Supporting Writing Difficulties � a practical guide from CALL Scotland

Posted by Craig Mill on the 18th November, 2014

I have a child with writing difficulties. What could help?

CALL Scotland is pleased to announce the release of a new resource; 'Supporting Writing Difficulties, A Practical Guide’. This is a step-by-step guide in the form of a question and answer ‘checklist’ helping  you to  identify problems and suggesting a range of practical technology focused solutions to support pupils with writing difficulties.  The guide is presented as an ‘infograph’ that can be displayed on the wall as a prompt for staff, as well as filed as part of an individual pupil’s Action Plan.

The guide is primarily aimed at Teachers, Support for Learning Teachers and ICT Coordinators but should ideally be implemented as part of a whole school / local authority approach, and incorporating liaison with other appropriate support agencies and specialists.

Based on eight circular ‘headings’, the guide methodically guides the teacher through an initial process of identification, i.e. ‘the pupil appears reluctant to write’ to a series of ‘have you tried?’ suggestions about possible approaches and technologies to improve opportunities for children who are struggling with handwriting.

This problem-solving guide explores the following areas/issues:

• Identifying the problems, gathering information, team approach
• Identifying problems with physical handwriting using a pencil/pen
• Have you tried? (examples of low tech/practical solutions)
• Have you tried a computer, tablet or keyboard adaptation?
• Have you tried customising the screen and computer settings?
• Have you tried supportive software?
• Have you tried different access methods?
• Working in partnership with parents and professionals

A range of comprehensive hints, tips and lists of possible solutions are provided through each stage including freely available and/or built-in options such as changing font styles, background colours to more high tech solutions such as word prediction software and digital scanning pens, and alternative access methods.

CALL Scotland’s Supporting Writing Difficulties guide is available as a free download in two formats, a digital version which has clickable links to online resources, and a printable version.

Download the digital (with links) infograph guide

Download the printable infograph guide

Although this is a ‘generic’ guide, the content and format of the infograph can (at CALL's discretion), be modified and adapted to reflect the processes and procedures of particular local authorities. Please contact CALL if you would like to explore that idea on behalf of a local authority in Scotland.