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REACH - Reaching to educate all children for heaven

Our Mission — To foster an enriched ECE-12 system where learners of varying abilities thrive according to their unique strengths.

Inclusion in Elementary

 
Frequently fails to form letters correctly
Frequently has sloppy writing, illegible
Frequently fails to punctuate correctly
Frequently has spelling problems—omits, adds, or substitutes letters
Frequently demonstrates letter reversals
Frequently has trouble copying (close-up/distant)
Frequently fails to capitalize correctly
Frequently fails to write within a given space
Frequently grips pencil, crayons or scissors awkwardly
Frequently shows difficulty with fine motor skills (e.g., nuts and bolts, screwdrivers, puzzle pieces, buttoning, zipping, tying)
Frequently shows inconsistencies in printing upper and lower case, printing and cursive
Frequently does not complete written assignments
Frequently has inconsistent spaces between words and letters
Frequently is unsure of right or left handedness
Tires quickly while writing
Says words out loud while writing
Has difficulty organizing thoughts on paper
Exhibits large gap between written ideas and understanding demonstrated through speech
Exhibits poor use of punctuation
Engages in slow, tedious, incomplete note-taking
Has poor handwriting, poorly shaped letters, and irregular spacing
Often does not use complete sentences when speaking or writing
Is clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; prone to motion sickness
May use either hand for fine motor tasks; confusion with right/left dominance
Has difficulty writing thoughts orderly and clearly
  More information
Spelling
Provide technology such as word processors, AlphaSmart, electronic spell-checkers (see resources)
Assist students to create a personal spelling dictionary
Use on-line websites i.e., spellingcity (see resources)
Teach students to spell with sign language or body motions
Display word walls
Teach phonics skills through a repetitious, multisensory, hands-on-approach, i.e., Orton-Gillingham (see resources)
Writing / Processing
Offer different options for communicating ideas, such as power point presentations, models, speeches, mime, murals, rap, video productions, creative movement
Provide a copy of class notes (i.e., a buddy notetaker, a copy of teacher's notes/lesson plans, audio recording of lesson, etc.)
Allow extra time for writing assignments
Explicitly teach different types of writing
Teach keyboarding
Allow students to dictate written assignments and tests
Give students a checklist for editing work-spelling neatness, grammar, syntax, clear progression of ideas, etc.
Have students proofread work after a delay—it’s easier to see mistakes after a break
Have student complete task in small steps
Encourage practice through low-stress opportunities for writing such as letters, diary, making household list or keeping track of sports teams
Group students together to write “round robin” story
Encourage students to include the wording of the question in their sentence answer (complete sentence responses)
Use graphic organizers
Use Slant Board
Allow student to create illustrations in lieu of writing
Grade written assignments according to content, rather than spelling and mechanics
Use “cut and paste” to create research projects
Fine Motor / Handwriting
Provide a rubber stamp with student’s name
Provide paper with raised lines as a sensory guide to stay within the lines (see resources)
Try different pens and pencils to find one that’s most comfortable
Practice writing letters and numbers in the air
Encourage proper grip, posture, and paper positioning for writing
Use pencil grips
Use multi-sensory techniques for learning letters, shapes and numbers (e.g., speaking through motor sequence)
Allow use of print or cursive
Use large graph paper for math calculations to keep columns and rows
Teach or reinforce penmanship using varying strateigies
LD OnLine
LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD.
Online Dictation
Speech recognition software makes it easier for anyone to use a computer.
Handwriting Without Tears
Writing program recommended by occupational therapists. K - 5.
NCR (No Carbon Required) Paper
Allows students to benefit from copies of notes taken by others. There are a variety of notebooks at office supply stores. Lined, hole-punched NCR paper available from Mayer-Johnson or Learning Differences.
Pencil grips
Pencil grip decreases hand fatigue and pencil pressure, increases writing endurance and pencil control, while actually training the hand muscles to hold a writing utensil properly.
Raised lined paper
Paper with raised lines that provide tactile cues that help define the work space for writing.
Read-Write-Think
Interactive resource K-12 for reading and writing. Teacher plans and student interactive online resources. Excellent resource for Differentiated Instruction.
Additional Resources
AlphaSmart Laptop
Franklin Speller
Don Johnston Assistive Technology-Writing
Webspiration
Resource Room: Older Students