DS is endowed with high processing speed so is actually very fast with almost everything, including essay composition and even handwriting.
The "processing speed" I was referring to is a very specific subtest under the processing speed category on the WISC (coding) - which can have results influenced by fine motor challenges (it's a potential clue re dysgraphia). Although the subtest itself is supposed to be measuring how quickly a person works produces output. if the person has fine motor dysgraphia they may have what looks like an anomalously low score on this subtest.
The description of how your ds form his letters (bottom to top) and issues with spacing sound very much like my dysgraphic ds. Does your ds have an unusual pencil grip? Does he have any challenges with spelling *while writing* (not spelling tests).
If you haven't googled symptoms of dysgraphia you might want to take a look at it - there are several different types.
Fortunately, DS can type bigger assignments or anything that goes home. It's just not very practical to type everything during class.
I dunno, there are quite a few of us with dysgraphic kids who actually do type everything in class (even one-sentence responses)... it works ok
I think his goal would be to write neatly at a good speed; right now he usually writes very quickly but apparently legible to the teachers although barely legible to me and often not legible to his peers.
The "apparently legible to the teachers" made me giggle - I've had so many teachers insist they can read my ds' handwriting when even he can't read it lol!
When he tries to write very neatly for applications and such it takes him a long time - maybe it's also an issue of finding that in-between neatness/speed combination.
Have you asked him why he thinks it takes so much longer? You might try asking him if he's having to think about how to draw each letter, to get a sense if that's the issue (dysgraphia) or if he answers that he's just trying his best to be neat that would sound a bit less like dysgraphia.
Best wishes,
polarbear
