This is general information. A diagnosis should come from a qualified professional. See how to get a learning assessment in India.
Some children know exactly what they want to say but find it very hard to get it onto paper. Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty with writing. It can affect the physical act of handwriting, spelling, and putting thoughts into words on the page. It is not laziness or carelessness, and it is not the same as dyslexia, although the two often occur together.
What it can look like
- Handwriting that is hard to read, or that tires or hurts the hand.
- Difficulty writing within the margins, uneven spacing between words, and letter reversals.
- Spelling and grammar that are much weaker than the child’s spoken language.
- Great difficulty organising ideas for writing, and avoiding writing tasks.
- Frustration, tears or meltdowns around written work, and a drop in confidence.
What helps
There is no medicine for dysgraphia, but there are therapies and teaching strategies that help.
- Occupational therapy can help with the physical side of writing, such as pencil control and fine motor skills.
- Structured handwriting teaching that shows children how to form letters, with regular, short practice.
- Educational support that teaches strategies for planning and organising writing, and approaches that reduce frustration.
- Spelling help that targets the problem, such as clapping syllables, learning basic rules, and learning common exceptions.
- Typing. Keyboarding can take the pressure off handwriting. Introduce it with proper practice, so that it becomes quick and comfortable.
Classroom adjustments
- Try pencil grips, different pens and pencils, and paper with coloured or raised lines.
- Let the child use a laptop or a voice recorder.
- Provide paper with the name, date and title already filled in.
- Use graph paper, or lined paper turned sideways, to line up maths problems.
- Adapt tests so that they need less handwriting, such as tick, circle or short answers.
- Give extra time for writing tasks.
- Grade what the child knows, not their handwriting or spelling.
At home
- Be patient and encouraging, to avoid meltdowns over homework.
- Write for your child while they dictate, so that their ideas are not lost.
- Use graphic organisers and checklists to plan a piece of writing.
- Keep handwriting practice short, and praise effort.
- Ask the school which accommodations are being used, and use the same ones at home. See homework and study routines.
Exams
Section 17 of the RPwD Act, 2016 names extra time and a scribe among exam adjustments, and CBSE publishes concessions for students with benchmark disabilities. CBSE’s circular allows typing on a laptop without internet only for some categories of disability, and only with a recommendation from a registered medical practitioner or qualified psychological consultant. In the version of the circular’s table that I read, examination through computers is not listed for specific learning disabilities, so ask your school and the CBSE Regional Office before you plan around typing. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities also lists separate written-exam guidelines for people with a disability of less than 40 per cent who have difficulty writing. Ask your school which rules apply, and start early. See exam concessions for students with disabilities.
Sources
- Understood, Treatment for kids with dysgraphia, which also points to classroom accommodations.
- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Dysgraphia (disorder of written expression).
- Vermont Family Network, What to do when children have trouble with writing.
- Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Guidelines page (written-exam guidelines).
This guide is general information, not legal, medical or professional advice. If something here does not match your situation, please speak to a qualified professional.