Re: Dysgraphia

[Sara Kimball <skimball@uts.cc.utexas.edu>]

Charlotte, hi.  I'm dysgraphic myself, and I've searched the Net too and 
come up with little or nothing of interest.  One source I've found is a 
book by Andrew Ellis, _Reading, Writing, and Dyslexia_ (2nd. ed. Erlbaum, 
1993), though again, it's mostly about dyslexia (i.e. specific *reading* 
disbility).  When I was diagnosed (a frighteningly long time go, now) I was 
told my problems with handwriting and spelling were "residual dyslexia" or "expressive 
dyslexia," though neither term strikes me as terribly accurate 
etymologically or synchronically (I was a good reader as a kid, and can 
read several languages, ancient and modern, though I had some difficulties 
initially with non-Roman script writing systems). Your friend might 
try searching for those terms, but I suspect they're archaic. The Ellis 
book is good, and diferentiates several types.  

A couple of the graduate students who have worked in the writing center 
this year and I will be doing a conference course this semester on 
learning disabilites and writing center work, and it would be great if we 
can share information.

You know, it's interesting how there seems to be a lot of emphasis on 
reading problems but less on other types of learning disability, at least 
in the literature I've encountered, though I'm not a specialist in the 
area, except through practical experience, and haven't made anything 
like a thorough literature search.  I also have dyscalculia (problems with 
math, and these go deeper than uncannonical handwriting and spelling), 
and there's almost nothing on the Net about that. I assume there may be 
more information in more specialized neurological or medical literature, 
but that's beyond me ;-)

Sara Kimball
UT Austin 




On Wed, 4 Sep 1996, Michael Alle Mccord wrote:

> 
> I'm trying to help a friend who's doing research on dysgraphia. She's 
> searched the Internet, and has found lots of information about dyslexia 
> but not dysgraphia. Since Writing Centers often deal with students with 
> learning disabilities, we thought that this list would be a good 
> place to ask for help. Can anyone recommend a place for her to start? 
> For instance, how is it diagnosed? How common is it? What treatment is 
> available? Any information about its epidemology. We appreciate any help 
> you can give. Please forward any information to ccurtis@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
> 
> Thanks 
> Charlotte Curtis
>