DYSGRAPHIA

Jose Olvera and Brenda Reynoso

 WHAT IS DYSGRAPHIA?

• DYSGRAPHIA IS A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION

THAT AFFECTS A PERSON'S ABILITY TO WRITE.
• DYSGRAPHIA CAN AFFECT CHILDREN AND ADULTS

• DEVELOPMENTAL DYSGRAPHIA
• ACQUIRED DYSGRAPHIA
• DYSGRAPHIA IS MORE COMMON IN CHILDREN
ASSIGNED MALE AT BIRTH THAN IN CHILDREN
ASSIGNED FEMALE AT BIRTH.
• YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE DYSGRAPHIA IF
OTHER FAMILY MEMBER HAS IT
CHARACTERISTICS
• IMPAIRED HANDWRITING

• POOR SPELLING SKILLS

• DIFFICULTY WITH EXPRESSIVE

WRITING

• FINE MOTOR SKILL CHALLENGES

EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
• THE TERM COMES FROM THE GREEK WORDS “DYS”
MEANING “IMPAIRED,” “GRAPH” MEANING “LETTER
FORM BY HAND” AND “IA” REFERS TO “HAVING A
CONDITION” (DR. JOSEF GERSTMANN IN THE 1940S)

• 1987: DSM-III-R RECOGNITION

• 2002: NATIONAL CENTER FOR LEARNING

DISABILITIES (NCLD)
 LITIGATION
HENDRICK HUDSON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT V. ROWLEY
(1982).
WHO WAS INVOLVED?
• AMY ROWLEY, A STUDENT WITH A HEARING IMPAIRMENT ATTENDING A
PUBLIC SCHOOL IN NEW YOR AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE
HENDRICK HUDSON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHAT PRECIPITATED THE CASE?
• FURNACE WOODS SCHOOL REFUSED TO PROVIDE DEAF STUDENT AMY
ROWLEY WITH A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER.
WHAT WERE THE GOALS OF THE PLAINTIFFS?
• AMY ROWLEY'S PARENTS SOUGHT A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER
WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE CASE?
• THE SUPREME COURT HELD THAT THE ACT DOES NOT REQUIRE A SCHOOL
TO PROVIDE A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER
HOW DID THIS OUTCOME AFFECT THOSE INDIVIDUALS?
• SET AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT FOR DEFINING WHAT CONSTITUTES A
"FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION"
 EDUCATION LAWS
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT
(IDEA)
WHEN WAS THE LAW PASSED
• THE IDEA WAS FIRST PASSED IN 1975 AND HAS BEEN
REAUTHORIZED SEVERAL TIMES, WITH THE MOST RECENT
REAUTHORIZATION IN 2004.
WHAT PROTECTIONS OR GUARANTEES DOES IT PROVIDE?
• IDEA ENSURES THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVE
A FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE).
WHO BENEFITS FROM THE LAW?
• STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE WITH
LEARNING DISABILITIES, BENEFIT FROM THE PROTECTIONS
AND SERVICES OUTLINED IN IDEA.
HOW IS THE LAW APPLIED IN THE SCHOOL SETTING?
• SCHOOLS MUST IDENTIFY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES,
EVALUATE THEIR NEEDS
 EDUCATION LAWS
SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT
WHEN WAS THE LAW PASSED?
• IN 1973 AFTER PROTESTS (WATCH CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION.
WHAT PROTECTIONS OR GUARANTEES DOES IT PROVIDE?
• SECTION 504 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON DISABILITY IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
WHO BENEFITS FROM THE LAW?
• SECTION 504 BENEFITS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
HOW IS THE LAW APPLIED IN THE SCHOOL SETTING?
• SCHOOLS MUST IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR PROTECTION UNDER SECTION 504, EVALUATE THEIR NEEDS,
AND PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
INSTRUCTIONAL AND SUPPORT STRATEGIES
KEYBOARDING SKILLS INSTRUCTION
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY?
• KEYBOARDING SKILLS INSTRUCTION INVOLVES TEACHING STUDENTS HOW
TO USE A COMPUTER KEYBOARD FOR WRITING INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL
HANDWRITING.
WHEN IS IT EMPLOYED?
KEYBOARDING SKILLS CAN BE INTRODUCED AS EARLY AS ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL AND CAN BE PROGRESSIVELY INTEGRATED INTO THE CURRICULUM
 INSTRUCTIONAL AND SUPPORT STRATEGIES
MULTISENSORY APPROACHES TO WRITING

WHAT IS THE STRATEGY?

• MULTISENSORY WRITING APPROACHES ENGAGE
MULTIPLE SENSES (SUCH AS VISUAL, AUDITORY, AND
KINESTHETIC) TO ENHANCE LEARNING.
WHEN IS IT EMPLOYED?
• MULTISENSORY APPROACHES CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO
REGULAR WRITING LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES,
PROVIDING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENT
INSTRUCTIONAL AND SUPPORT STRATEGIES
USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY?
• ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY INCLUDES TOOLS AND DEVICES THAT HELP
STUDENTS WITH DYSGRAPHIA OVERCOME WRITING CHALLENGES.
WHEN IS IT EMPLOYED?
• ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CAN BE EMPLOYED AS NEEDED, DEPENDING ON
THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE STUDENT. IT CAN BE INTEGRATED DURING
REGULAR CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
ILLEGIBLE HANDWRITING:
Solutions

1. EXERCISES THAT INCREASE STRENGTH IN THE HANDS AND IMPROVE MUSCLE

MEMORY.
2. SCHOOLS CAN IMPLEMENT SIMPLE INVENTIONS LIKE EXTRA TIME FOR THOSE
KIDS TO FINISH THE ASSIGNMENT OR ASSISTANCE FROM A NOTE TAKER.
3. TEACHERS COULD HAVE STUDENTS WITH DYSGRAPHIA TAKE TESTS BY
SPEAKING THE ANSWERS INTO A RECORDER OR TYPE THEIR WORK INSTEAD OF
WRITING IT
 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
SLOW WRITING SPEED
Solutions

1. GOOD HANDWRITING TECHNIQUE INVOLVES USING

YOUR FINGERS AS GUIDES AND MOVING THE PEN
USING YOUR FOREARM AND SHOULDER MUSCLES.
2. MAINTAINING GOOD POSTURE IS AN EASY WAY TO
IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SPEED, WHILE ALSO
HELPING YOU STAY HEALTHY AND FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE WHILE YOU WRITE
3. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT GRIPPING THE PEN
TOO HARD.
 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
DIFFICULTY WITH SPELLING AND GRAMMAR

SOLUTIONS
1. USE DIFFERENT COLORS TO WRITE MORPHEMES SO
THAT STUDENTS CAN SEE ROOT WORDS, PREFIXES,
AND SUFFIXES.

2. ENCOURAGE THE STUDENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PART

OF THE WORD THEY FIND TRICKY

3. USE FLASHCARDS TO PRACTICE SIGHT WORDS

4. REVISE SPELLING PATTERNS AND RULES TO APPLY

 FINAL ANALYSIS
What are the three most important ideas I learned?

• It is a real struggle
• There is hope
• You are not alone

Why are they important?

• If attended can succeed

How can I apply them in my role as a future educator?

• Create awareness
 WORK CITED
• “DYSGRAPHIA.” CLEVELAND CLINIC, 15 JUNE 2022, HTTPS://MY.CLEVELANDCLINIC.ORG
/HEALTH/DISEASES/23294-DYSGRAPHIA ACCESSED 25 NOV. 2023.
• “THE HISTORY OF DYSGRAPHIA.” HEALTH N WELL, HTTPS://HEALTHNWELL.COM/THE-HISTORY-OF-DYSGRAPHIA/
ACCESSED 25 NOV. 2023
• “DYSGRAPHIA.” SCHOLARLY COMMUNITY ENCYCLOPEDIA, HTTPS://ENCYCLOPEDIA.PUB/ENTRY/33821 ACCESSED
25 NOV. 2023.
• "BOARD OF ED. OF HENDRICK HUDSON CENTRAL SCHOOL DIST., WESTCHESTER CTY. V. ROWLEY." OYEZ,
HTTPS://WWW.OYEZ.ORG/CASES/1981/80-1002. ACCESSED 25 NOV. 2023.
• “A HISTORY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT.” IDEA, HTTPS://SITES.ED.GOV/IDEA/IDEA-
HISTORY. ACCESSED 25 NOV. 2023.
• “SECTION 504, REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973.” OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION &
MANAGEMENT. HTTPS://WWW.DOL.GOV/AGENCIES/OASAM/CENTERS-OFFICES/CIVIL-RIGHTS-CENTER/STATUTES/
SECTION-504-REHABILITATION-ACT-OF-1973. ACCESSED 25 NOV. 2023.
• “SHORT HISTORY OF THE 504 SIT-IN.” DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE FUND, HTTPS://DREDF.ORG/504-
SIT-IN-20TH-ANNIVERSARY/SHORT-HISTORY-OF-THE-504-SIT-IN/. ACCESSED 25 NOV. 2023.
• “STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH DYSGRAPHIA.” ALL ABOUT LEARNING DISABILITIES AND ADHD,
HTTPS://WWW.LDONLINE.ORG/LD-TOPICS/WRITING-SPELLING/STRATEGIES-DEALING-DYSGRAPHIA. ACCESSED 25
NOV. 2023.