Handwriting and Dyslexia

Human Movement Science published research demonstrating that deficits in the specific motor activity of handwriting are associated with developmental dyslexia. The subjects were evaluated for linguistic and writing performance and included children with developmental dyslexia, with and without handwriting problems (dysgraphia) and children with typical development.  Using a digitized tablet, the quantitative kinematic variables of handwriting were collected.

The results indicated the following:

1.  all children with developmental dyslexia wrote more slowly than those with typical development.

2.  all children with developmental dyslexia varied more in the time taken to write the individual letters of a word and failed to comply with the principles of isochrony (velocity for tracing increases as a function of its size) and homothety (trajectory keeps its shape characteristics no matter whats its size).

3.  correlations were found among reading, language measures and writing measures suggesting that the two abilities may be linked.

The researchers concluded that “the link between handwriting and reading/language deficits is mediated by rhythm, as both reading (which is grounded on language) and handwriting are ruled by principles of rhythmic organization”.

Reference:  Elena Pagliarini,Maria Teresa Guasti,Carlo Toneatto,Elisa Granocchio,Federica Riva,Daniela Sarti,Bruna Molteni,Natale Stucchi. Dyslexic children fail to comply with the rhythmic constraints of handwriting. Human Movement Science. Volume 42, August 2015, Pages 161–182. doi:10.1016/j.humov.2015.04.012

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Handwriting Stations includes the materials to create a handwriting
station on a tri-fold or in a folder. The station includes proper letter formation for
capital and lower case letters, correct posture, pencil grip, warm up exercises, letter
reversals tips and self check sheet. In addition, there are 27 worksheets for the
alphabet and number practice (Handwriting with Tears® style and Zaner-Bloser®
style). This download is great for classroom use, therapy sessions or to send home
with a student.  Find out more at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/hwstation.html.