More than just poor handwriting.

What is Dysgraphia?

According to the Texas Dyslexia Handbook, dysgraphia is defined as:

"...a neurodevelopmental disorder manifested by illegible and/or inefficient handwriting due to difficulty with letter formation. This difficulty is the result of deficits in graphomotor function (hand movements used for writing) and/or storing and retrieving orthographic codes (letterforms) (Berninger, 2015). Secondary consequences may include problems with spelling and written expression. The difficulty is not solely due to lack of instruction and is not associated with other developmental or neurological conditions that involve motor impairment."

Characteristics:

Variably shaped and poorly formed letters
Excessive erasures and cross-outs
Poor spacing between letters and words
Letter and number reversals beyond early stages of writing
Awkward, inconsistent pencil grip
Heavy pressure and hand fatigue
Slow writing and copying with legible or illegible handwriting (Andrews & Lombardino, 2014)

Additional Consequences:

Difficulty with unedited written spelling
Low volume of written output as well as problems with other aspects of written expression.

Dysgraphia is NOT:

Evidence of a damaged nervous system
Part of a developmental disability that has fine mother deficits (e.g., intellectual disability, autism, cerebral palsy)
Secondary to a medical condition (e.g., meningitis, significant head trauma, brain trauma)
Associated with generalized developmental motor or coordination difficulties (Developmental Coordination Disorder)
Impaired spelling or written expression with typical handwriting (legibility and rate) (Berninger, 2004)

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