Strategies for dysgraphia

The West Virginia University website has about 50 different strategies for these students.  It is www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/dysgraphia.html.  I will list ten for your information and review.  

1.  Encourage students to outline their thoughts. It is important to get the main ideas down on
     paper without having to struggle with the details of spelling, punctuation, etc.

2.  Have students dictate their ideas into a tape recorder and then listen and write them down later.

3.  Have students draw a picture of a thought for each paragraph,

4.  Encourage student to talk aloud as they write.  This may provide valuable auditory feedback.

5.  Allow more time for written tasks including note-taking, copying, and tests.

6.  Allow students to use paper or writing instruments of different colors.

7.  Reduce copying aspects of work; for example, in math, provide a worksheet with the problems
     already on it instead of having the student copy the problems.

8.  Allow students to use graph paper for math, or to turn lined paper sideways, to help with lining up columns
    of numbers.

9.  Teach alternative handwriting methods such as "Handwriting Without Tears" (www.hwtears.com/inro.htm).

10.  Do papers and assignments in a logical step-wise sequence.  An easy way to remember these steps
      is to think of the word POWER.

     P - plan your paper
     O - organize your thoughts and ideas
     W - write your draft
     E - edit your work
     R - revise your work, producing a final draft
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Dysgraphia does not have to limit creativity as shown by the sample below composed on a computer by a 12 year old dyslexic and dysgraphic student.

1)  First draft of creative story as typed by 12 year old student:

the way I descride a bumby ride is like wothgan mowtsarts mowsek. eshe bumby rowd is like a song.  Eshe bumb is the a note eche uncon at the sam time ste is, that was the mewstere to mowts mowsuk it was vare metereus and unperdekdable.  So the next time you drive down a bumby theak of mowtsart.

2)  Same story.  Student read to teacher using his draft:

"The way I describe a bumpy ride is like Wolfgang Mozart's music.  Each bumpy road is like a song.  Each bump in the road is a note.  Each bump is uncontrolled at the same time it still is controlled.  That was the magic  to Mozart's music.  It was very mysterious and unpredictable.  So the next time you drive down a bumpy road think of Mozart."