ADHD and Writing

[gabrielsmom]

Hi Everyone:

I need your help. This is the problem. Getting my son to write all the wonderful ideas and details that he has in his head when he is asked to write an essay, in a clear, detailed, coherent way is proving to be a challenge that I don't even know where to begin to tackle. His teacher says that if she stands next to him and sort of leads him, he can do it, but when he has to do it by himself he starts out good then goes off into a tangent and never returns. Basically, he is all over the place, writes in a rush, therefore, in a very sloppy hardly legible way. I don't know how to help him improve his writing. ANY IDEAS?...

Does anyone know of a website, computer game, book or something that I can get him that can help him with his writing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Joshua

[mothercat]

Cant be of much help on the writing ..sorry.. Jareds prob with writing was dysgraphia. He couldn't get thought to paper and when he did he left out middles of sentences and misspelled everything. You also couldn't read it at all. When he read it back he would read it like he hadn't left anything out too. ;D We helped him by getting him the quickpad for his writing..it is easier to type and it comes out straight then. I am not sure how to help your prob..... try him out typing and see if there is a difference at home. Some stores like walmart have lots of electonic games for writing and probably computer games as well. good luck..

[Linda]

M/C...What exactly is a quickpad?

[mothercat]

It costs around 150.00 it is a little lap top type thingy that has an infra red type thingy that signals a main computer to print what is in its files. It holds like 150 files and Jared types all his homework into it then when he is done he can aim the infra red thing at either the teachers computer or mine (whereever the program is loaded ) and my pc prints out the homework.
www.quickpad.com

How the paper describes it is USB wireless Keyboard for ED-Complete unite 600-QPad Usb
( what ever that means) Every school should have them in the spec ed department..a teacher at the high schookl turned me on to them..IEP'S and 504's cover them . (worth every penny)


I do NOT work for them ;D ;D ;D but it sure has made life easier for Jared and our school had no idea they existed or were covered under IEP and 504.

[Linda]

Now that is worth having...I bet Radio Shack has them

[george2]

I have found that making the writing have a mathematic pattern can make it easy to plug in the pieces. The smaller, very connected sections, keep the thoughts with a visable completion point.
My first year college english teacher introduced me to this pattern. It is a five paragraph layout. You make the first paragraph and all of the paragraphs have five sentences each. The first sentence of the first paragraph gives an introduction of the information that will be explained. The second sentence introduces the second paragraphs supporting information of the main topic. The third sentence introduces the third paragraphs supporting information of the main topic, The fourth sentence introduces the fourth paragraphs supporting information of the main topic. The fifth sentence says someting in reference to how you hope that the "blank" view in the supporting information will take the reader to understand the topic in a certain way.
The first sentence of the second paragraph restates the second sentence in the first paragraph in a colorful way. There should be three supporting sentences for the first sentence of this paragraph. The fifth sentence should restate the first sentence in a "see what I mean" way.
The first sentence of the third paragraph restates the third sentence in the first paragraph in a colorful way. There should be three supporting sentences for the first sentence of this paragraph. The fifth sentence should restate the first sentence in a "see what I mean" way.
The first sentence of the fourth paragraph restates the fourth sentence in the first paragraph in a colorful way. There should be three supporting sentences for the first sentence of this paragraph. The fifth sentence should restate the first sentence in a "see what I mean" way.
The first sentence of the fifth paragraph restates the first sentence in the first paragraph in a way it was changed by all of the supportin information to make it look new and more how you have show it to be. The second sentence restates the second sentence in the first paragraph in a way it was changed by all of the supportin information to make it look new and more how you have show it to be. The third sentence restates the third sentence in the first paragraph in a way it was changed by all of the supportin information to make it look new and more how you have show it to be. The fourth sentence restates the fourth sentence in the first paragraph in a way it was changed by all of the supportin information to make it look new and more how you have show it to be.The last sentence in the fifth paragraph shows the proof of the new creation of the main topic.

I hope this isn't to confusing. It really works. I helped the gifted and talented kids with this also. It even worked with them.

This pattern will have to be used over and over to get used to it and to add the creative parts to it the best it can be done. I used it in every paper I had to write from the time I learned it to now. It was good enough to get through college and pass all of the tests given to me to be able to keep my teaching certificate as all of the Texas teachers had to do.

[mothercat]

When Jared was nine he got the fact that each paragraph had to have five sentences. As far as getting the thoughts to paper..his brain moves so fast that his hands cant keep up that is why he types. That method may work now for him but back when he was doing it by hand I think he would've been frustrated.. It may work for Gabrielsmoms child tho. Although at 9 it might be confusing ..at first..

[Linda]

I know exactly what you are talking about George. Paul is in the process of doing a research paper. His teacher interesting enough is ADHD. He has taught the class in the way you just described.

BTW George...Are you still teaching?

[mothercat]

I was explaining it to Bud and he has been taught the same type thing in high school . Maybe he can get Jar to understand it next year when the essay writing really gets to be a big thing in seventh grade. (or over the summer before hand..lol) It would be nice to see him actually not sweat it every time they give a writing assignment. Bud said once you get the hang of it its easy.

[Linda]

Sorry Gabrielsmom...got off track a little bit. Has your son been evaluated for dysgraphia?...If he has it and a lot of our kids do,he would qualify for O.T. Just a thought.

[gabrielsmom]

Thank you guys for all of your responses. As always, you guys came through. I haven't had Gabriel evaluated for dysgraphia because I didn't even know what the name of the learning disability was. But, what Mothercat describes is exactly what gabriel is like. He has all these ideas and he wants to write it all but somehow his hands can't keep up and he ends up with an illegible essay(missing words, mispelled words, etc...)

Yesterday, the teacher gave him an extra assignment and had me help him do it. It was a challenge, I had to get a little harsh with him(told him that he had to make an extra effort and do the essay as it should be done because when he was asked to do it on the city exam, if he didn't do it right he would get left back in fourth grade) but that seemed to do the trick because he did it and he did it right. I had to check and correct some of the spelling but it was a coherent essay and most of all legible).

I am going to look into the quick pad and also evaluating him for dysgrahia. I am also going to the scholastic store to see if there are any games or workbooks he can use to help him out.

Thanks
Joshua

[mothercat]

If he does have dysgraphia remember to getit enlisted into his IEP or 504..that way they half to let him use it..otherwise they dont have to allow it. (at our school they have NO O.T. and had never even heard of dyspraghia..it took going to the highschool to get the info from the spec ed teachers there for me to get info ..although it is all over the web.

[Linda]

Paul still has terrible hand writing...and he had a OT for years...but I guess that is what computers are for

[eaccae]

Joshua,

Alexander has the same problem. He has dysgraphia as well but the school refused to "recognize" this because he passed all of "their" tests with flying colors - screw the doctor's report! Anyway - the writing problem has been an issue every year. This year his teacher pushed for accomodations to be made on his 504 regarding this. She said that aside from the dysgraphia - it is not unsual for ADHD kids to have executive dysfunction when it comes to writing and that often times writing disabilities - namely the difficulty organizing one's thoughts and getting them on paper - often go hand in hand with ADHD and that they are the "invisible" LDs that can't always be determined by testing. She pointed to the fact that verbally he had no difficulties whatsoever - actually just the opposite - he was phenomenal, and also that this is an issue that has been a central problem throughout his school history - these alone should get him help. Well the team agreed - after multiple meetings every year in which they did nothing- (God bless this teacher!!) he is getting a half hour of writing help a day - namely with help organizing his thoughts, etc., a half hour a week on handwriting mechanics, and he is using his special Handwriting Without Tears paper that I brought for him in September (the lines make it easier for him not only to write on but to visually keep his mind from getting distracted/cluttered).

I have spend years trying to get the school to do this because honestly I just don't know how to help him in this arena. It has already made a difference.

If the school tests Gabriel for dysgraphia and doesn't think he fits the bill - push the invisible LD area and point out that this is an ongoing problem that is a component of his ADHD and that he needs some kind of help!!!

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Linda]

Thank you for bringing up the part about being verbal. I think our kids are the best at it.