes upper and lower case letters when writing. The person will also avoid writing when possible and show a preference to using a computer or texting neatness, line spacing, staying inside margins and capitalization rules.
Strategies to Use in the Workplace
If you have a smart phone, you can use the device to record meetings, interviews or instructions that are given to you.
Assitive technology such as tablets, computers and Apps are also useful in transcribing information
Take the time to organize your desk before you leave work in the evening. Prioritize your workflow and create a plan for the next day.
Pre-write. Before you take on the task of writing, create an outline on paper.
Memorial Day is an American holiday observed to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military. It originated following the Civil War and became an official holiday in 1971.
Memorial Day is also an opportunity to work on fun Memorial Day activities. Children and adults with special needs lean best when using a multi-sensory approach. This helps to stimulate learning and engage individuals on various levels of learning.
The activities and lessons that I have chosen focus on visual and tactile stimulation and includes both math and reading activities. The craft activities work to improve fine motor skills.
