smiley Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Hi My son has huge difficulties with writing and hasn't written at all during this last school year. His 1-2-1 scribes for him ( ), but we've been trying to come up with some ways to help him as he's becoming frustrated with himself.... We think the reasons he's having problems are based in his communication and organization difficulties, in that he finds it hard to co-ordinate thinking of the content, spelling and handwriting simultaneously. He does have some fine motor skills problems - no pincer grasp - which do impact on his writing (gets tired easily), but if someone scribes what he's thinking - he is able to then copy the text, fairly neatly..... With me so far ??.......... ....... Add to that his sensory problems - in a noisy classroom - and it's very hard for him Anyhow - we are trying to think of ways to help him..... Any ideas? (Someone also mentioned to me a piece of equipment that 'types' as he speaks???? Anyone heard of that??) <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted June 15, 2006 HI My son has DCD,he also has problems with handwriting.He now uses a small electric typewriter called an Alphasmart.Although this does not have voice recognition he finds typing much easier than handwriting as he does not need to worry about pencil grip.He had been becoming very frustrated when trying to write and is now less negative about literacy.He is also confident in using the PC which is useful.The school were able to obtain the Alphasmart on lone for him.Due to difficulties with fine motor skills we do not expect B to be able to write fluently enough to keep up in secondry school so thought it better that he gained keyboard skills ASAP.This has been supported bY OT,EPand the paediatrician in submissions for stat assessment for B.Hpoe this info is helpful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Hi (Someone also mentioned to me a piece of equipment that 'types' as he speaks???? Anyone heard of that??) <'> There are various software packages available, the one I know about is Dragon which you talk through the mic and the words appear on the screen. http://www.speechcentre.co.uk/NaturallySpe...rofessional.htm this isn't the only website but it was the first one I found. Lauren (I'm saving up to buy this for Luke) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Thanks <'> We thought about an Alphasmart - but i think the same problem with getting the words down will be there...... Anyone know of any strategies we could work on to help him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
helenl53 Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Smiley Is it the end of the world if he can not write. Across the road from me are twins called Bill and Ben (no really, that is what they are called!) and they are both at University and have dyslexia and have scribes. What I am trying to say is - I want to be thin and tall - because of my genetic makeup it is never gonna happen - but it hasn't stopped me achieving stuff. Love The Alder Hill Gang Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Hello lovely <'> Your absolutely right - and it hasn't bothered me - until it began bothering him. He's getting himself so frustrated beginning to notice what he finds difficult and his peers find easy..... . <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
helenl53 Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Oh bless - they try so hard to fit in. (like me into skinny jeans!) Just kidding - I only do comfortable these days!. Voice recognition may have improved but I tried it years ago and it was very sensitive to external noises. It also took yonks to train it to my voice and then it still typed rubbish. I don't know if this helps - but - my son has real difficulty with essays and things. I have seen comic strip type stuff in his book where he presents the idea pictorialy and puts a few words - the teachers are happy with this so long as it demostrates that he has understood the lesson. They appreciate his learning and style of presentation is not the same as the other kids. Another idea - can the teacher make work sheets with missing words so your little one doesn't have the chore of writing a whole page but can fill in the missing bits - then he will appear to be doing the same as the others. They are supposed to make reasonable adjustment. Love from the Alder Hill Billy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BusyLizzie100 Report post Posted June 16, 2006 Smileymab, my DS1 sounds very like yours, although he doesn't get any scribe support. His writing is absolutely atrocious ! Even he can't read it. He's just completed the Speed Up! kinaesthetic handwriting programme with his OT and another lad. Judging from the last bit of homework he had to do for her, it hasn't helped at all! If he only has a very little to write I think he can make a superhuman effort to turn out something vaguely legible, but it soooooooooooooooo doesn't represent what he is capable of in his head that it's meaningless, in my book. OK, he can produce a sentence of writing that others can read - that's not going to help him in his exams!! I think he will end up going down the Alphasmart route. This latest course was a bit of a last-ditch effort. If all exams were oral rather than written, he'd be top of the country!!!!!!! Lizzie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted June 16, 2006 I brought him a dictaphone today (been wanting one of them for my meetings... ) - he's had such a great time recording all his stories etc - it's no wonder he can't write it all down - i can't keep up when he's saying it! The plan is to build up his confidence a little.... Encourage him to enjoy the creative side of writing (and song writing - he's fantastic at them.. ), then to use the dictaphone to re-play small parts of it, as he writes. Hopefully, that way he can do it by himself - eventually - and will feel more in control. Well, that's the plan.......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LKS Report post Posted June 17, 2006 Hi smiley my ds went on about every bloomin writing course devised by the O.T.. They even had the brilliant idea of him filling in a self assesment writing sheet, title 'why I have problems with my handwriting and what I can do to improve' In the end I got sick to death of the handwriting sheets and the endless practising of letters. But still this isn't just your ds's problem its the getting together of ideas as well by the sound of it. There are some very good ideas on the don johnson web site http://donjohnston.co.uk/catalog/writecove...itecoverfrm.htm Alpha smarts have limited use as they only display 4 lines of writing. if school are not willing to provide lap tops yet the dana is a better bet. We had a dictaphone for ds in primary they don't encourage it in secondary as it is too distracting. (probably don't want to risk teachers being taped ) but we do use it at home when he is trying to get some ideas together. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
