Dysgraphia & Writing

Solutions for students who have difficulty writing.

Writing is a complex process that requires foundational motor, auditory, visual, and language processing skills. Writing challenges can be separated into two major competencies.

Writing Competency 1

The first competency concerns written composition and the ability to communicate one’s ideas coherently. The challenge of organizing and getting ideas down on paper primarily involves language skills, including organization, imagery, memory, encoding (spelling), and understanding of punctuation and grammar.

Writing Competency 2

Comprised of the visual-motor-spatial skills, which allow a student to produce legible written work, often called penmanship consistently.

When a student has difficulty with the print production of writing, it is called dysgraphia. For children with dysgraphia, writing can be a frustrating task, often marked by poor letter formation and handwriting. This, in turn, can make it cumbersome and slow to get their ideas onto the page.

Some learners struggle with one competency, while others struggle with both. Either way, Hands on Learning Solutions can support your child in improving their writing with a variety of approaches, customized to the individual learner’s needs.

Next Steps

Dysgraphia vs Writing Disability. Both Involve Writing, but Show Up Differently

Here are the common indications of each

Dysgraphia

Avoidance of writing
Physical discomfort in the hand while writing
Maladaptive pencil grip
Extreme pressure when writing
Letters do not sit on the line
Letter heights are inconsistent
Spacing between letters & words is inconsistent
Poor letter formation

Written Composition

Avoidance of writing papers or journaling
Lack of fluency of thought in writing
Poor word choice
Sentences and paragraphs that do not connect logically
Lack of details
Repetitive words and sentences
May have a receptive and/or expressive language disorder

Note About Dysgraphia

Understanding the nuances of Dysgraphia is essential for providing effective remediation. It’s essential to remember that dysgraphia has nothing to do with intelligence – your child is just as capable as their peers. Still, they may require different tools and strategies to demonstrate their knowledge.

Dysgraphia Help

Designed to address all four factors that may be causing poor graphomotor skills, we look at the underlying weaknesses. We address active primitive reflexes that control pencil grip, directionality challenges, visual-motor-perceptual skills, and symbol imagery. To achieve accuracy in letter production, graphomotor skills will be actively taught, ensuring both the specialist and the student are engaged throughout. Feedback should be given immediately so that the student can adjust their performance.

Writing Help

When written composition is a challenge, we need to take a step back and address any underlying issues that may be causing difficulties with spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Once these are addressed, we can help your child improve their ability to express themselves in writing.

Talk with an Educational Specialist

From Feeling Misunderstood to Feeling Capable.

Our family is incredibly grateful for our experience at Hands On Learning Solutions (HOLS). My son Silas was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia in 5th grade and was struggling significantly in school. He felt deeply misunderstood; he wanted to be a “good student” but couldn’t keep up with his peers and specialists’ expectations, no matter how hard he tried. Despite being a bright and capable kid, Silas wasn’t receiving the support he needed to succeed.

Everything changed when we found HOLS.

From the beginning, they explained that a key part of remediation was rebuilding his self-esteem, and they have done that beautifully. Silas started just four months ago, and already, the difference is remarkable. As a 6th grader now, his happiness and confidence have returned, something I honestly wasn’t sure I’d see again so soon.

For the first time, Silas feels truly understood. I, too, feel more empowered and supported as a parent. Before coming to HOLS, I didn’t fully understand how to advocate for him or what he needed. Now, I’ve been included every step of the way and have learned how to support him more effectively at home and in school.

One of the things I love most about HOLS is their mindset. They don’t see learning differences as obstacles they see them as superpowers. That message has resonated deeply with both of us. Silas actually looks forward to his time at HOLS because he understands how it’s helping unlock his potential. He’s been met with love, care, and unwavering support and the progress is more than we could have hoped for.

Not only has he learned practical strategies and tools, but his stamina and confidence have grown dramatically. He used to fatigue and shut down quickly due to past negative experiences with reading and writing. Now, he can get through entire sessions without needing a break and more importantly, he’s excited to learn again. He’s even self-advocating at school, which is such a powerful shift.

I truly believe the changes we’ve seen will benefit Silas for the rest of his life. We are so fortunate to have found the team at HOLS and only wish we had found them sooner.

Julie S.

Parent of a Hands on Learning Solutions Student who struggled with writing.

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