For our very first Academic Area post, we want to share all the wonderful examples we have for writing instruction ranging from basic handwriting to supports for paragraph writing.
Handwriting
Many of our students with autism and low-incidence disabilities struggle with fine motor skills which can make handwriting a challenge!
The use of tracing and copying tasks is a great way to differentiate for students who need to focus efforts more on the task of writing and less on recalling spelling.
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| Jamie Minnish Prass Elementary, Kettering |
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| Differentiated Name Writing Tasks Renee Vaughn Studebaker Preschool, Huber Heights |
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| Name Writing Morning Work Mats Darlene Hays & Andy Krickenbarger Anthony Wayne Preschool, Darke County ESC |
Since many learners with autism are very visual learners, they can easily copy how a letter or word looks visually, however they may not use the correct letter formation. It is important to provide consistent, direct instruction of letter formation to prevent any poor handwriting habits. Use of systematic, multisensory handwriting curriculums such as Fundations or Handwriting without Tears are a great support for students who need this direct instruction.
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| Fundations Visual Cues Heather Balkcom Springcreek Primary, Piqua |
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| Handwriting Without Tears Tracey Cooper Tecumseh Elementary, Tecumseh |
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| Name Stamps Catherine Anderson Rushmore Elementary, Huber Heights |
Sentences
There are a variety of skills that go into writing a sentence including generating a thought and putting that thought into words and then writing the sentence on paper with correct conventions.
For students who struggle with generating a complete thought, using word cards like the examples below can be a great first step.
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| Writing task of creating a sentence about a picture using color-coded picture and word cards |
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| Writing task of creating a sentence about a picture using word cards Laurie Maravetz Schafer Middle School, Springfield |
Once the student begins writing sentences, provide visual supports to help them self-edit their work such as writing convention rubrics or visual reminders.
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| Sentence Writing Visual Reminders Lindsay Fox Bush Kemp Elementary, Dayton |
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| Sentence Conventions SWAG Acryonym Kristen Gregory Northmoor Elementary, Northmont |
Paragraph Writing
As your students develop their sentence writing skills, the next step is paragraph writing. Since writing is so challenging for our students with autism and low-incidence disabilities it is important to scaffold and adjust expectations so they can be most successful. Otherwise, writing can become a contentious and stressful time of day!
One way to motivate students to complete writing activities is to allow them to write about a special interest or favorite activity. This often increases engagement, leads to the student writing more than they typically would, and allows the staff to still see their true writing abilities.
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| Special Interest Writing Journal Lori Bicknell Mound Elementary, Miamisburg |
Graphic organizers can be helpful in supporting students to organize their thoughts and the information they want to include in their paragraph. For some students, the student may dictate while staff writes on the graphic organizer to reduce writing fatigue.
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| Topic-Specific Word Wall Graphic Organizer Kim Hampton Broadway Elementary, Tipp City |
In addition to graphic organizers, provide visual resources for students to use while writing to assist with remembering letter formation or spelling so they can focus on getting their thoughts on paper.
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| Writing Resource Folder Lori Bicknell Mound Elementary, Miamisburg |
For some students, the idea of writing a paragraph can be overwhelming because they are unable to visualize what the completed assignment will look like. Providing clear expectations and an exemplar can be a great way to help them better understand what to do.
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| Writing Exemplars Monica Klarer Indian Valley Intermediate, Greenon |
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| Writing Exemplars Lindsay Fox Bush Kemp Elementary, Dayton |
Assistive Technology
When prioritizing writing expectations, you may find that the main goal is for the student to convey what they know about a specific topic rather than demonstrate the physical ability to write. Using a scribe or assistive technology such as typing, voice-to-text, or word prediction software can be a great support for students who struggle with mastering handwriting but still have a lot to say!
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| Clicker Writer Word Processing Software Karyn Smith Tri-Village High School, Tri-Village |
For more ideas on assisting students with autism and low-incidence disabilities during writing instruction we love I Hate to Write: Tips for Helping Students with Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders Increase Achievement, Meet Academic Standards, and Become Happy, Successful Writers by Cheryl Boucher and Kathy Oehler which is full of practical ideas and graphic organizers targeting specific writing challenges.
