Dysgraphia Blog
Awareness, Perspective, Success
What breaks your heart?
What pisses you off? What breaks your heart? These are questions Mike Kim asks his clients when he is helping them prepare a marketing campaign. I had no idea what pissed me off 13 years ago when I pivoted my career from adult neuro rehab to school-based therapy. But,...
Your students should use a typewriter — Here’s why
You see it in movie introductions. When was the last time you saw one? Touched it? Used it? Why do I even care? Because I would love for my students to use one. The manual typewriter has so many different features than today’s keyboard. Here are three examples. First,...
How can I help my child with spelling this summer?
Spelling. What a complex science and art there is to this concept. My daughter came to me asking how to spell the word appreciate one evening. I think she was in 5th grade. (She is in grad school now. My memory of the details could be skewed.) I did not know how to...
There are so many handwriting programs — Choose this one for your school
Which handwriting program should my school district invest in? I get asked this question often. I was asked in last Saturday’s Dotterer Dysgraphia Webinar. This time, it was from a parent. She asked me which program I think her child should be using at their local...
When is reading comprehension camouflaged?
I don’t know about you, but I can forget what I have said when it leaves my mouth. Oh boy, this trait can be great sometimes. But, other times, it can put a sour taste in one’s mouth. Unfortunately, this is a common experience for people with dysgraphia. Several years...
Use these strategies to improve attention for classroom engagement
Last post, I discussed Processing Speed. It is one of the key components of written expression. The other component is Working Memory. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), working memory is the phonological loop for temporarily manipulating and...
Why is Processing Speed essential for students?
Brian, the young man I was asked to observe due to his illegible handwriting skills, was sitting in his 7th-grade math class. I pulled Tanisha out of the same class for her 2-minute core exercise routine to stimulate her thinking and mathematical problem-solving. You...
Dysgraphia education can thwart referrals
Last week, I mentioned two students, Brian and Tanisha. Tanisha has a crush on Brian. Is it reciprocal? Brian, a former recipient of OT services, is distracted in class. His scores in old evaluation reports indicated that his IQ is average. His Processing Speed is a...
Why is that kid always a distraction in my class?
You know them; the child that never does any work in your class. The one who disrupts you every day. The one who never hands in their homework. When work is completed, you cannot read it. I know them too. My kid is Brian. Brian is in seventh grade. He does not have OT...
Kathy changed this 10-year old’s life. — You can too.
Beth broke down in tears at John’s IEP meeting. He was expelled from another school due to violent behaviors. He refused to complete homework and wouldn’t get on the bus! John’s IEP spoke of autism, but Beth was skeptical. As Beth spoke, Kathy listened. Kathy took my...