Funny thing...he had a bunch of homework and he would always fight us on doing it and complain. We made the same kind of chart on word and let him type it instead of write by hand and not only did he get it done quickly but he was way more elaborate than he ever has been!
If ds gas horrific handwriting that affects not only taking notes but also showing math to the point he can't even read his own writing is that cause for concern?
These two observations together sound a lot like dysgraphia. I would ask him why he complains when he has to use handwriting for homework - you might ask him specifically if his hand hurts when he writes. Also observe his posture while he writes - does he hold his wrist or his elbow? Does he tire quickly when writing? Look at his handwriting samples - is his spelling ok or irregular? Does he use caps and lower case correctly consistently or does he have random caps where they don't belong? Are his letters and words spaced appropriately or irregularly? Does he have even pencil pressure when writing or do his papers look messy and crumpled?
Make a list of everything you've noted, and request the school do an evaluation for SLD / written expression. I would not be put off by his teacher not recognizing what dysgraphia is or thinking everything is a-ok. Just state your concerns and make a written request (email is ok) for the evaluation. Even though the teacher might not be familiar with dysgraphia, there is no doubt someone somewhere in the school district's SPED department that understands the terminology "specific learning disability in written expression". I suspect that the SPED department is familiar with the term dysgraphia, but it isn't something that a classroom teacher will necessarily understand.
Best wishes,
polarbear
