What Is A Writing Disability?: Causes, Characteristics, Management, Risks

Writing disability is a learning disability which affects the learner’s ability to write words with correct spelling, basic mechanics and appropriate word choice.

• Writing is a complex process which requires,
• Knowledge of the topic
• Ability to know what readers need
• Ability to organize information
• Skill to find the right words
• Perseverance to keep working
• Ability to evaluate the effort

Those with writing disability are not able to understand the relationship between the letters, and the sound they represent. They also can distinguish whether the word is written correctly or not.

Writing disability can have many causes, as listed below.

• Hereditary
• The difference in brain development
• Brain injury
• Stroke

It can also be as a result of or a complication due to a problem with expressive language or receptive language, visual or hearing problem, or hand-eye coordination.

In comparison to the normal achievers, the students with writing disability have:

• Less knowledge about writing
• Less strategic writing
• Less skill with language
• Difficulty with spelling and handwriting
• Difficulty in completing school work

Such students may be at risk of school failure. Producing letters on paper would be difficult as they may not understand the relationship between letters, words, and sounds. Lacking understanding of letter and sound connection they would have a problem in basic reading.

• Diagnostic assessment and writing test help determine what specific type of problem is affecting the learner’s writing skill.
• The educators can develop individualized instructional plans through observation, analyzing the student work and cognitive, language, and occupational assessment.
• Evaluation of disability is very important as it can provide information to help the parents and the educators to develop effective specially designed instructions.
• Specially designed instruction refers to teaching strategies and methods to instruct a student with any type of learning disability. Depending on the student’s unique need and based on the evaluation, strategies are developed.
• The strategies typically focus on work with hand-on-material to help learners develop an awareness of letterforms and also their connection to sounds and words.
• Language-based aspects of writing, cluster words, and root words are also taken care of.
• Occupational therapy also helps students who have problems with motor skills.

Mostly the students with a learning disability are underestimated by other students, teachers, and adults. These children become frustrated, may avoid or withdraw from writing or may develop behavior problems to avoid class work that involves writing.

This frustration might further be magnified if the parents and the teachers do not understand the source of their frustration. It is very important for adults to understand the learning disability and frustration due to it in the children.

In some there is just a skill deficit, such as some students with writing disability might have general learning ability or general intelligence even higher than their peers.

If you doubt your child has a writing disability, contact the school principal or a counsellor and go ahead with an assessment of the condition.

A sound writing program provides a balance to help the student engage in writing which are meaningful for them and receive instructions on skills and strategies which can help them become a proficient writer.

• Along with the above, they get instructions on
• Basic handwriting, spelling, and sentence formation
• Strategies for planning and revising their writing
• Strategies for self-regulation

Do not let the writing ability affect the child in a way they get emotionally disturbed or imbalanced because of it. Seek help and get it corrected as soon as you feel it is present.

Also Read:

• What is Writer’s Cramps? Know Its Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention