What to do if your student refuses to write?

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(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white))There are many reasons why a child may refuse to pick up a pencil to write again. Let's figure out how to help them continue to learn without using paper and pencil! (click-goto:?page,"2")

Double-click this passage to edit it.

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) First, we need to figure out how to approach this issue: * [[Try to figure out and understand the reasons behind this issue->4]] * [[Work around the issue so this child can continue to learn->5]] * [[Thinking that your child is lazy or unmotivated->3]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) Your child could be less motivated due to lack of interest in the learning material, but s/he is definitely not lazy! You need to try and figure out and understand reasons behind this issue! (click-goto:?page,"4")

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) There are many reasons as to why your child might refuse to use a pencil: * Underdeveloped fine-motor skills * tight grip * impaired functions and losses of independence leading to mobility issues * cannot read and write (yet) * dyslexic and knowing they have handwriting difficulty * feeling embarrassed about their printing * child pre-diagnosed or diagnosed with dysgraphia * sensory issues [[What should we do when this happens?->5]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) There are many useful tools and strategies out there to replace handwriting for children with difficulties: [[[[Make them practice printing, they will improve!->3]]]] [[[[What are some signs that your child might be struggling?->6]]]] [[[[What are some helpful tools and strategies?->7]]]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) There are a couple of useful strategies to use while your child is under assessment to determine the underlying issue. Strategies vary from child to child. What can we do with modern technology? * Use a speech-to-text tool * iPad support: drag and drop images / give commands * Typing on a keyboard * Audio recording at own pace [[What if we have limited resources?->8]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) With limited resources, you will need a lot more support from an educational assistant or using items found in the classroom: * Sharing thoughts and stories while an EA or teacher transcribe * Oral presentation * Draw to show emotions * Create collages * Toy models [[Now that we've had a couple of tries, what do we do next?->9]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) After you or the specialist had a chance to properly diagnose the child, you may begin preparing for the child's [[individualized learning plan->10]].

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) It can be natural for more children to pick up a pencil or crayon and begin doodling on their own. But, not all children are capable of this natural occurrence. These can vary from [[mild]] to [[severe symptoms]].

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) Some mild symptoms may display as laziness, lack of motivation, or even unwilling to participate. These signs may vary from children to children and can change through different ages: * Difficulty organizing thoughts * Have trouble forming letters and numbers * Spelling can be challenging * Willing to get started There are some children with more [[severe symptoms->severe symptoms]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) There are some more obvious challenging signs: * If your child holds a pencil awkwardly or very tightly * Writes very quickly and illegibly * Or, write very slowly and illegibly * Gets tried very easily and stops writing * Incorrect formation and spacing * Difficulty organizing thoughts on paper * Have trouble sticking to tasks that require thinking and writing * Have trouble printing numbers and letters correctly or facing the right way [[What can we do to help?->2]]

(enchant:?page,(text-colour:black)+(background:white)) Working with the school-based team, specialists, and parents/guardians to help the child reach their goals for their learning plan. Make sure to keep the learning plan realistic and engaging. Always provide a positive and encouraging environment.