LEARNING TOOLS
Write Away Parents can solve the big challenge many younger ADHD kids face in school—handwriting. BY KENDRA WAGNER
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.”
ISTOCKPHOTO/THINKSTOCK
“The ability to put your thoughts into
sentences and paragraphs that others will
be able to read and understand is problem-
atic for many children with ADHD,” says
Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D., in Attention Defi-
cit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children
and Adults. “Written expression is a more
demanding task than talking, reading, or do-
ing basic math computations. To write one’s
thoughts places much heavier demands
on learned skills and executive functions.”
Children with ADHD may also be develop-
mentally delayed in their fine-motor skills—
the small muscle movements required in
writing. (See “Strength Training for Small
Digits,” next page.)
When Practice Makes Perfect
Teachers tell ADHD students that if they
“just practice” and focus more on what they
want to say, their writing will come together.
That’s akin to watching someone deftly use
chopsticks, while you try to pick up a piece
of food that keeps falling apart. Sometimes
more practice is not what kids need, but “the
right practice.” In the early grades, parents
can make the difference by improving their
child’s handwriting at home. Here are several ways to accomplish that:
> BE A SCRIBE FOR YOUR CHILD.
Almost every child I work with resists writing
stories, book reports, or factual summaries.
As a result, homework takes hours to com-
