12/2/2016
This is your Brain…..
Dysgraphia 101 Laura Dowdy, Stefanie Perry and Kelly Elias
This is your Brain Reading and Writing
• Orthographic Coding: how the brain pays attention to, visually remembers and codes Orthographic Coding words and word parts relating them to spoken words (thru vs through)
• Phonological Coding: segmenting spoken words (word sounds) into units, relate them to how the brain pays attention to, visually units in written words – breaking words apart and putting back together remembers and codes words and word parts • Morphological Coding: coding of base words (“root”) with suffixes and prefixes, for relating them to spoken words (thru vs through) example – corner vs builder
• Verbal Working Memory – working memory that allows you to store and process letters and written words, listening comprehension and written sentences
• RAN – measures ability to name familiar symbols/single letters, letter groups or words that are repeated across rows both accurately and rapidly
• RAS – measures executive function of switching categories (attentional switches)
an different
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quieter ei
telescope sc
preapproved er
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exclamation ti
Phonological Coding Now your turn
segmenting spoken words (word sounds) into • Drum roll please……… units, relate them to units in written words – breaking words apart and putting back together
Morphological Coding Now Your Turn
coding of base words (“root”) with suffixes and Movement Move prefixes, for example – corner vs builder Imaginary Imagine Sentence Sent Reality Real Depth Deep Clarity Clear Billion Bill Butter Butt
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Verbal Working Memory Now Your Turn
• working memory that allows you to store and • Verbal Working Memory - Letters process letters and written words, listening • You get only 5 seconds to answer comprehension and written sentences
Now Your Turn RAN
• Verbal Working Memory – Words • measures ability to name familiar • You get only 5 seconds to answer symbols/single letters, letter groups or words that are repeated across rows both accurately and rapidly
RAN RAS
• measures central executive function of switching • May I have a volunteer?!? categories (attentional switches)
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Berninger’s Working Memory Architecture RAS
• May I have a volunteer?!?
Berninger’s View of Reading and Writing What do you know about how Processing Disabilities student’s learn to write?
Dysgraphia 101 Pre Test
Image Credit: PAL II: Process Assessment of the Learner, Virginia Berninger, Pearson Clinical 2007
Which skills are developed in the successful writer? Simple (or not so simple) View of Writing
TEXT GENERATION Humble ISD Writing Efficiency Content, Ideas, Voice Hierarchy
VERBAL WORKING MEMORY
MECHANICS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS Handwriting, spelling, Attention, planning, spacing, punctuation reviewing, revising, self - regulation
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Research What is Handwriting? • Juel (1988) found that 1/3 of fourth graders had difficulty with low-level writing skills (i.e. handwriting and spelling)- mechanics “Handwriting is a complex perceptual-motor skill that is dependent upon the maturation and • Another 1/3 had difficulty with high level skills integration of a number of cognitive, perceptual (i.e. composition)- text generation and motor skills, and is developed through guided direct instruction” • Another 1/3 had difficulty with both
(Hamstra-Bletz and Blote, 1993; Maeland, 1992).
Mather, N & Wendling, B.J. (2009) Essentials of evidence-based academic interventions p. 140
Components of Handwriting Why Teach Handwriting? • Recall the appearance of the letters, letter groups and spelling patterns (orthographic memory)- “see it” “In dozens of studies, researchers have found that, done right, early handwriting instruction • Visualize the letter and coordinate the motor improves students’ writing. Not just its legibility patterns needed to form the letters (graphomotor)- “do it” but its quantity and quality.” • Judge the amount of space that is needed between the letters and words and try to
Graham, S. (2009-2010) Want to improve children’s writing? Don’t neglect their position the letter on the writing lines handwriting. American Educator, 20-25 (sensory/spatial)- “place it”
Mather, N., Wendling, B., & Roberts, R. (2009). Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities (p. 9)
TEKS Snapshot – Kindergarten Writing TEKS Snapshot – Grade 1 Writing Ready for STAAR Ready for STAAR
K.13(A) plan a first draft by generating ideas for writing through class discussion (with adult assistance) K.13(B)* develop drafts by sequencing the action or details in the story (with adult assistance) 1.17(A) plan a first draft by generating ideas for writing (e.g., drawing, sharing ideas, listing key ideas) Writing Process K.13(C)* revise drafts by adding details or sentences (with adult assistance) 1.17(B)* develop drafts by sequencing ideas through writing sentences K.13(D)* edit drafts by leaving spaces between letters and words (with adult assistance) Writing Process 1.17(C)* revise drafts by adding or deleting a word, phrase, or sentence K.13(E) share writing with others (with adult assistance) 1.17(D)* edit drafts for grammar, punctuation, and spelling using a teacher‐developed rubric
1.17(E) publish and share writing with others Reporting Category* Readiness Standards Supporting Standards
K.14(A)* dictate or write sentences to tell a story and put the K.14(B) write short poems Reporting
Readiness Standards Supporting Standards sentences in chronological sequence Category*
K.15(A)* dictate or write information for lists, captions, or 1.18(A)* write brief stories that include a beginning, middle, 1.19(C) write brief comments on literary or informational texts
1 invitations and end (literary) 1.18(B) write short poems that convey sensory details K.18(C) write one's own name 1.19(A)* write brief compositions about topics of interest to 1.19(B) write short letters that put ideas in a chronological or logical sequence and use 1 Composition the student (expository/procedural) appropriate conventions (e.g., date, salutation, closing)
Composition
K.13(C)* revise drafts by adding details or sentences (with
adult assistance) 1.17(C)* revise drafts by adding or deleting a word, phrase, or 2
sentence Revision 2
K.13(D)* edit drafts by leaving spaces between letters and K.16(A)* understand and use the following parts of speech in the context of reading, Revision words (with adult assistance) writing, and speaking (with adult assistance): 1.21(A) form upper‐ and lower‐case letters legibly in text, using the basic conventions K.16(B)* speak in complete sentences to communicate (i)* past and future tenses when speaking 1.17(D)* edit drafts for grammar, punctuation, and spelling K.17(A) form upper‐ and lower‐case letters legibly using the (ii)* nouns (singular/plural) using a teacher‐developed rubric of print (left‐to‐right and top‐to‐bottom progression), including spacing basic conventions of print (left‐to‐right and top‐to‐ (iii)* descriptive words 1.20(B) speak in complete sentences with correct subject‐ between words and sentences (iv)* prepositions and simple prepositional phrases appropriately when 1.21(B)* recognize and use basic capitalization for:
bottom progression) verb agreement
speaking or writing (e.g., in, on, under, over) (iii)* names of people
1.21(B)* recognize and use basic capitalization for: 3 (v)* pronouns (e.g., I, me) 1.21(C) recognize and use punctuation marks at the end of declarative, exclamatory,
3 (i)* the beginning of sentences Editing K.16(C)* use complete simple sentences and interrogative sentences
Editing (ii)* the pronoun "I" K.17(B)* capitalize the first letter in a sentence 1.22(B)* use letter‐sound patterns to spell 1.22(C)* spell high‐frequency words from a commonly used list K.17(C)* use punctuation at the end of a sentence 1.22(D)* spell base words with inflectional endings (e.g., adding "s" to make words K.18(A) use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters plurals) K.18(B)* use letter‐sound correspondences to spell consonant‐vowel‐consonant (CVC) 1.22(E)* use resources to find correct spellings words (e.g., "cut")
Genres Genres Literary Informational Literary Informational Fiction Expository Fiction Expository Poetry Poetry Procedural
NOTE: The classification of standards on this TEKS Snapshot represents the reviewed and synthesized input of a sample of Texas Kindergarten – Grade 2 teachers. This TEKS Snapshot DOES NOTE: The classification of standards on this TEKS Snapshot represents the reviewed and synthesized input of a sample of Texas Kindergarten – Grade 2 teachers. This TEKS Snapshot DOES NOT represent a publication of the Texas Education Agency. District curriculum materials may reflect other classifications. NOT represent a publication of the Texas Education Agency. District curriculum materials may reflect other classifications.
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So how do kids learn to write ? Handwriting 101 The Big Question?!?
Looking CLOSELY at OSMOSIS HANDWRITING CONCERNS:
When is it a DYSGRAPHIA concern and When is it an INSTRUCTIONAL need?
Alien Implantation? Adapted and reprinted with permission Denver Public Schools 2011 http://denver.co.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=1859&&
QUESTION 1: QUESTION 2: Has the student received explicit handwriting instruction with fidelity? Does the student know all the uppercase and lowercase letters/forms?
• Students must receive explicit guided handwriting instruction on letter formation and placement with • To be an effective writer students’ must have multiple guided repetitions and practice to develop legible knowledge of letters and letter handwriting. shapes/sounds.
• Humble ISD uses the Handwriting Without Tears • Appropriately drill and practice to help fill in Curriculum – This is not handing the students a workbook! this educational gap. – It involves guided imitation and practice. Contact your campus RELA lead or OT if teachers need help or training. • Educational intervention recommendations could be: letter strip on desk, multi-sensory • Many online resources and apps to help struggling students approach to learning letters, small group (when caught early before bad habits form!) instruction in the classroom for specific letter group remediation • Letter School App set to HWT using a mini stylus
QUESTION 3: QUESTION 4: Is the student’s writing equally poor in copying and free writing? Did the student pass their vision screening?
• If the student can write the alphabet fluently from • Contact the school nurse if the student complains of memory and copy text legibly, BUT legibility vision problems while reading or writing. decreases with composition, this is likely • In the interim, make sure to provide the student NOT a graphomotor-based issue. with preferential seating and allow accommodations to make sure the student is able to • May be an issue with see all instruction and modeling. ▫ Executive Function: initiation of or attention to task • There are some vision problems that affect reading ▫ Spelling (orthographic knowledge) and writing that are not detected on standard school vision screens. www.covd.org ▫ Grammar and Sentence Structure knowledge
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QUESTION 5: Gamer’s Thumb Does the student have any of these grasp/grip concerns?
Pushes Too Hard/Soft Initial interventions to try: mechanical pencil, felt, fabric or fine sandpaper under writing paper, softer lead pencils, vertical surface.
Hand Fatigue or Pain Initial interventions to try: a pencil grip, encourage play with putty or Playdoh and activities that require weight bearing on the hands.
Grasp Concerns Initial interventions to try: “The Pencil Grip”, use of short golf pencil or broken crayons. See the Pencil Grasp Discussion Guide in your handouts.
Moves Whole Arm Typically seen with younger students, but can be seen in any student who is using big arm muscles for small muscle writing movements. Encourage them to keep their forearm on table and allow opportunities to work on vertical surfaces.
Switches Hands This is often seen with younger students. Continue to encourage them to utilize only one hand. If they have not developed a preference for one hand by age 6, ask your campus OT for “general strategies to promote laterality.”
TEACH GOOD MECHANICS: Get a GRIP! Grip Patterns • Tool Size – Inefficient ▫ Small tools for small hands! I mean teeny tiny small….. Quick tip
• Function – Efficient ▫ Promote tiny object manipulation through fun activities while learning about the world around you
• Imitation and Practice of Good Grips ▫ Alligator Story http://www.sightandsoundreading.com/how-to-teach-a-child-to-hold-their-pencil-correctly/ ▫ Picking Up My Pencil (HWT Rock Rap Tap and Learn, track 9) ▫ Pencil Pick Ups http://www.hwtears.com/files/frogjump/HWT_Pick_Ups.pdf ▫ Flip the pencil trick ▫ A-OK trick ▫ Pencil Driving trick http://micheltorena.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Preparing-for-Paper-and-Pencil.pdf
QUESTIONS 6 and 7: Does poor word or letter spacing affect their legibility? Does poor orientation of letters to the line affect their legibility? Paper Placement • Initial interventions to try: Teach a Some children exaggerate the slant on their paper spacing strategy – placement which is acceptable if it does not cause use of an underline, finger space, popsicle stick, small pom-pom speed or neatness trouble. • Try visual cues on paper – LINES!
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QUESTION 8: QUESTION 9: Do they write with tremulous strokes or have many write-overs? Are Do they have good posture when writing? letters or words unrecognizable out of context? This could indicate a bigger graphomotor problem • Students cannot write their best with poor and would warrant a need for a dysgraphia screening. posture. Make sure their feet are supported and not dangling. Make sure their desk & chair height is appropriate. Rule of 90/90/90
Alphabet Fluency Exercise Must have FLUENCY to access content
Which writer do you want in your class? Why RtI ?
“Early intervention for students at risk for handwriting and spelling
Struggles with mechanics of writing: • Has FLUENCY with mechanics difficulties can prevent more serious • Letter formation • No mental energy spent – • Spelling mechanics are automatic • Spacing/sizing • All Mental energy can be invested writing disabilities later in school.” in composition No Mental energy for Content – can’t access or generate ideas! Mather, N. & Wendling, B.J. (2009). Essentials of evidence based academic interventions p. 141
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Hot Topic: Dysgraphia Universal Screening Measures • Learning disability in the area of writing expression Handwriting Without Tears- Grades K-2nd print of neuro-biological origin (a problem with writing efficiency)
• Definition: “Dys”: impared “Graph”: producing letter forms by hand Suffix- “ia” - refers to having a condition
• Exclusionary Criteria: LACK OF ADEQUATE GUIDED HANDWRITING INSTRUCTION (aka Dystaughtia)
Dysgraphia Berninger’s Definition of Dysgraphia • Problem in handwriting automaticity- retrieving • Can interfere with learning to spell words in writing and producing legible letters effortlessly and • Can interfere with the speed of written text. fast, • Children with dysgraphia may have only impaired • Problem in spelling with or without indicators of handwriting, only impaired spelling (without dyslexia, reading problems) or both impaired handwriting • Problem in finger motor planning, and/or and spelling. • Problem in executive functions for self- • Unexpected lack of appropriate academic regulating the composing process (fluency and progress in handwriting and/or spelling even with quality) targeted instruction/intervention. Berninger and Wolf, 2009, Teaching Students with Dyslexia and Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia: Impaired Components of Handwriting Orthographic and Memory Processes
• Recall the appearance of the letters and spelling WHAT IS IT? patterns (orthographic memory)- “see it” • Representation of letter forms and/or letter groups in short-term and long term memory, • Visualize the letter and coordinate the motor • Access to and retrieval of theses representations in memory, and patterns needed to form the letters (graphomotor)- “do it” • Planning for letter production. Berninger, V.W. (2004). Understanding the Graphia in Dysgraphia. WHAT YOU SEE: • Judge the amount of space that is needed between the letters and words and try to position • Crossed out letters and words the letter on the writing line • Make letters different ways (no consistent formation strategy) (sensory/spatial)- “place it” • Inconsistent spacing • Many may have difficulty picturing whole words, which can lead to spelling delays
Mather, N., Wendling, B., & Roberts, R. (2009). Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students • May experience difficulty copying from the board (looks frequently with Learning Disabilities (p. 9) at the board while copying)
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Orthography of Language Orthographic and Memory Processes
• De snelle bruine vos sprong over de wildwaterbaan. “Students with severe motor problems are likely to have handwriting problems, but • Con cáo nâu nhanh chóng nhảy qua dòng sông lười. children with motor development within the • A gyors barna róka ugrott át a lusta folyó. normal range may also have handwriting problems, which are more directly related to • Der schnelle braune Fuchs sprang über den faulen Fluss. orthographic than motor processing skills.”
• El zorro marrón rápido saltó sobre el río perezoso. Berninger, V.W. & Amtmann, D. (2003). Handwriting of Learning Disabilities
• The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy river.
Graphomotor Skills
Defined as… Types of Graphomotor Difficulties
The specialized, sensory motor component related specifically to writing • Motor Memory
And the learned skills that require the use of your • Motor Action hand in writing language, • Sensory Motor Feedback Both of which are connected to the language centers of your brain.
Graphomotor: Motor Memory Example of Graphomotor Memory Deficit What Is It? • It’s the hand head connection • Rapid and accurate recall and visualization of letter shapes and the specific muscle movements needed to write them
What You See: Slow and labored handwriting Inconsistent letter formations Frequent cross outs or erasures Poor legibility Preference for printing in adults Can be fantastic artists! They can draw and complete mazes, however, when a language component is added, they are unable to write legibly
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Graphomotor: Motor Action Problem with Graphomotor Motor Action
What Is It? • Brain assigns different muscles to specific responsibilities for letter formation • Some muscles stabilize the pencil, others move it to form symbols (i.e. letters)
What You See: When young, have poor grip on pencil and/or may drop it frequently When older, compensate with hard pressure grip. Pencil doesn’t lie on the web space. Use whole arm to write Slow and labored writing- fatigue easily May not have fine tuned and controlled letter formation May have history of speech articulation difficulties (fine motor of the mouth)
Graphomotor: Sensory Motor Feedback Handwriting Activity
What Is It? • The sensory system is constantly sending messages to the brain so it can make fine adjustments to the muscles and movements involved in writing. • Fold a piece of paper into four squares and • The primary systems involved in this feedback loop include vision, touch and number the squares 1-8 (four on one side, four body awareness (proprioception). on the other side)
What You See: • Square 1- trace three times with finger or pencil Very hard pencil pressure • Square 2- plan first then copy Excessive pressure on pencil with dark writing • Square 3- plan, copy Trouble keeping up with writing demands- slower rate of writing Hovers close to paper • Square 4- plan, copy Cannot copy from the board without watching themselves write Struggle to write a single letter or word with their eyes closed- they do not know where they are in space Poor spatial awareness
Sensory Perception & Spatial Skills
What Is It? Handwriting Activity • Ability to perceive visual input correctly so that you can reproduce the letters you see accurately • Draw in the arrow to mark where to begin the • Understanding of the self and of the relationships between objects within a letter in squares 2-8 given space • Squares 5 & 6 draw two closed eyelids at the top • Square 5- copy with eyes closed What You See: Confuses left and right on-self, off-self or with directions • Square 6- copy with eyes closed Reverses letters/words past the 3rd grade • Square 7- make very best copy Difficulty discriminating between letters of similar shapes (p, b, q, d) • Square 8- make very best copy Difficulty with sizing, spacing, or copying written words When reading or writing the student may cover an eye, turn head to side complain of blurry/double vision, eyes itching, burning or hurting, or headaches Writes on a slant uphill or downhill
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Social Emotional Considerations Putting it all together: Students who struggle with handwriting often: COMMUNICATION is…. • Labeled as “lazy”, “unmotivated” and/or “oppositional” because they are reluctant to produce written work
• Accused of writing neatly “when they want to”. This statement has moral implications and is untrue; neat handwriting at a reasonable pace is often not a choice
• Engage in numerous avoidance behaviors: have to go to the bathroom; need to sharpen their pencils, just sit and stare or may even disrupt the class because getting in trouble may be less painful for them than writing
• Take up to 3 times as long to complete written work than do typical students
• Develop poor self esteem
http://www.cdl.org/articles/graphomotor-skills-why-some-kids-hate-to-write/
Composition: Oral vs Writing Relationship: Dyslexia and Dysgraphia
Dyslexia is not just a reading disorder…… it can also be a writing disorder because of the spelling problems that interfere with development of written composition.
A Dyslexia/Dysgraphia Challenge
Using the code on the next slide, we would like you to write for three minutes about the best thing that has happened to you so far this summer. You have to use the code without any use of actual letters. You may begin as soon as the code appears… Good luck!
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A Dyslexia/Dysgraphia Challenge Applicable Classroom Take-Aways: What made this most challenging for you? Instructional activities to improve handwriting with all children How does this relate to our dyslexic and (especially dysgraphics) dysgraphic students? • K-2 • Searching for the correct “symbol” – ▫ Playing with clay to strengthen hand muscles ▫ Keeping lines within mazes to develop motor control orthographic memory ▫ Tracing letters with index finger and eraser end of pencils • Copying from the board - graphomotor ▫ Imitating the teacher modeling HWT ▫ Whole class air writing based on projected model while saying the • Text generation stroke sequence out loud together ▫ Covering the letter with an index card and imagining the letter in • Processing the language – phonemic mind’s eye awareness and verbal working memory • • Grades 3-12 Executive functioning – attention to a task ▫ Accommodations are most appropriate to improve written • Fluency - automaticity expression with students at these grade levels. ▫ Accommodations can include assistive technology such as access to a word processor or Universal Co-Writer
What if I think I have a student who is Screening for Dysgraphia Dysgraphic? • K-2 Make sure you can answer YES to all of the following questions: ▫ Use the HWT universal screener to identify any The student has unexpected lack of appropriate academic struggling students to receive early progress in handwriting and/or spelling. intervention The student has received appropriate instruction and • 3-5 appropriate intervention in HWT. ▫ Look at 3-5 writing samples and ask someone Student continues to exhibit poor performance in the areas of unfamiliar with the student’s writing to read it out handwriting and/or spelling despite intervention. loud. Take note of difficulty in reading it fluently Student has passed vision and/or hearing screenings. and accurately. Student has consistent school attendance Student has average or higher cognitive ability.
And YES to one or more of the following: Then….
Student has difficulty with handwriting legibility Submit 3 writing samples to Stefanie Perry along with your above mentioned checklist. Student has difficulty with handwriting speed in both copying and composition • 1 informal (ex. Journal entry)- not graded Student has difficulty spelling words in both • 1 formal writing piece done independently isolation and in context • 1 spelling test
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Still have questions????
Call or email
Stefanie Perry at 281-641-8338
and/or
Laura Dowdy at 281-641-8390
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