Plenty of children (with or without ADHD) are plagued by messy handwriting — and traditional practice does not always help. Read on for 10 expert tips, like using multi-sensory exercises and building muscle memory.
Does your child’s teacher say, “Michelle has great ideas, but she can’t get them down on paper” or, “Bill’s handwriting is all over the place — I’m pretty sure he knows the material, but I can’t read his answers”? Students who struggle with handwriting are called “messy,” “slow starters,” or “lazy.” And practice is not always the solution.
“The ability to put your thoughts into sentences and paragraphs that others will be able to read and understand is problematic for many children with ADHD,” says Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D., in Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults. “Written expression is a more demanding task than talking, reading, or doing basic math computations. To write one’s thoughts places much heavier demands on learned skills and executive functions.” Children with ADHD may also be developmentally delayed in their fine-motor skills — the small muscle movements required in writing. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE