From Pencils to Keyboard: How OT Supports Written Success in Older Students
From Pencils to Keyboard: How OT Supports Written Success in Older Students
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As students progress through their academic journey, the demands for written work intensify dramatically. From detailed essays to rapid note-taking, clear and efficient written communication becomes more critical than ever. For older students who continue to struggle with handwriting, Occupational Therapy (OT) often strategically shifts its focus to keyboarding. If you've wondered why we might pivot from pencils to keyboards, read on!
The "Why" Behind the Shift: Optimizing for Success
The "Why" Behind the Shift: Optimizing for Success
In the earlier years, Occupational Therapists work diligently with students on foundational handwriting skills – proper grip, letter formation, spacing, and legibility. However, as students reach the upper elementary and middle school years, if consistent handwriting challenges persist, research suggests that the benefits of continued intensive handwriting remediation often diminish.
Here's why this transition is so important for older students:
Cognitive Load: Think of your brain's "working memory" as a limited workspace. If a student is expending significant mental energy just to form letters legibly, there's less "cognitive real estate" left for generating ideas, organizing thoughts, recalling vocabulary, or focusing on grammar (Graham & Harris, 2000). This can make writing a slow, frustrating, and exhausting process, hindering their ability to showcase their true knowledge.
Academic Demands: As students advance, assignments increasingly require speed and volume that inefficient handwriting often cannot match. Whether it's taking notes during a lecture or drafting a multi-paragraph essay, students need a reliable and fast method for getting their thoughts onto paper (or screen!).
Future Preparedness: In today's academic and professional world, keyboarding is an essential life skill. Mastering typing not only supports immediate academic needs but also prepares students for high school, college, and future careers.
Typing can be a great accommodation that allows students to type instead of handwriting. This is useful for students who have difficulty with legibility, spelling, and getting their thoughts on paper.
Typing: Typing.com is a free resource for students and teachers that will connect students to the foundations of technology- for free! Students can learn how to type through various means, but they will love all of the options for playing games while they learn. In addition, students can also learn about digital literacy and even coding if they desire. The possibilities are endless!
Speech-to-text: This is an accommodation that allows students to use speech-to-text. Students will speak their written work, instead of handwriting or typing the text. This is incredibly helpful for students who have difficulty getting their thoughts on paper. Click HERE to learn how to use this feature.
Need Help with Grammar: Try using grammarly.com It is a free online resource that can assist students with grammar, punctuation, and more when typing assignments.
OT Supports AT Accommodations!
OT Supports AT Accommodations!
Our OT Goal: Empowering Independent Communicators
Our OT Goal: Empowering Independent Communicators
OT transitions from handwriting to keyboarding, our primary goal is to empower your child to become an independent and effective communicator. We want their ideas and knowledge to shine, unhindered by motor challenges.
Here's what our keyboarding focus looks like:
Building Bilateral Coordination & Dexterity: We work on developing the use of both hands together, finger isolation, and fine motor dexterity crucial for efficient touch-typing (Donica, 2008; Feder & Majnemer, 2007).
Achieving Functional Speed & Accuracy: Our aim is to help students meet appropriate typing speed and accuracy ranges, ensuring they can keep pace with academic demands.
Navigating the Digital Classroom: Beyond just typing, we focus on the practical skills needed for today's learning environment. This includes:
Independently navigating their Chromebook.
Proficiently utilizing Google Docs and other necessary school platforms (e.g., Google Classroom, online textbooks).
Confidently sharing documents with teachers for assignments, collaborative projects, or feedback.
Keyboard Standards
Keyboard Standards
When using assistive technology as an accommodation for writing assignments, occupational therapists look to ensure students are typing at an appropriate typing speed with good accuracy meeting grade-level typing standards.
Like writing, we encourage daily practice at home to increase speed and accuracy on writing assignments.
Typing.com is a wonderful FREE website that students can log into using their google passwords on their Chromebooks.
If you need assistance with accessing this, please do not hesitate to reach out to your teacher or school staff for help.
For additional TYPING practice, lessons, games and more, visit FreeTypingGame.net
For additional TYPING practice, lessons, games and more, visit FreeTypingGame.net
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