Re: writing


"Donna Metler" <dmmetler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Stephanie" <me@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Donna Metler" <dmmetler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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This is a pretty common G/T profile. A lot of GT kids really dislike
writing
because their brains are working faster than their bodies, and many
have
some fine motor delays as well. I've heard a lot of different diagnosis
(mild CP, Dysgraphia, Hypotonia), but pretty much it leads to a kid who
can
read well, talk the hind leg of a donkey, but can't complete worksheets
in
class legibly to save their lives.


What is "G/T?"

Gifted/Talented-IE, IQ above 130 on most standardized assessments, usually
performing at least 2 years above chronological age in at least one (often
multiple) areas.

http://www.educationaloptions.com/levels_giftedness.htm
This article gives a summary of characteristics seen at different levels
of
giftedness, even before children are formally tested (which in most school
systems happens in about 3rd grade).


Interesting read. Thanks.


The best suggestion I can give? Start him typing now, and if you have
insurance which will cover it, get an OT referral because learning how
to
make letters with less fuss will help him get his ideas on paper.


Talk to the doc about getting him occupational therapy at home? Sorry if
I
am being dense.
An occupational therapist can see what he's doing, and give you ideas as
to
what will work best for him. I fit this profile, and the best thing which
ever happened to me (at 5th grade, when I could easily handle college
level
work, but was writing like a kindergartener) was that an OT sat down with
me
and basically helped me create my own script handwriting from scratch,
putting together strokes which worked for me into a very distinctive, but
legible, script. It will never be considered "great" handwriting, but I
can
do it over time without fatiguing too much and it's readable-and that,
coupled with typing and computers getting smaller, made a major difference
academically. I believe Writing without Tears was developed by an
occupational therapist.

If you can get a medical referral, most insurance plans will pay for a few
sessions of OT, and if you're willing to follow through at home, that's
likely to be all it will take to make life much, much easier for him. It's
not just "not able to meet school's expectations", but "able to meet his
own
expectations".


Absolutely. My hope is to help him meet his expectations with a minimum of
stress.


It is very frustrating to have ideas in your brain and to
want to get them on paper and be unable to do it.


I asked him how he would feel if I was able to find a fun and helpful way to
learn to write and be able to get thoughts down. He almost jumped out of his
chair. We'll see if the Handwriting Without Tears helps. I will reread your
recommendations too since my brain is not processing them all the way.

OT should be provided by the school system, but in general, kids who are
on
or above grade level academically won't get such services without a
medical
diagnosis which automatically qualifies them for said services, and in
most
cases, MDs are moving away from the more blanket diagnosis (like mild
cerebral palsy, which is a qualifying label since IDEA was authorized) to
the more specific (like hypotonia or athetosis, both of which, 20 years
ago,
would have been considered forms of CP, and as stand alone labels, qualify
the child for absolutely nothing).

I have a very early reader myself, who dearly wants to write. So far,
she's
pretty satisfied to "read" her scribbles to me and to dictate to me, spell
words with magnetic letters, and the like, but if she starts showing signs
of really needing to write, either for her purposes or for outside ones,
the first thing I'll be doing is trying to get an OT's input on what to do
next.





Unfortunately, usually such kids won't qualify for special ed support
in
school (even though a child with a lower functioning level and similar
difficulties would be able to get scribing or adaptive technology
support)
because they're performing on or above grade level-the fact that they
SHOULD
be able to perform much higher is irrelevant from the school system's
POV.








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