Transcript The ABC*s of Behavior

Dysgraphia
Let’s do the “Write” thing
2016 PEATC
A Workshop for Families and Professionals
www.peatc.org
WHAT IS PEATC?
PEATC is Virginia’s Parent Training and
Information Center. We are the “go to place”
for Virginia families of children with special
education needs.
PEATC PROVIDES….
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Individual phone consultations
Workshops throughout Virginia
Webinars/On Demand Training
Factsheets
Blog
Resources
To assist parents in securing educational plans for their children leading toward adult
lives that include
 meaningful employment
 friendships
 community participation
1975
1978
1991
Education of ALL Handicapped Children
Act became Federal Law
Five Parent Training and Information
Centers (PTI) were funded and PEATC was
one of the first!
Community Parent Resource Centers
(CPRC)
Parent Centers are also supported by a Technical Assistance Project
Funded by the USDOE, OSEP
OBJECTIVES
As a result of this workshop participants will:
 Define
Dysgraphia through experts
 Simulate
the Dysgraphia Experience
 Signs
and Symptoms
 Look
at Dysgraphia through policy and guidance
 Discuss
interventions and accommodations
What is Dysgraphia? – Dr Sheldon Horowitz PhD
Any Volunteers?
Let’s all give it a try!
Write a short essay, description, or story based on the photograph
below. Please limit what you write to the space provided -- three or
four sentences; about 100 words.
As you write, keep these important rules in mind:
1. Place the three words with which you want to begin each sentence
at the end of that sentence, without otherwise changing word
order.
2. Use "on" in place of "an" and "an" in place of "on" wherever you
write those letter combinations (within words or alone).
3. Place your concluding sentence at the top of the page.
4. Without otherwise changing the spelling, place the letter "h" to the
right of the letter "T" in all words that begin with "T" and to the
left of the "t" in all words that end with "t."
Sign and Symptoms of Dysgraphia
• May have illegible printing and cursive writing
(despite appropriate time and attention given
the task)
• Exhibits strange wrist, body or paper position
• Shows inconsistencies: mixtures of print and
cursive, upper and lower case, or irregular
sizes, shapes or slant of letters
• Copying or writing is slow or labored
• Has unfinished words or letters, omitted words
• Has cramped or unusual grip/may complain of
sore hand
• Inconsistent spacing between words and
letters
• Has difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation
• Shows poor spatial planning on paper
• Has great difficulty thinking and writing at the
same time (taking notes, creative writing.)
Social Emotional Impact
Kids with dysgraphia
may freeze up when
they try to put thoughts
on paper. This can
cause them to be
frustrated and anxious
and to avoid taking
risks.
Messy written work
that’s full of mistakes
may lead kids to hear
they’re “lazy” or “sloppy.”
This stress and
frustration at school can
make them anxious and
may impact their selfesteem.
Now we know:
•
What Dysgraphia is and what is
not
•
What it might feel like to be an
individual with Dysgraphia
•
Signs, symptoms and impact of
Dysgraphia
Let’s move on to how that
relates to VA public schools
“Specific learning disability” means a disorder in
one or more of the basic psychological
processes involved in understanding or in using
language, spoken or written, that may manifest
itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think,
speak, read, WRITE, spell or to do mathematical
calculations, including conditions such as
perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal
brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental
aphasia.
(10) Specific learning disability —(i) General.
Specific learning disability means a disorder in
one or more of the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or in using language,
spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the
imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read,
WRITE, spell, or to do mathematical calculations,
including conditions such as perceptual
disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain
dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
Specific learning disability does not include
learning problems that are primarily the result of
visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of
intellectual disabilities; of emotional disabilities;
of environmental, cultural, or economic
disadvantage. (§ 22.1-213 of the Code of
Virginia; 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10))
(ii) Disorders not included. Specific learning
disability does not include learning problems that
are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or
motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of
emotional disturbance, or of environmental,
cultural, or economic disadvantage. [34 CFR
§300.8(c)(10)]
“The purpose of this letter is to clarify that
there is nothing in the IDEA that would
prohibit the use of the terms dyslexia,
dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in IDEA
evaluation, eligibility determinations, or IEP
documents.”
“Dysgraphia affects the student’s ability
to write which requires motor and
linguistic skills. Dysgraphia can lead to
difficulties in handwriting, spelling, and
written expression. It is partially the
result of visual-spatial and language
processing difficulties”
http://tiny.cc/6hzqey
Intervention & Accommodation Options
Private
Tiered System
of Supports
504 Plan
Individual
Education
Plan
Interventions
• Occupational therapy to build fine motor
skills and support motor coordination.
• Working with a reading specialist on written
composition.
• Having kids take a break before
proofreading their work.
• Graphic organizers can help kids organize their
thoughts.
• A checklist for editing their work—spelling,
grammar, syntax, clear progression of
ideas, etc.
• Assistive technology or word processing can
make writing easier.
• Allowing for extra time on tests that
involve writing.
• Providing examples of finished
assignments.
• Giving sentence starters showing how
to begin a written response.
• Allowing kids to respond in ways other
than writing.
• Breaking writing assignments into
steps (and showing the steps).
• Allowing kids to use a word processor
in school.
Accommodations
• Grading based on what the student knows, so
spelling and handwriting are taken out of the
equation.
• Providing a “proofreading plan.”
• Talking out a story or ideas first and helping to
create an outline.
• Using graphic organizers to map out the
necessary parts of an essay and the order they
should go in.
• Using assistive technology, such as mindmapping software.
Dysgraphia can occur alone, or in children
who also have dyslexia, other language
disorders, or ADHD.
http://u.org/29incoG
http://u.org/29r6cLM
http://u.org/295IMwb
Age 15
Dysgraphia Diagnosis
Fostering Self Advocacy
Can you help me
with a problem?
Can I be graded on
the idea and not the
writing?
Can I use another
way to show what
I know?
Can I have a
little extra
time?
Can I get a copy of the
teacher’s notes?
Can I have more
space to write in?
Can I use assistive
technology?
5 Things Your Grade-Schooler With Dysgraphia Can Say to Self-Advocate
http://u.org/29qSdpk
5 Things Your Middle-Schooler With Dysgraphia Can Say to Self-Advocate
http://u.org/29qXUU0
Resources
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VA Department of Education
Ed.gov
Understood.org
LDA.org
Wrights Law
Peatc.org
THANK YOU!
PEATC
100 N Washington Street, Suite 234
Falls Church, VA 22046
703-923-0010 / 800-869-6782
www.peatc.org
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