Dysgraphia can manifest itself in different ways in individuals' lives and can lead to difficulties in academic processes. These difficulties experienced in writing skills make it difficult for individuals to express their thoughts in writing.
What is Dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia is a learning disorder that causes individuals to have difficulty in writing skills. This situation especially manifests itself in skills such as cursive writing, forming letters correctly, and writing words regularly. Individuals with dysgraphia can mix up letters and words, and their writing can be irregular and illegible. This disorder can affect linguistic and cognitive processes as well as motor skills. During school age, dysgraphia can create difficulties in processes such as taking notes in lessons, written expression in exams, and negatively affect the student's academic success. Dysgraphia can also be seen together with other learning disabilities such as dyslexia or attention deficit.
Dysgraphia Symptoms
Dysgraphia symptoms include illegible writing, incorrect writing of letters and words, slow writing speed and incorrect punctuation. Dysgraphia symptoms can be listed as follows:
Irregular and Illegible Writing: Writing can often be irregular, jumbled and illegible. Inconsistent spaces are seen between letters.
Writing Letters Wrongly: Writing letters backwards or incorrectly, mixing uppercase and lowercase letters are common.
Deficiencies in Words and Sentences: Skipping words in sentences, placing them incorrectly or writing words incompletely are common problems.
Slow Writing Speed: The writing process can progress much slower than others.
Difficulty Holding the Pen: Difficulty holding the pen or frequently changing the grip may be experienced.
Incorrect Punctuation: Inability to use punctuation marks correctly or forgetting them is common.
Difficulty in Written Expression: Inability to convey thoughts properly and regularly in written expression is experienced.
What Causes Dysgraphia?
Writing difficulties are caused by problems in the connections between motor skills in the brain and written language. Dysgraphia can occur when the areas of the brain that control writing cannot properly manage fine motor skills such as hand and eye coordination. This disorder is thought to be linked to genetic factors; individuals with a family history of learning disabilities are more likely to develop dysgraphia. In addition, delays or disruptions in the neural development processes in the brain can lead to dysgraphia.
Dysgraphia Test
The dysgraphia test aims to examine an individual's writing skills in detail and consists of several stages. First, written tasks are given to evaluate the individual's writing speed, legibility and organization of the writing. The individual is asked to write a paragraph, copy words correctly or write dictated text.
During the test, elements such as letter shapes, letter and word spacing, and correct use of punctuation marks are carefully observed. In addition, the individual's hand and eye coordination, pencil holding skills and difficulties in writing are also evaluated. The dysgraphia test is usually performed together with other learning disabilities such as dyslexia or attention deficit, providing a more comprehensive evaluation.
How is Dysgraphia Corrected?
The trainings applied in dysgraphia treatment include various strategies to improve the individual's writing skills. While occupational therapy aims to strengthen fine motor skills, pencil holding and hand-eye coordination are worked on. With these therapies, the individual can move more comfortably and in control while writing. In addition, educators teach writing strategies; writing order is developed with techniques such as writing letters slowly and step by step.
Visual and auditory aids are also used in treatment, templates or audio narrations that show how to write letters support the individual's learning. Computer-assisted education offers an alternative way for individuals with writing difficulties. Writing skills can be increased with keyboard use or audio software tools.
Dysgraphia Activities
The activities used in dysgraphia treatment aim to improve individuals' writing skills and strengthen their motor skills. Some of the activities applied for dysgraphia are as follows:
Drawing Letters and Shapes: Individuals can improve their hand-eye coordination by drawing capital letters, shapes or symbols.
Writing Exercises: They are made to practice writing letters slowly on straight lines and dots. This helps to make writing more organized.
Shaping Letters with Dough: Shaping letters using play dough or clay strengthens motor skills and provides a better mental understanding of letters.
Pencil Holding Exercises: Practicing holding the pencil correctly makes the writing process easier.
Writing Games: Fun writing games increase the motivation of individuals and improve their writing skills.
Click for detailed information about learning disabilities.
