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| Dysgraphia |
| Kinesthetic
Learning |
| Quick
Fixes |
| Posture
and Stability |
| Vertical
Surfaces |
| Pencil
Grasp |
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| Dysgraphia |
- Build handwriting
instruction into the student's schedule. The details and
degree of independence will depend on the student's age and
attitude, but many students would like to have better handwriting
if they could.
- If the writing problem is severe enough, the student may
benefit from a laptop keyboard or portable word processor.
- Keep in mind that handwriting habits are entrenched early.
Before engaging in a battle over a student's grip or whether
they should be writing in cursive or print, consider whether
enforcing a change in habits will eventually make the writing
task a lot easier for the student, or whether this is a chance
for the student to make his or her own choices.
- Teach alternative handwriting methods such as "Handwriting
Without Tears" and kinesthetic handwriting learning
techniques.
- Consider teaching cursive early if the child has picked
up many bad habits with printing. Try “Loops and Other
Groups” or traditional cursive first, since all the
letters start at the baseline. Then, try “Handwriting
Without Tears” cursive.
- Even if the student employs accommodations for writing,
and uses a word processor for most work, it is still important
to develop and maintain legible writing. Consider balancing
accommodations and modifications in content area work with
continued work on handwriting or other written language skills.
For example, a student for whom you are not going to grade
spelling or neatness on certain assignments may be required
to add a page of spelling or handwriting practice to his
portfolio.
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| Kinesthetic
Learning |
| The following
are various methods used to facilitate learning of proper
letter, number and shape formation. |
- Air writing (visual/kinesthesia)
- draw shapes or write letters with large arm movements
with and without vision.
- Mystery writing (visual/kinesthesia)
- the teacher or peer moves the student’s hand
to form shapes or letters on blackboard or in the
air and student guesses what was drawn.
- Rainbow writing (motor memory/visual)
- trace over shapes/letters or numbers several times with
different colors (crayons/markers on paper or chalk on board)
- Tactile writing (proprioceptive/tactile/kinesthesia) -
trace shapes, letters, or numbers on carpet square, sandpaper,
shaving cream, window screens, foil, finger paints, sand,
pudding, Cool Whip, etc.
- Vibrating pen (proprioceptive/kinesthesia) - practice
shapes or letters while getting good sensory feedback.
- Constructional writing (proprioceptive/kinesthesia/tactile)
- construct basic lines/shapes on a color board or flannel
board using Wikki Stix, play dough, pre-cut flannel pieces,
etc.
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| Quick
Fixes |
- Use pencil grips on pencils
to teach & practice correct finger placement: The
Pencil Grip or Stetro Grip.
- Have student hold a novelty eraser tucked under the ring
and little fingers while writing, cutting, drawing or using
manipulatives. This promotes the use of the thumb, middle
and index finger for skilled movement and the ring and
little fingers to support the hand.
- Sharpen or break pencils down to about 2 inches in length
to encourage efficient pencil grasp and better control
of the pencil.
- Place Cylindrical Foam sleeves that are approximately
an inch long on writing utensils to increase the diameter
and promote proper finger placement.
- Use a masking tape outline on the desktop to indicate
how paper should be slanted.
- If the student writes with too much pressure on the pencil,
have him/her write with a 0.5 lead mechanical pencil and/or
have him/her write with their paper on a carpet square
or placemat. These techniques will teach a student how
to vary the pressure used on the pencil to avoid breaking
the lead or putting holes in the paper.
- If a student writes with a “hooked wrist”,
have them do written work on a vertical surface just above
eye level.
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- Look at correct sitting posture
and appropriate chair and table heights. A child’s
feet should be flat on the floor and the desktop
should be 2 inches above the bent elbow.
- Use the 90 - 90 - 90 rule. Ankles, hips, and knees should
be bent to a 90-degree angle for appropriate sitting posture.
- If table is too high, elbows will be up and out to sides.
If table is too low, the child will slump in their chair
or rest their head on their hand.
- Use footstool to support feet if the child’s
feet do not rest flat on the floor. Allow students to
work in various positions other than seated (standing
at a vertical surface, lying on the floor propped on
elbows). Do warm-up activities to provide kinesthetic
input to large and small muscles groups (Jumping jacks,
Dancing Finger songs, Donkey Kicks or Animal Walks).
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- Working on a vertical surface
promotes the wrist extension and shoulder stability necessary
for control of the fine movements involved in writing.
When working on a vertical surface, paper or work should be positioned
just above eye level. - Examples of ways to incorporate vertical surfaces into
your classroom:
- Let the children write/draw on easels, white boards
and/or chalkboards.
- Desktop slant boards can be used for individual work
at the desk.
- You can also place a 4-5 inch empty 3-ring binder on
the desk for incline. Position the binder with the rings
toward the top of the desk and the slant toward the child.
Then rotate the binder to a 45-degree angle. Consult
with your occupational therapist on any questions you
may have.
- Have your students draw or write on paper taped to
the wall.
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An efficient grasp the pencil
is held between the pads of the thumb and index finger while
resting on the middle finger. An acceptable variation of
this is when the pencil is held between the pads of the thumb
and index/middle fingers while resting on the ring finger.
The pencil can also be held between the index and middle
fingers, in opposition with the thumb.
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If a child is using an efficient grasp, their thumb and
index finger should form a circular shape.
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An inefficient grasp can include any of the following:
fisted grasp, pencil held between the pads of the thumb and
all four fingers, thumb wrapped over the top of the index
and middle fingers, thumb tucked under the index finger,
the hand held in a thumb down position, index and middle
fingers wrapped around the pencil, or thumb pressing the
pencil into the side of the index finger (thumb and index
do not form a circular shape).
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to Occupational Therapy Main Page |
