Popular with teachers, cursive writing is characterized by letters that are linked together, reducing the need to lift the hands and thus contributing to faster production. However, a child with dysgraphia has these mechanical skills impaired – in particular, his or her writing speed is significantly reduced. But at what rate is it considered a cause for concern?
Writing speed, a key to academic success
At a time when the written word predominates in all school teaching, pupils are under pressure of time (and the legibility of their output) from an early age.
The teacher aims to reduce this note-taking phase and move on to the active part of the lesson. The student, for his part, doesn’t want to slow down the class, but remains under the injunction to produce legible notes, necessary for his revisions, while remaining sufficiently concentrated to listen to and understand the teacher. Finally, parents, who can only measure their child’s involvement through his or her writing, worry about an incomplete course or the production of a “rag”.
The BHK test to assess “normal” writing speed
The perception of writing speed is totally subjective. To benefit from a “standardized” approach, you need to rely on tests such as the
BHK test
test, which takes account of the type of exercise proposed (dictation, copying, spontaneous writing) and the instructions (writing in cursive or script, as fast as possible or normally) to make a relevant comparison. The assessment of writing speed is based on the number of signs written per minute.
However, this criterion alone is not enough to cause concern and suspect dysgraphia. However, if your child is still the last to finish writing (or if it is the first, but has provided illegible handwriting), if it passes to finish copying his lessonsif its courses are not not complete or if it fails to complete evaluations while he knows the answers, it’s advisable to get in touch with a graphotherapist.
Rehabilitation by the graphotherapist
Graphotherapy involves re-educating a child’s handwriting, to make it more legible and easier to produce. It’s not about the writing itself, but about the fundamental shapes of loops, hoops, helices and so on. Through exercises, children work on their flexibility and ease of movement, as well as on holding the pencil and body position while writing. The aim is to relax the child.
In the case of dysgraphia, re-education work extends to the psychological sphere: by treating the motor side, the child will feel more at ease and less tired, and will be able to regain self-confidence, improve productivity and school results.
With the help of a graphomotor assessment, the professional establishes personalized support for the child, focusing on his or her difficulties through playful exercises. Don’t hesitate to contact a graphic therapist on the Ora-Visio platform : they specialize in DYS disorders and know exactly what is at stake in the child’s school life and daily life.
