Any ideas please?...........................................

[AdelaideS]

................for an activity to help ds's (7) coordination, especially hand/eye?
He is really struggling with his handwriting and I understand this will help. He "hates sport" (his words) and has always been at the slow end of the scale when it comes to things like using scissors.

a good scheme for handwriting is 'Write from the Start' recomended bt the ed psych for ds when he was diagnised with dyspraxia.

you can get it from amazon

thanks martianbishop, i'll look right now. His self esteem is rock bottom atm, he says he's scared to take his work up to the teachers cos they'll say he's "bad". Not helped by a teacher last week rubbing out all of his work in front of him and saying it was "appalling".

Threading and building with small lego pieces are two activities you could try.

With a boy in my class we printed off A4 sizes of his initials and got him to guide a matchbox car round them.

\link{http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/redines.htm\These may help as well

Sorry, useless at links I'll have another go!

This maybe

speak to the school or your doctor. ask them about dyspraxia.

Do a google search for primary movement. My mum's a nursery/primary teacher and did a course on this a few years ago. She then used some of the exercises with my wee sis who's v uncoordinated and they worked well.

Sorry - should have read your post more carefully - I agree you could look at dyspraxia - the primary movement thing may still be good though as my wee sis sounds v like your son!

Have looked at dyspraxia foundation website, he has most of the symptoms but I have to say he's pretty good on a bike and a mean dancer so I don't know.
DP is currently refusing to "do" dyspraxia, iyswim,but I think I'll talk to his teachers again after half term.

dyspraxia is a very long spectrum, it is like a motor dyslexia. it doesn't necessarily have any reflection on academic ability. there are various things that can be done to help the child cope with it.

I think you should inform the school about what your thinking. In my school system the best way to get things checked is through your GP.

Thanks for the advice.
He's a bright boy, top group for maths (i do hate the sound of myself saying that!) but his teacher says his written work doesn't tie up with his verbal skills.
I think dp is worried about labelling him and thinks he will catch up in time, but my concern is that it's making ds miserable atm.

I think a lot of parents worry about 'labels' because when they were at school it was a big deal. Now it's really just about getting the right help, at the right time, from the right place. If yourds is getting upset then you should do something.

I'm a Learning Support teacher for my schol BTW.

You're right, I know, and I'm determined to make school life better for him.

good luck.

Message withdrawn

Just wanted to say I am appalled at the teacher rubbing out his work like that. I would definately bring that up with the head teacher, but that's just my opinion.

I have to say TMummy I was very surprised, ds says she's usually very nice. It hasn't helped him at all, he now thinks it's not worth bothering at all.

(love the name theodore, btw. Dh wouldn't let me have it).

sorry....name change