Learning specialists at Thatcher Hall provided a Lunch and Learn opportunity for teachers during their regularly scheduled team meeting. The third through fifth-grade teachers learned more about Dysgraphia, a learning disability that involves difficulty with writing. This processing disorder can impact the formation of letters as well as organizing or expressing ideas on paper.
There is never enough time in the school day to accomplish everything on our agenda. Before and after school hours are just as packed. Teachers arrive to school early to offer extra support to students who may be struggling. They stay after school to coach football or drive a bus load of students to a community service project in town. Professional development opportunities can be challenging to schedule, as well, due to the nature of our work. Because teachers are dedicated to their students and they covet every minute of instructional time, they sometimes find it problematic to take a day from work for needed professional development. Lunch and Learn opportunities can be part of the answer to the aforementioned dilemma.
The three learning specialists at Thatcher Hall treated their fellow teachers to a catered lunch during their regularly scheduled team-meeting time. This less-formal, less-structured time provided an hour of training covering various topics. The third-fifth grade teachers focused on “Understanding Dysgraphia.” After a conversation with fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Lawson, we agreed that teachers hear a good bit about reading disabilities and attention issues, but not much about writing disabilities. Being a passionate writing teacher, fourth grade teacher Mrs. Lawson was eager to learn more about dysgraphia and how she can support her students in their writing if they struggle with written expression as well as give parents suggested means to support their children at home.
If your child has difficulty expressing himself in writing, you may want to learn more about this condition. Many children with dysgraphia have a difficult time just holding a pencil and organizing letters on a line. Putting ideas into language that is organized, stored, and then retrieved from memory may be difficult for children with this disability. Experts agree that working memory may also play a role in dysgraphia. Because of this, students may have a hard time remembering how to print or write a letter or a word.
While the symptoms of dysgraphia fall into six categories, some of these symptoms may surface:
There are many proven strategies and tools that can help students improve their writing skills. At home, parents can support their children by teaching children warm-up exercises before writing. Your child could shake his hands quickly or rub them together to relieve tension. Also, have your child give you 15 jumping jacks to get rid of the anxiety that is brought on when knowing he has to write. Parents can play games that strengthen hand muscles like playing with clay or using a squeeze ball. Another suggestion is to perform “sitting pushups” by placing each palm on the chair with fingers facing forward. Children push down on their hands, lifting their body slightly off the chair.
Even though there is no cure or easy fix for dysgraphia there are strategies and resources available for improving writing. When given the appropriate support, kids with dysgraphia can not only succeed, but thrive, as well.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/read.dysgraphia.facts.htm
http://ldx.sagepub.com/content/36/4/307.abstract
http://dyslexiasd.org/factsheets/dysgraphia.pdf
