To manage the handwriting difficulties the occupational therapy services encourages the parent / carer and child to discus with the school to look at the ‘Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments’ by JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications, 2015). The full report is available at http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration

To see whether any of the following strategies or support is required to establish a normal way of working for the child so they are not disadvantaged: -

Low-Tech Solutions:

• Biomechanical aspects of writing:
  • Posture
  • Pressure of writing
  • Pencil grasp
• Ergononimcs of the environment
  • Table height
  • Seat height
  • Stable base of support
  • Angled writing board
• Adatp material
  • Pencil grips
  • Size of lined paper
  • Grid paper

Low to medium tech solutions

• Use worksheets and handwriting templates e.g. tracing and copying templates, fill in the blanks activities,
• Story templates, writing guides and label makers to enable them to type, print and stick onto worksheets and papers good for spelling tests or short sentences
• Being given additional time

Medium to high-tech solutions

• A computer, however their typing speed needs to exceed their writing speed in order to be an effective solution
• Alternative keyboards
• Portable device e.g tablets, notepads
• Scribe