Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional 2e with dyslexia - advice needed

I work with medical students when I am not being "that mother.". None of the med students hold a pen the same way. My non-scientific assensment is that they all hole their pens backwards and upside down.

I was going to say, we're going through this with my son, and the big concern is that he hates writing. The OT is pretty sure part of it is the unorthodox grip. And to be honest, he doesn't mind going to the OT.

This is purely my own opinion--take it for what it's worth, as I am NOT any sort of expert--but provided a child has good fine motor skills, can follow directions and can write legibly, I tend to think the near-obsession with handwriting in the early elementary years is pretty silly.

For several years handwriting is pretty nearly THE most important thing kids do. Teachers and parents fret over it for reasons I really don't understand. It is used as an excuse for keeping kids from accelerating. It is treated as the be-all, end-all of elementary school.

But at some point, it just ceases to matter. Poof! And by adulthood, of course, few of us handwrite anything anymore. (Even my doctor prints out prescriptions from the computer!)

I get that fine motor skills are really important for young kids. I don't mean to undermine that point. And I suspect some of it is an exercise in following directions. That seems okay, if not vital to work on through handwriting.

But handwriting itself just doesn't seem to matter nearly so much as it is pushed. It seems like a quaint vestige of earlier times when "pretty" writing was valued for its own sake. Maybe it's my personality type showing, but I don't think we value "pretty" writing as a virtue anymore, and I don't think that's a bad thing.

I'm happy to be corrected if my opinion is way out of line. It may well be. But I have yet to read/hear any explanation for the hyperfocus on handwriting that makes any sense to me.

The school is saying that we should get her using the keyboard. They are willing to provide an AlphaSmart but they are not willing to provide keyboard instruction. I'm getting a little frustrated.

Thanks for the feedback. So far she does not have a 504. They promised to develop one this fall. Several factors intervened, including the teacher going on maternity leave. Our experience with the substitute (who seemed to have no clue when it came to 2e) was not great. I just spoke with the principal again this morning about the need for a written 504 plan. We are scheduled to meet again next week.