The Writing Process

My writing sample using my non-dominant hand

As I read the materials regarding assistive technology and writing (Newton & Dell, 2009), it made me consider what I really need to think about when students present with writing difficulties.  After our assignment in our previous class, having to really focus and think about the actual steps involved with writing, forces me to reflect on what the actual area of difficulty might be that causes the writing process to be so difficult for the many students we see everyday.  As I read the article, I focused on some of the key points in this article:

1) physically producing the text through handwriting: fine motor, visual spatial perceptual, pencil grip, paper positioning, visual alignment and acuity, mood  and temperment, motivation, ability, motor difficulties, arm positioning, type of writing tool, etc.  When I did my writing sample, I had the luxury of a comfortable chair, relatively comfortable position, my 'favorite' pen, having the time to do this short assignment, and not being under pressure to get it completed, I was comfortable with the spacing of words, and this was not being graded or marked.  Many of our students feel the pressure as fine motor coordination, motor control, visual-perceptual difficulties impair writing output, directionality of print can be an issue, anxiety because print is messier, letters poorly formed, writing on the lines are difficult due to visual, perceptual, motor control, etc. 

2) Written expression: conveying thoughts through the use of words and the other writing processes involved, such as receptive language, expressive ability, being able to follow the basic writing process, organization of words and thoughts that flow and make sense to the reader, etc.  We have so many students that struggle just with word recognition, word meaning, being able to describe words, sound out words, spell words, let alone higher order ability to organize thoughts in a sequential process that tells a story, conveys meaning, makes sense, has a beginning, a middle and an end to a story, etc.  If a student has language-based difficulties/disability, this also impacts on the writing process.  Then if a student has motor, visual, memory, processing difficulties, everything is further compounded. 

A simple, short writing assignment we did in class certainly humbles me once again - how something that was easy for me can be so very difficult and anxiety-provoking (and behavior-provoking) for many students we work with.  So many of the tasks we expect from our students are measured in paper-pencil tasks (writing, math, etc).  Many of the assessments we do are paper-pencil tasks. This certainly makes me reflect more on my practises as a psychologist and finding better means of assessing the children and adolescents I work with.......