Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment tests for dysgraphia?

His handwriting is horrible with letters pretty much over lapping each other. His hand hurts and he holds the pencil awkwardly. He's only inattentive or not doing what he's told when it comes to writing which unfortunately is most of the day and then he gets behind on other work because the teachers make him re-do it over and over again until they can somewhat read it.

Cola, we got DS9 (dysgraphic) his own iPad with keyboard to get around the sporadic availability of school computers. We have also gotten a lot more traction out of emphasizing the physical consequences of writing than the learning consequences (go figure). I heartily agree with the keyboarding recommendations.

I will definitely look into doing that thank you so much!

This struck me - our DD9 has always had horrendous handwriting. She used to write so tiny that the teachers had to squint to read it. I have to consistently remind her to hold her pencil correctly. However, she is incredibly detailed and imaginative in her art. She illustrates all her stories usually using fine point markers. She writes a bit bigger now, but it's still hard to read any of her work. Whenever I read I feel my face scrunching up as I try to decipher the words. Is there a difference between drawing and handwriting? Her spelling is pretty awful as well, yet she jumps on misspelled words when she sees them in a homework sheet where she's supposed to circle them. If asked, she can write very nicely, but on her own, blaaah. I just looked at one of her lined homework sheets - the handwriting on that is clear. I just looked at a list of dysgraphia warning signs, and one was
•Trouble thinking of words to write.
DD writes all the live long day. That's her passion. So, bad spelling, horrible handwriting (unless really focused). Should we be concerned?

Letter formation is symbolic, where drawing is meaningful, concrete images. She can edit effectively when that's all she's doing, from what you're saying, but not necessarily when generating her own writing, so she does know how to spell, just doesn't apply it very consistently, or can't apply it and generate meaningful written language at the same time. It sounds like she has the basic skills (handwriting and spelling), but doesn't do well executing them and doing a higher-level language task at the same time. This scenario could have some dysgraphic elements to it, but I would probably look first to executive functions and even motivation. Does her handwriting bother her, or interfere with her legibility to herself or others?

I would probably look first to executive functions and even motivation. Does her handwriting bother her, or interfere with her legibility to herself or others?

aeh - Yes, DD9 has ADHD, inattentive type. So that could keep her from writing well, spelling well, and writing legibly at the same time. Interesting. Her focus is on the thoughts coming out, not the less important (to her) items. I asked her today if she could read her own handwriting. She was rather put out with me for asking! Evidently she can read the scribbles, tiny as they are. Her teachers have trouble though - she gets smiley faces, praise, and thanks when she writes neatly!! I push her to do her homework on the computer, with the teacher's permission. I feel bad for her pre algebra teacher because the problems she writes out are horribly messy. I don't know how he knows what is going on. Someone mentioned here to use graph paper for the math. I might try that.

We are starting graph paper tomorrow with ds 9 and hopefully that helps. I would assume if it is helpful we should be able to tell fairly quickly.

Yes, your further description sounds more like the writing issues have their origins in ADHD/EF/organization. Handwriting is just not that exciting. =)

My #1, who would probably have been referred for ADHD eval in many school systems, had excellent grades in handwriting while in the tiny private school that actually taught that, and is also an exceptional writer and speller, BUT, presents with awful handwriting unless specifically instructed to self-monitor, or especially motivated (such as when creating posters, cards, or hand-lettering artwork). Back when handwriting was a relatively new and interesting task, we had lovely handwriting (cursive was a particular love), but now that handwriting is merely a tool for language expression, we don't care about it at all. Handwriting in math improved only after enough incidents of self or others mis-reading numerals, operations, or signs. Plus, now that proofs are a part of our math, the communicative value of written math work has become more important.

Oh yeah, and tiny handwriting and a desire to save paper (trees!) was also an issue for us.