Handwriting Brain Body DisConnect: Adaptive teaching techniques to unlock a child's dysgraphia for the classroom and at home

Cheri gives us a much-needed resource for children who struggle with written expression, and for the parents and teachers who work with them. Her unique and in-depth perspective sheds new light on a very misunderstood phenomenon.

-Cristina Urban, MS, OTR/L,

parent of a child with dysgraphia

An eye-opening resource! Cheri presents the information in such an understandable and flowing manner for parents, teachers, and therapists. She breaks down and explains the types of dysgraphia with the focus on building those neural pathways. I also appreciate her transparency with sharing her own struggles.

-Jorge Ochoa, OTR/L

Cheri is an exceptional speaker and a very good communicator. Truly enjoyed her presentation and everyone was enlightened by her knowledge of Dysgraphia. Working on a hands-on activity during her speech set the learning process in motion for the group. We will invite Cheri back.

-Andee Swoyer, Community leader

Handwriting Brain-Body DisConnect

Adaptive Teaching Techniques to Unlock a Child’s Dysgraphia for the Classroom and at home

Cheri Dotterer, MS, OTR/L

Disclaimer: I am not a physician. I have been a rehab professional for over 20 years. This book is a result of seeing teachers strain to manage their classroom due to that one student in the classroom that demands more time than they have to offer and so many parents’ dreams shattered because the school said, No, your child does not qualify for services or we don’t know how to accommodate your child. I was one of those parents and am a direct service provider for the school system. Seeing a child struggle in school is one of the most difficult parts of being a teacher or parent. The material that is provided in this book is for your general knowledge. Consult your local physician, healthcare professionals, school professionals, and related service providers before considering a diagnosis of dysgraphia for a child.

Copyright © 2018 Cheri L. Dotterer, MS, OTR/L

All Rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Published by Author Academy Elite

P.O. Box 43, Powell, OH 43055

www.AuthorAcademyElite.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means – for example, electronic, photocopy, recording – without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Paperback: 978-1-64085-571-7

Hardback: 978-1-64085-392-8

E-book: 978-1-64085-393-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018953205

Dotterer, Cheri L. | Marzili, Alyssa, illustrator.

Handwriting Brain-Body DisConnect: Adaptive teaching techniques to unlock a child’s dysgraphia for the classroom and at home / by Cheri L. Dotterer; illustrated by Alyssa Marzili.

Powell, OH: Author Academy Elite, 2018. | Analysis of the Types of Dysgraphia with teaching strategies to correlate with the education system.

LCCN 2018953205 (print) | Paperback: 978-1-64085-391-1 │

Hardback: 978-1-64085-392-8 │ E-book: 978-1-64085-393-5

BISAC: EDU029070 │Education/Teaching Methods & Materials/Language Arts

Amazon: Teaching │ Teacher Resources │ Special Education │Learning Disabilities

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018953205

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all the children who

suffer from handwriting problems like dysgraphia

and the educators, related service providers, and

parents teaching them how to be successful

citizens of society.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations

List of Tables

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

Introduction

List of Abbreviations

Part One

Dysgraphia~Decoding~Encoding

Chapter One: Dysgraphia

Chapter Two: Decoding

Chapter Three: Encoding

Part Two

Decoding Neural Pathways

Chapter Four: Neuroscience Introduction

Chapter Five: Decoding Brain Anatomy

Chapter Six: Sensory: The Decoding Pathway

Chapter Seven: Encoding: The Motor Pathway

Chapter Eight: Decoding: Vision

Chapter Nine: Decoding Memories

Chapter Ten: Decoding Visual Memory

Part Three

Mechanical Dysgraphia

Chapter Eleven: Encoding VSD

Chapter Twelve: Adaptive Strategies

Chapter Thirteen: Encoding MotorD

Chapter Fourteen: Encoding MemD

Part Four

Language~Cognitive Dysgraphia

Chapter Fifteen: Encoding WFD

Chapter Sixteen: Encoding SFD

Chapter Seventeen: Encoding PFD

References

Appendices

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

A Message from Cheri

About the Author

List of Illustrations

Figure 1 Single Mark Stage

Figure 2 Scribbling Stage Mark

Figure 3 Pre-Writing Shapes

Figure 4 Brainstem

Figure 5 Cerebellum

Figure 6 Limbic System

Figure 7 Amygdala

Figure 8 Hippocampus

Figure 9 Sleep

Figure 10 Thalamus

Figure 11 Basal Ganglia

Figure 12 Cortex

Figure 13 Occipital Lobe

Figure 14 Tree of Leaders

Figure 15 Tree of Leaders Answers

Figure 16 Temporal Lobe

Figure 17 Broca’s and Wernicke’s Area

Figure 18 Parietal Lobe

Figure 19 Frontal Lobe/Pre-frontal Cortex

Figure 20 Executive Function (Dawson & Guare, 2010)

Figure 21 Sensory-Motor Pathway

Figure 22 Accuracy and Precision (Roll2Roll Technologies, Inc., 2017)

Figure 23 Accuracy and Precision Letter A

Figure 24 Therapist with child

Figure 25 Double Vision (Randhawa, 2013)

Figure 26 Visual Fields

Figure 27 Mom with child

Figure 28 Analog Clock

Figure 29 Toy R Us/Babies R Us logos

Figure 30 Form Constancy horse

Figure 31 Boy looking both directions

Figure 32 Hashtags

Figure 33 Four a in different fonts

Figure 34 Reversals and mirror images

Figure 35 Cat in several fonts

Figure 36 Sample Century Gothic font

Figure 37 Left - right discrimination on hands

Figure 38 Happy

Figure 39 Paper position

Figure 40 Sentence: A family is a team because they help each other. Student was 8 years old.

Figure 41 enough

Figure 42 steel vs steal

Figure 43 Run-on word sentence

Figure 44 Word spaces

List of Tables

Table 1 Common Sensory Systems

Table 2 Hidden Sensory Pathway

Table 3 Convergence and Divergence

Table 4 Stages of memory development from a sensation

Table 5 Body Sentence Alphabet

Table 6 Picture Sentence sample

Foreword

In her famous TED talk, the late Rita Pierson said, Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be. In Handwriting Brain-Body Disconnect, Cheri Dotterer makes it clear that she is that champion as she navigates you through the maze of dysgraphia.

This journey of understanding took Cheri many years, so you are not left to figure this it out on your own. Her personal insight and practical advice ensure you won’t go it alone. Cheri shares her story about how she personally navigated this process. She’s lived it. Now she makes sure you know exactly what steps to take.

This book is about more than finding a way to help with dysgraphia. It’s about finding a way for all of us to work through our invisible challenges. Unlocking dysgraphia is just a result when you care for those you serve.

Cheri’s content is clear, concise, and an easy read for parents, and it’s packed with content for therapists and teachers. Cheri wants you to see results, and these steps will get you there.

I’m excited for you because in my conversations with Cheri about learning differences, I know the content in this book will give you the answers you’ve been seeking. As an educator for over 20 years, I am passionate about finding ways for all children to learn. I believe this content will give parents hope that their children will be able to do far above what they even believed possible.

Anita M. McLaurin, M. Ed.

Specialty Curriculum Design and Development

Author of My Father Said I Could

Preface

Definition, Audience, and Purpose

There is a misconception about dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Some people use the terms interchangeably. Simply put:

dyslexia is defined as difficulty with reading;

dysgraphia is defined as difficulty with writing;

dyscalculia is defined as difficulty with math concepts.

Each topic is much more complicated. This book is written for teachers, parents, occupational therapists transitioning to school-based practice, and other related service professionals. The focus will be on dysgraphia. If you want information on dyslexia and dyscalculia, please refer to other resources.

Acknowledgements

It takes a village to support dysgraphia.

It also takes a village to write a book.

My husband, Jeffrey L Dotterer: Without your support, this project would have never come to pass. I love you!

My children, Krista and Michael: Thank you for being a sounding board for my crazy ideas. I love you!

My mom and dad, Gary and Janet Yerger: You have always encouraged me to do be the best that I could be. Thank you! I love you!

Mary Lawson: This project would have never gotten started without our conversations over IEPs, sensory processing disorders, and educational advocacy.

My developmental editor, William Houlette: Thank you for helping me take my scattered thoughts and pin point the content for this book.

My content editor, Bethany Peat: Thank you for your organizational skills and aligning my content with the educator.

My illustrator, Allyssa Marzili: You are an amazing artist!

Anita Marye McLaurin: Thank you for awesome foreword!

Cristina Urban, Jorge Ochoa, and Andee Swoyer for your amazing endorsements of this book.

My publisher, Kary Oberbrunner: Your training and guidance was worth every moment of mentoring you provide.

My students and their parents who made me realize that there was a gap that needed clarification in the research regarding dysgraphia. Thank you for understanding that I am keeping your names confidential.

Beverly Moskowitz, my OT Mom: You got my heart prepared for this adventure.

Kerri Hample, Karen Cameron, and Sue O’Neill for keeping my content true to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, third edition.

Bethany Geisinger: Thank you for reviewing the first draft and supporting me in completing this project over the last several years.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

This is a time for parents, educators, and policymakers to understand how these disabilities impact students and their families, to reflect on the significant achievements that these students have made, and to renew our commitment to creating a stronger future for them (Duncan, 2015).

– Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education 2009-2015

This LD Awareness Month, I encourage all teachers to consider which of their students might have dyslexia. …Help them to identify and celebrate their interests and strengths. …I urge all students with learning disabilities to pursue activities that you enjoy. Believe in your ability to learn. Use your voice to increase awareness and understanding of the whole of dyslexia (Erickson, 2015).

– McKenzie Erickson, US Department of Education

Introduction

How many times have you heard this?

I can’t! I can’t! I just CAN’T do it, Mom (or Dad)!

That sentence is then followed by an awful temper tantrum. How many nights do you sit around the homework table? The homework doesn’t get done and you are writing yet another letter to the teacher, saying...

We tried. He refused. She refused.

Like so many parents, I have experienced working long after bedtime to get homework done.

My daughter was an avid reader, but she will tell you to this day that she cannot spell. While she was in grade school, we found some ways to help her remember, but they were not always successful.

My son, on the other hand has atrocious handwriting. As an occupational therapist, I regularly work with clients to develop proper handwriting skills. I tried many accommodations with my son, but he refused them all. Refusal to write or have accommodations for writing is common when dealing with someone who has dysgraphia. I have not only seen these problems in my children, but also in the clients that I treat each day.

According to the Dyslexia Literacy and Clinical Services Foundation (Dyslexia Literacy and Clinical Services (SPELD), 2014), written expression is defined as the acquisition of fluent and efficient writing skills. Dysgraphia is defined by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) as a condition of impaired letter writing by hand (Berninger & Wolf, 2018). The inability to write efficiently is a glitch in the sensory-motor processing neural pathway. This glitch in the processing creates frustration, excessive erasing, associated or extra motor responses, and the need to start over frequently.