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Newbie Intro with writting question
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<blockquote data-quote="LittleDudesMom" data-source="post: 513521" data-attributes="member: 805"><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Hi and welcome to the board.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">My son, who is now 16, had the same writing issues as your son which, while present earlier on, didn't really become a stumbling block until 2nd grade. The neat handwriting is usually a reason to not assume dysgraphia, but as we have all seen here, there are no absolutes when it comes to our difficult children. My son's handwriting was not great, but it was not the classic illegible style associated with dysgraphia. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Someone mentioned graphic organizers - great idea. We used those regularly for years! When difficult child was put in the "resource" language arts room in 4th grade, his frustration level (which often led to the rages and meltdowns) drastically improved. Before every writing assignment - even those requiring just 2 or 3 sentences - began with the "star" graphic orgaizer (here's a link to a whole bunch of g.o. styles <a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/spider/" target="_blank">http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/spider/</a> ). Looking at it from his perspective, looking at a blank piece of paper that needed to be "filled" with a writing assignment either presented orally or written on the board, was daunting to a child with a writing disorder. Looking at a page with a big circle in the middle and a few smaller circles didn't present as overwhelming because he knew he just needed to fill in a couple words in each circle to actually begin (which is most of the battle!).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">I find it interesting that he was able to do the Lincoln project but not a three sentence assignment. But the Lincoln project was broken down in pieces. difficult child was able to have me as a homework scribe through 5th grade (my signature at the bottom of the assignment was by word that it was his work). He began 6th grade, no home scribe, having classroom notes provided by the teacher - which was really hit or miss - oral presentations allowed for lengthy written assignments, and the ability to use a keyboard. By the end of 8th grade his disability had improved greatly. Little by little he had begun to take notes. The act of trying to handle it himself actually improved his overall difficulties.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">That is not to say that it is easy for him now that he's a sophomore in high school. He still struggles with "gathering and organizing" his thoughts prior to a lengthy assignment. However, if it's free writing, he takes off! At the end of his freshman year of high school, he had the thickest writing folder in his English class. His teacher allowed him a lot of liberty with writing assignments and he went wild! Like many kids with learning disabilities, nothing wrong with the intellect, just the ability to share it!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">With the proper diagnosis and tools, writing disabilities can make little impact on our children's ability to succeed in school. Learning keyboarding is really important. Being given an electronic speller or alphasmart type of technology is important to many kids. A good Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation is important because suggestions on working with or overcoming specific areas of the students disability will be the outcome.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Again, welcome to the board. I can tell you that I, many times, was tempted to home school my difficult child because I saw what he could accomplish with one on one attention. However, in his case, so many of his other issues were tied to learning how to get along in a group, understanding he wasn't the only consideration, how to control his anger and frustration, etc., were issues he needed to learn in school. My thought process was that he would be given the change to succeed in the future if he learned to function in a larger group. Also, he has some social inadequacies that can really only be overcome if he's part of a larger group. But that was specific to my child. But it sure was tempting to end all the phone calls, homework angst, etc. It was pretty hairy for a number of years...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Sharon</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="LittleDudesMom, post: 513521, member: 805"] [FONT=comic sans ms][SIZE=3]Hi and welcome to the board. My son, who is now 16, had the same writing issues as your son which, while present earlier on, didn't really become a stumbling block until 2nd grade. The neat handwriting is usually a reason to not assume dysgraphia, but as we have all seen here, there are no absolutes when it comes to our difficult children. My son's handwriting was not great, but it was not the classic illegible style associated with dysgraphia. Someone mentioned graphic organizers - great idea. We used those regularly for years! When difficult child was put in the "resource" language arts room in 4th grade, his frustration level (which often led to the rages and meltdowns) drastically improved. Before every writing assignment - even those requiring just 2 or 3 sentences - began with the "star" graphic orgaizer (here's a link to a whole bunch of g.o. styles [url]http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/spider/[/url] ). Looking at it from his perspective, looking at a blank piece of paper that needed to be "filled" with a writing assignment either presented orally or written on the board, was daunting to a child with a writing disorder. Looking at a page with a big circle in the middle and a few smaller circles didn't present as overwhelming because he knew he just needed to fill in a couple words in each circle to actually begin (which is most of the battle!). I find it interesting that he was able to do the Lincoln project but not a three sentence assignment. But the Lincoln project was broken down in pieces. difficult child was able to have me as a homework scribe through 5th grade (my signature at the bottom of the assignment was by word that it was his work). He began 6th grade, no home scribe, having classroom notes provided by the teacher - which was really hit or miss - oral presentations allowed for lengthy written assignments, and the ability to use a keyboard. By the end of 8th grade his disability had improved greatly. Little by little he had begun to take notes. The act of trying to handle it himself actually improved his overall difficulties. That is not to say that it is easy for him now that he's a sophomore in high school. He still struggles with "gathering and organizing" his thoughts prior to a lengthy assignment. However, if it's free writing, he takes off! At the end of his freshman year of high school, he had the thickest writing folder in his English class. His teacher allowed him a lot of liberty with writing assignments and he went wild! Like many kids with learning disabilities, nothing wrong with the intellect, just the ability to share it! With the proper diagnosis and tools, writing disabilities can make little impact on our children's ability to succeed in school. Learning keyboarding is really important. Being given an electronic speller or alphasmart type of technology is important to many kids. A good Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation is important because suggestions on working with or overcoming specific areas of the students disability will be the outcome. Again, welcome to the board. I can tell you that I, many times, was tempted to home school my difficult child because I saw what he could accomplish with one on one attention. However, in his case, so many of his other issues were tied to learning how to get along in a group, understanding he wasn't the only consideration, how to control his anger and frustration, etc., were issues he needed to learn in school. My thought process was that he would be given the change to succeed in the future if he learned to function in a larger group. Also, he has some social inadequacies that can really only be overcome if he's part of a larger group. But that was specific to my child. But it sure was tempting to end all the phone calls, homework angst, etc. It was pretty hairy for a number of years... Sharon[/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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