How can I support my child with dysgraphia?

Some ways to support your student with dysgraphia at home include the following:

• Keep pencil grips, erasable pens, spacing paper, slanted boards, and other physical accommodations on hand.
• Play games and activities that will improve fine motor skills and hand strength (like playing with Play-Doh or solving mazes).
• Try at-home handwriting programs that use games and visuals to make learning more fun (such as Handwriting Without Tears).
• Refrain from criticizing your child’s handwriting.
• Celebrate your child’s progress and successes.
• Educate your child about their developmental differences.
• Make sure your child is making progress in the remediation program their school is using, and if progress isn’t being made, ask for a new program.
• Teach your child how to advocate for their accommodations and needs — they won’t always be able to rely on you to speak up for them.
• Make sure teachers are aware of your child’s accommodations (you can start by creating a one-page introductory “All About Me” to share).

For more information, see our article Dysgraphia 101.