How to increase writing speed

[golfbuggy]

DS's GCSE mocks results today. He has done abysmally in every subject that requires extended writing e.g. English. This is, I suspect mainly due to the fact that he writes so slowly that he only completed half the paper in these subjects. This has been an issue with him since he learnt to write and I've always been told .. "he's a boy", "he's summer born", "children mature at different rates", "it will come with practice" etc etc. Basically he's been doing "just about well enough" so it's never been considered a problem.

I went to talk to the SENCO to discuss whether there was any possibility that he might have a specific learning difficulty or at least get help with writing, but was basically fobbed off.

So ... advice needed ... regardless of whether or not there is a "reason" he needs to learn to write more quickly (and he needs to learn quickly!). Any ideas (please not "he just needs more practice")?

If your school will do an assessment he might qualify for extra time in exams.

www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-2019-20

This resource gives information about handwriting issues:

iaps.uk/assets/downloads/Sheila%20Henderson%20ISC%20conference%20november%202012%20final%20version.ppt

SENCO has said he is too late to apply for additional exam support as they won't get evidence in place in time. After I pointed out my main motivation was to help him and he has life beyond GCSEs, he has agreed to see if he could be put on the list for assessment.

So I am working on the basis that we just have to work out how to best support DS starting from where we are now. And "writing faster" has to be one of those things.

Thanks for the handwriting resource - I'll have a look through.

If he doesn't get an assessment/ does not qualify for slow handwriting speed, in the future, he could do his work using a laptop, if he is quicker using one (establish it as his normal way of working) and apply to use a laptop in exams. For that learning difficulty does not need to be established.

golf my Ds has just done his gcse mocks and uses a laptop for all extended writing. He has lax finger joints which cause pain and poor handwriting. This was assessed by an OT at the start of this year. He had a DASH test that tests for handwriting speed but he scored too highly in that for extra time in exams.

The OT recommended laptop use for all extended writing in class and exams. I was under the impression though that as long as the laptop was the normal way of working in class then that is the evidence needed for exam use.

You may have to push the Senco. Ds's school will do anything not to support him, we have to fight for everything.

DS10 is like this. He's doing KS2 SATS this year, so much less important. He's also been recommended to use a laptop and they are considering extra time in exams.

The wait for OT round here is about 6 months, but you can go private for OT. Given the timeline and importance I think going private is essential (if there is anyway you can afford it.) They can use the OT report as evidence.

If this isn't possible, is it possible to move him down a school year to buy the extra time? This might be naive of me, but I'd reckon taking an extra year and getting good GCSEs is probably better than having to re-sit?

Hope you get it sorted by the way.

Schools don't have to use an external OT to assess handwriting, as far as I can gather, according to the JCQ access requirements. Quite often it is an internal member of staff who is qualified to carry out a diagnostic test. (See JCQ link I posted earlier). That along with showing handwriting is an issue for the student in lessons is all that is needed.

This is the form used to apply:

www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/forms/form-8-application-for-access-arrangements-profile-of-learning-difficulties

The deadline for application for the 2020 exams is February.

Thanks for the response. I agree he would work better on a laptop, but there is no guarantee at this point that he will get permission to use one, so I am having to progress on helping to improve what he can.

I am now pushing the SENCO for action - as I said first response was very much along the lines of "he's in Year 11, it's too late to do anything" which I found quite upsetting - surely it's more important we do something as he's had no extra support up until now.

Interesting someone suggested paying for a private OT. I was actually wondering about paying for an educational psychologist but would this be better? And how (practically) would I go about organising something like this (do I just google "Operational Therapist" to find someone local?)

He would consider being moved down a school year akin to torture (there is no way he wants to study most of his subjects any longer than he has to) so that is not an option I would even consider (even if it were possible). I am considering asking if he can drop 1 or even 2 subjects (he is currently taking 11, which I've always thought is ridiculous) so he can focus more intensively on the ones that are left. Clearly he can't drop English, so one thing to work on is understanding how he can get the most marks in the smallest number of words :)

He wants to take A Levels (in subjects that don't involve essay writing funnily enough) and his school has the lowest entry criteria around (8 4s with 5s in A Level subjects). He did get 5,6, 6 in the 3 subjects he wants to take for A Level so all is hopefully not lost :)

If you have the money, an educational psychologist assessment is £400-600 and that would give you a full report that can be used for exam accommodations.

Can you spend some time observing his writing. Get him to answer one essay question while you watch.

• check how he is holding the pen, does it look correct, does he seem to be having any problems with grip or position

• is it that he writes very slowly, or is it that he has to stop to think before getting the next sentence down. This could indicate a lack of understanding in the content, slow processing speeds or anxiety about what he's writing, or he may just need support on exam techniques.

• what actually happens if he speeds up, does his handwriting become illegible, does he struggle with sentence formation...?

I agree he would work better on a laptop, but there is no guarantee at this point that he will get permission to use one, so I am having to progress on helping to improve what he can.

On reading the JCQ access arrangements the evidence required really does not seem that onerous. Tbh I would think there is time to apply for either. An online form and evidence from teachers at school held in a file.

Oh and an assessment, I should have said. However that should be able to be done internally with a qualified member of staff.

But no assessment needed for a laptop.

The school has to be able to evidence it as the candidate's normal way of working, in class, tests, exams, as well as assess need. Given that deadline for summer 2020 exams is Feb that is now very tight to do so, although I thought laptop use did not need to be included for that deadline, just other adjustments such as extra time, scribe/reader, rest breaks. What causes his writing to be slow, is it physical or tiredness in which case checking posture, grip and a writing slope may help or related to processing issues trying to get ideas down on paper, in which case some exam techniques can help to plan and focus on key points. Does he read through the paper first and tackle higher tariff questions/easy answers first?

We've had involvement from both Ed Psych and OT. From memory Ed Psych focussed on whether there was an underlying issue like ADD (there wasn't) and OT focused on physical issues like find motor skills (definitely an issue there).

Thinking about it our school SENCO recommended getting a GP referral, as might speed things up. They should at least be able to signpost you to the potential sources of support.

We've had involvement from both Ed Psych and OT. From memory Ed Psych focussed on whether there was an underlying issue like ADD (there wasn't) and OT focused on physical issues like find motor skills (definitely an issue there).

Interestingly, my D.C. just did an assessment at school for extra time in exams due to slow handwriting upon requests from teachers. They process quite a few assessments every year. I presume they have a member of staff who is qualified to carry out the assessment.

golf Ds has dropped a gcse too. He actually dropped it at the start of year 10 as he was being assessed for autism and things had been very difficult for him (they still are to be honest). He's now doing 10 instead of 11 and it has helped take the pressure off a bit. Year 11 is a hard year and even more so if you have additional needs.

DS1has very slow hand writing which for him is due to very slow processing. It was picked up-when he was 7 he has had lots of help over the years and it might have slightly sped up but not significantly. Forced to write faster his handwriting becomes totally illegible
Either speech recognition (good luck with that one) or at using a lap top is the way forward.
My DS had a "formal assessment" and got extra time this was done by the school but you might be better off getting an ed, psych report to get any kind of formal diagnosis they will also then make recommendations (which your school may agree to then ignore or not even agree to). Schools can get these done (I think they pay for them) but they are not keen IME and even if they do agree they don't have to agree to the recommendations.
I think I'm correct in saying that universities will require an ed.psych report thats no more than 2 years old if he needs extra time and a lap top. Thats the last time we paid for one for DS1. Interestingly DS1 has had 4 done over a 11 year period and despite endless support over his school life (from us not his schools) his profile has barely changed he remains a slow writer. But this is not suprsising because to put it in crudely this is just the way his brain is wired up you can't change that.

Universities require a "post 16" assessment to make adjustments but it also allows access to DSA and learning support.

Spend a few hours this holiday getting him typing. Copying out a page of a book. Time him and see he's quicker than writing the same page. If he is then laptop is the answer and doesn't need prior approval from JCQ.

Thats it LIZS I knew there was reason why we paid for one.
It cost £600 just under 5 years ago wonders where time has gone. We live nearish (25 miles) to a biggish city and the sort of place where you would thing ed. psychs are two a penny but we found it hard to find one.

I would ask the SENCO/ and English teacher again (and again if need be!). They should find the time to do the assessment. It shouldn't take long as they already have the evidence of need (he runs out of time in exams). Lots of children only get access arrangements in place just before their GCSEs.

To speed up writing, your DS could try to learn the 'formula' for answering or learn a template for answering the questions, so he doesn't spend too much time thinking about how to construct answers. His teachers should be able to help with this.

I think Ds has had to print off some of his classwork done on his laptop for his evidence file this week. It took months and months to persuade him to use his laptop in class as there was some nastiness and name calling. We had to explain lots of times to him that it needed to be his normal way of working so that he could use it in exams.

He is now using it in class and I think he saw the benefits during the mocks. There is so much writing and I know Ds would have been in a considerable amount of pain without being able to type.

To speed up writing, your DS could try to learn the 'formula' for answering or learn a template for answering the questions, so he doesn't spend too much time thinking about how to construct answers. His teachers should be able to help with this.
It all depends on why his writing is slow. My DS is very bright and able to think up the answers and even articulate them in fact he is highly articulate and quick orally at answering questions but what he can't do is physically write the answers down.
This is really why you need a ed.psych assessment to get a formal diagnosis of the problem.

This is really why you need a ed.psych assessment to get a formal diagnosis of the problem.

But in terms of solving the problem, regarding exams, an internal assessment/ using a laptop will be quicker (and possibly cheaper). If it is only his handwriting that is an issue it needn't really affect him very much in the future. The most handwritten work people ever do is usually at school. Lots of adults, across a wide variety of professions, rarely have to write by hand very much. Most written reports etc are typed.

Agree with pp. OP's ds needs a quick and easy solution. Trying to get an Ed psych assessment now is far too late for GCSEs.

It probably isn't even a processing issue. Ds can not write quickly and legibly (its one or the other) because of a physical condition and used a Laptop for his essay topics at GCSE and A level.