Our Mission — To foster an enriched ECE-12 system where learners of varying abilities thrive according to their unique strengths.
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 pencils, 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 | |
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Spelling | |
Provide technology such as word processors, AlphaSmart, electronic spell-checkers (see resources) |
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Assist students to create a personal spelling dictionary |
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Use on-line websites i.e., spellingcity (see resources) |
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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 on No Carbon Required (NCR) Paper |
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Allow extra time for writing assignments |
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Explicitly teach different types of writing |
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Allow students to dictate written assignments and tests | |
Give students a checklist for editing work-spelling neatness, grammar, syntax, clear progression of ideas, etc. |
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Have students proofread work after a delay—it’s easier to see mistakes after a break |
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Have student complete task in small steps |
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Encourage practice through low-stress opportunities for writing such as letters, diary, making household list or keeping track of sports teams |
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Group students together to write “round robin” story |
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Encourage students to include the wording of the question in their sentence answer (complete sentence responses) |
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Use graphic organizers | |
Alter written assignments |
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Allow student to create illustrations in lieu of writing |
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Grade written assignments according to content, rather than spelling and mechanics |
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Use “cut and paste” to create research projects |
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