Most special education school teachers in NYC will agree that a major share of students with learning disabilities have difficulty in processing, which affects their comprehension and reading abilities. This is why students who are lacking in reading abilities often write poorly as well.
Even though encountered less frequently, there are disabilities which are specific to writing only. For instance, there is dysgraphia, which is better known as the difficulty faced in expressing one's thoughts through writing.
Reading disabilities are usually restricted to impairment of auditory and attention processing, while dysgraphia refers to problems pertaining to motor, spatial or visual processing.
Students suffering from dysgraphia exhibit the following symptoms in academics :-
- Slow speed of writing.
- Difficulty in jotting down notes.
- Delays in writing achievement.
- Handwriting and spellings are poor.
- Issues in writing math problems.
- Face difficulty in taking notes and paying attention to lectures simultaneously.
- Difficulties with hand-eye coordination or when using fine motor skills.
How can teachers of special education schools in NYC help students with writing disabilities?
The answer lies in the following suggestions :-
- In case of any student with writing disabilities, their IEP (Individualized Education Program) document is consulted.
- If attending a lecture is very important, then it must be ensured that the students are furnished a copy of the notes so that they can pay more attention to the lecture rather than jotting down notes.
- Students suffering from writing disabilities are allowed to type instead of writing out the assignment. They are also taught the usage of a spellchecker.
- In the case of assignments or tests, their time limit is extended.
- There needs to be a specific learning goal for each written assignment. For instance, if the focus happens to be on the writing, the teachers are not harsh to the student regarding the handwriting and the spelling. On the other hand, if handwriting and spelling are the primary objectives, then the special education teachers go easy on the organization of the content. This way, alternating the focus between different skills helps them in making clear goals and at the same time, their skills are also worked upon.
