Please scan

the QR code
to get our
presentation
handout.
Students with Writing Difficulties
By Emily, Hannah and Alana
Activity to set the scene.

tiny.cc/06kmcz
 Pre-Writing Skills

 Pre-writing skills are the fundamental skills children need to develop before they are able
to write.
 These skills contribute to the child’s ability to hold and use a pencil, and the ability to
draw, write, copy, and colour.
Writing difficulties can include;

- Difficulty writing and thinking at the same time (creative writing, taking notes)
- Handwriting abilities that may interfere with spelling and written composition.
- Difficulty understanding homophones and what spelling to use.
- Having a hard time translating ideas to writing, sometimes using the wrong words altogether.
  Dysgraphia is unusual difficulty with
handwriting and/or spelling that may occur
alone or with dyslexia (impaired word
decoding, word reading, and spelling.
 The handwriting aspect: difficulty with
Dysgraphia forming letters (to the point of illegibility)
and extremely slow and non-automatic
letter writing.
 This in turn interferes with spelling and
written work.
Identifiable Signs

 Illegible handwriting
 Slow, laboured writing
 Mixing print and cursive letters
 Spacing letters and words oddly
 Poor spelling and grammar
 Difficulty gripping a pencil
 Incorrect punctuation
 Run-on sentences and lack of paragraph breaks
 Trouble organizing information when writing
  Dyspraxia is a difficulty with organising and
directing the body to perform a motor skill
(movement) needed to correctly carry out the
steps in a process.

Dyspraxia  In order to do this the brain must receive and

register sensory information from the environment
and one’s own body. The brain must then process
and interpret this information in order to generate
an appropriate response
Identifiable Signs: Fine Motor Skills

 Difficulty with pencil-based tasks (e.g. holding and using a pencil for handwriting).
 Poor spatial awareness showing confusion between left/right, back/front, b/d, p/q.
 Visual perceptual difficulties that result in difficulties with reading fluency, copying and
writing.
 Poorly formed letters
 Letters of variable size
 Poor spacing between letters and words
 Paper moving while writing
  Dyslexia is characterised by a difficulty with reading
and writing that often appears to be surprising in a
child who otherwise appears capable and
academically promising.
 Most current definitions of dyslexia focus on the fact
that "accurate and fluent word reading and/or
Dyslexia spelling develops very incompletely or with great
difficulty". This focuses on literacy at the 'word level'
and implies that the problem is severe and persistent
despite appropriate learning opportunities.
 Spelling, comprehension, reading accuracy, reading
rate, word identification and phonological coding are
all affected. (Dyslexia SPELD)
Identifiable Signs

 Struggling with reading

 Poor spelling and grammar
 Confusing the order of letters
 Trouble following a sequence of directions
 Difficulty organizing thoughts when speaking
Teaching Strategies

Handwriting

 Utilise a multisensory approach to teaching

handwriting and letter formation (verbal prompts-
PEGGY LEGO).
 Provide a range of tactile media to practice
forming letters (sand tray, paint bags).
 Practice forming letters on a range of surfaces and
on a large scale.
 Place a visual prompt on the student's desks.
 Synthetic phonics board games
 Highlighted paper.
 Use a pencil grip or specialist pens/pencils to assist with maintaining correct pencil
grip.
 Slant board.
 Raised paper.
Teaching strategies

Written Expression:
šTeach students to use templates/ scaffolds to assist with planning and constructing
their written responses. Allow students to draw pictures or dictate ideas during the
planning stage.
šExplicitly teach students all steps in the process of writing a text: planning (mind maps,
dot points, graphic organisers) organising (using templates/ scaffolds), writing a
draft and finally editing to create a complex text
šTeach students to focus on proof-reading for one aspect at a time (sentence
structure, punctuation, spelling errors)
šConsider allowing students to dictate their ideas onto a digital recorder before
transcribing their dictation into writing.
šAllow students to dictate to a scribe or use assistive technology, such as iPad apps or
Dragon Dictation, to transform spoken sentences into written text. This is
particularly useful for students with poor spelling or laboured handwriting.
Accommodations

 šAllow extra time for writing tasks or reduce the amount that needs to be written.
 š rovide a template or blank copies of diagrams, charts etc., for completions rather than asking the student to
P
create one from scratch.
 šAllow alternatives to hand-written responses e.g. use of a computer, a scribe, or a digital recorder.
 šAllow student to take breaks when writing, so they can put pencils down and shake or stretch their hands.
 šDo not penalise a student with handwriting difficulties for poor presentation of work or spelling.
 šTeach strategies for improving handwriting skills where possible.
 šLimit the need for draft copies, or have the student type their final copy instead of re-writing it.
 šAllow students to write with pens or pencils of their choice.
 šAllow students to write smaller or larger and then adapt the requirements later on.
 Applications to support writing difficulties

šStructured Synthetics Phonics-

šDirect instruction- Spelling Mastery šTalk for Writing- is an engaging
Sounds to writing (Sounds-Write is
(A six level direct instruction teaching framework. It enables
a quality first phonics program. Its
program that teacher students children to imitate the language
purpose is to provide classroom
dependable spelling skills, utilising they need for a particular topic šLetters and sounds šPreLit
professionals with a
phonemic awareness, word orally, before reading and
comprehensive system with which
recognition and morphemic analysing it, and then writing their
to teach reading, spelling and
awareness). own version.
writing).

šLittle Learners Love Literacy šNo Nonsense Phonics Skills šJolly Phonics šRead Write
Assertive technology

 šWord processing/ writing support (Text help & Write Gold).

 šLive Scribe
 šDictation- Speech-to-text
 G
š raphic Organisers- can be effective in helping students organise their thoughts during the
writing processes.
 šExplain Everything Whiteboard
 šWord Burst Typing Game
 šNoteTalker
 šWritepad
 šTyping Tutor
 ACTIVITIES

ROTATIONS
Activity 1 Paint Bags- Writing High Frequency Words (at, is, it, in, and, the etc.), writing
your name as well as your group members names and so on.
Activity 2 scented pens- Practice writing Letters of the alphabet, what you are studying
at Notre Dame, the year you are in within your degree etc. have fun with it.
Activity 3 shaving cream- Letter formations, sight words, names of places and people.

Think of the pros and cons of each activity, to then share with the whole class.
References:

 AUSPELD. (2014). Understanding learning difficulties: A practical guide. South Perth. WA: DSF
Literacy Services.
 AUSPELD. (2018). Understanding learning difficulties: A guide for parents. South Perth, WA:DSF
Literacy Services.
 Kelly, K. (2019). The Difference Between Dysgraphia and Dyslexia. [online] Understood.org.
Retrieved from: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-
disabilities/dysgraphia/the-difference-between-dysgraphia-and-
dyslexia#targetText=Dyslexia%20primarily%20affects%20reading.&targetText=An%20issue%20tha
t%20involves%20difficulty,or%20blend%20sounds%20into%20words.
 Trouble With Writing | Experience It Through Your Child’s Eyes. (2019). Retrieved 12 September
2019, from https://www.understood.org/en/tools/through-your-childs-
eyes/player?simq=a06af01c-0a60-45c0-b306-
2e8714d05bb4&standalone=true&simulation=true&fbclid=IwAR3kU7VCPzBJ5szzGkNRyXxpAaOR
MYVK8gVpNp7NzlfM5jKj1quA5N4Pu78