Why Handwriting Can Be So Challenging
Guest Post from Kelli Fetter of Handwriting Solutions
Has your child ever ripped up their paper? Or scribbled or wadded it up? I know it’s not just me.
This is a major red flag that something is going on, that there is a struggle, a barrier, a skill that they are not equipped with yet. Often our kids’ behaviors are a warning sign that they need help. And for our kids with ADHD or executive function struggles, these warning signs show a lagging skill or skill deficit.
But why is handwriting so complicated for these kids? And for the love, why is their handwriting so messy?!
Let’s start with understanding the neurology behind writing. SO much goes into writing, yet all we see is the output. A fancy way of understanding writing is to learn about the orthographic loop. This is where the child receives the information (either through visual or auditory), processes the information, constructs thoughts based on the information, gathers these thoughts into words and sentences (still in their head), translates these words and sentences into groups of letters (spelling), considers how to form each letter, activates their hand to transcribe each letter/word/sentence, and finally recalls writing rules, grammar, sentence skills, and editing skills. WHEW!! There are a LOT of small skills that go into each of those steps. No wonder our kids with ADHD might struggle.
Imagine if there was even one minor breakdown in this process? Let’s say maybe the child has slower processing speed so he loses track during the thought processing part. Or the child has delayed motor skills so the translation to paper gets impacted. Or… hello, the child has ADHD so they are onto the next thought before this one gets out onto paper! Raise your hand if you know about that!
The good news?! These challenges can be mitigated. And not in a boring or frustrating way, but in a fun and engaging way.
Often kids with ADHD struggle with executive function - the planning, initiating, timing, task completion, etc. By building up their lagging skills in these areas, the student will become a better writer. It is tackling the foundational skills for writing that is necessary to achieve fluency.
Similarly, we can offer accommodations to bypass their lagging skills as well. Giving them tools that are based on their unique strengths can be game-changing for students who struggle. Tools such as graphic organizers, visuals, checklists, alphabet strips, copying, typing, voice to text, among others, can bridge the gap between the student’s lagging EF skills and their written output.
Finally, we want to equip our child with evidence-based strategies. That means remediating writing through explicit and systematic instruction. These kids need simple, easy to understand strategies to learn how to write, from letter formation to essay composition. Structured approaches are critical to ensure progress and quick wins. Instruction leads to automaticity and fluency in writing.
Along with that, we need to incorporate multi-sensory learning. Our kids with ADHD learn best through experiencing with all their senses. So, using sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, and proprioceptive/ vestibular (body movements) during learning leads to increased retention of information, neural links to information learned, and better focus throughout learning.
Writing shouldn’t be the biggest stressor in your or your child’s life! By incorporating the above strategies: building up lagging skills, accommodations, explicit and systematic instruction, and multi-sensory learning, your student with ADHD can go from ripping up their paper or avoiding writing altogether to proudly displaying their writing.
About Kelli:
Kelli Fetter is a Certified Handwriting Specialist and the founder of Handwriting Solutions, LLC providing handwriting tutoring virtually and in-person. She practiced as an occupational therapist in pediatric outpatient, early intervention, preschools, and private schools. She also served as adjunct professor teaching pediatrics and kinesiology. Kelli has extensive training in handwriting and dysgraphia. Kelli’s passion is driven by her own daughter’s dyslexia and dysgraphia journey. Get started learning immediately on Instagram or at her website, www.handwritingsolutions.org.
