2022 - Professional Growth Cycle - Dysgraphia Inquiry - Hypothesising & Reflecting

The first step is to see if my hypothesis of dysgraphia is correct, if I'm on the right track etc. The issue is I am unable to get a formal diagnoses of dysgraphia without my tamariki being able to access sessions with an educational psychologist on a private basis or being referred with months (potentially) years of waiting on a public list to get a diagnoses.

My kids cannot wait that long NOR should they have to, but that is another issue for another day. In the meantime there are several online "tests" and I have approached the RTLB for her assistance. She has recommended several written tests as well which all could indicate that the child might  have dysgraphia.

I filled in an online questionnaire: https://www.lexercise.com/tests/dysgraphia-test

and also got my tamariki to fill out a handwritten set of exercises. All tested as having a high probability of dysgraphia. These came from the RTLB for me to use. As this is my only option to "diagnose" them, I am working on the assumption they have dysgraphia at some, if not different levels. 

I then enrolled and paid for an online seminar from Tammy McMillan, https://www.shareshapeandshine.org/  Based in Australia. This seminar discussed what dysgraphia is, how to identify it, and most importantly, what to do about it in the classroom.

The biggest takeaway from this seminar was that I needed to let go of the expectations that I could teach them to write and then everything would be ok. These kids can learn to write, but in fact, is it necessary? Is the stress that is induced in the children, and myself, necessary to go through when there are accommodations that I could use?

These boys all have reasonable reading skills. They are at Gold level. How can I know that of my boy with mutism? Because he can type answers to questions that are basic but understandable and which show me he can read. He cannot however make simple inferences but works more at a fact and literal level. This is probably a symptom of his autism diagnoses and he may pick this up as he gets older, but right now this is something I not concerned with.

What have I changed in the classroom?

• I have stopped requiring them from answering in writing, they can choose to talk to me about their understanding of something, or draw a picture or record something.
• I am working more one on one with them (when I can) to check their understanding more frequently during a lesson.
• I am offering more drag and drop options for these three so they don't have to type their answers, they can choose an answer and drag it to where it should be.
• I am continuing with handwriting lessons that I just let them join in at the moment to encourage hand strength. I will be correcting them on formation, but not pushing them to be perfect.
• I have purchases grips for pencils and pens to see if that helps with grip as they are all poor tool handlers. They tend to hover over the page and to hold the pencil quite high without their hands touching the paper sometimes. This is particularly true with my autistic boy which may be a sensory thing, I do not know. Again, if it helps it helps!
• Writing - these kids have great stories to tell, but they are currently unable to do anything but verbalise them. They are unable to access assessments such as asttle or other writing assessments.
• The kids have been introduced to speech to text (well, two of them!) and they are able to write short sentences with them. Whilst this helps somewhat, the lack of ability to focus and stay on task means they still get very little work done without someone over their shoulder keeping them going. This is very difficult with others in the class. It also needs to be done in a quiet environment which is all good as we have quiet break out rooms. However, this means leaving them alone to do their work which they are not capable of doing for any length of time. A catch 22. Especially when the mute boy won't do anything while I am with him, but can't do it on his own without me!
• Being able to let go of the THEY MUST WRITE OR THEY AREN'T ACHIEVING paradigm I was desperately hanging on to is a big relief. These kids can achieve without being able to physically write.

I believe this has changed my relationship with these boys, learning is more enjoyable from both sides of the teacher's table.

I will be constantly monitoring their progress and their abilities to ensure that I am meeting their needs and if something changes with their writing, that's great! We will celebrate it, but their worth as a writer won't hinge on this occurring.

It also has made me more aware of issues that children may face that I am not able to fix. I think as a teacher you believe you can do anything and it can be disheartening to see children not progress as you expect. But with a bit of jinking and jiving, an accommodation here or there, and alternative assessment options show that they are indeed progressing and are learning, just not as I may have formerly wanted or expected them to do. This is still valid.