A difficulty in expressing oneself in writing has an adverse impact on academic achievement in school and subsequently on our economy. It is estimated that written expression disorders cost American industry 30 billion dollars a year.

Writing is the culmination of many processes. Writing requires the simultaneous use of thinking, memory, visual and fine motor skills. A disability in this area often manifests in a discrepancy in the ability to communicate information verbally and the ability to communicate on paper. Students who struggle with written expression often struggle with spelling, grammar or sentence structure, the organization of information as well as the physical task of writing. This writing difficulty is unexpected based on the student’s age, cognitive ability, education level, and physical abilities.  Many factors can impact a student's ability to write. This disorder often exists with other learning disabilities.

Often students who do not read well do not write well. Spelling and reading are intertwined by the systems required to produce both of these skills. As students progress through school, they are hesitant to use a word they cannot spell. This often results in basic sentences with simple vocabulary. This spelling difficulty will impact sentence structure as the student is expected to produce more complex and descriptive sentences. Students with a disorder of written expression may also struggle with the ability to sequence their words into sentences and their sentences into stories, often leaving out words or using incorrect grammar. This inability to logically organize information makes complex writing tasks difficult.
 
Disorder of Written Expression (also known as dysgraphia) also encompasses the fine motor aspect of writing. Students with this disorder may have an awkward pencil grasp, have difficulty remembering how to form letters correctly, and write very slowly or illegibly. The physical act of writing is not automatic, which makes tasks like note-taking, copying from the board, or journal writing a labored and difficult task. The term Dysgraphia or Dysgraphic is sometimes used to describe a child who struggles with the motor task of writing.
 
ACCESS tutoring offers a multi-faceted approach to difficulties with written expression.  Since there are many factors influencing a student’s ability to write, some strategies are more beneficial than others for certain students. Based on that students profile we can determine if handwriting instruction, keyboarding, word prediction, or dictation software would be an appropriate tool. Addressing an underlying reading issue will have a positive impact on spelling. Teaching a student to use graphic organizers and outline can drastically improve the organization of their writing. Keyboarding is an appropriate option for some students, but sometimes issues that have affected the student’s ability to write may also impact their ability to keyboard effectively. Word prediction software or dictation software may also be beneficial. There are many technology tools that can be used to help students compensate for weaknesses with written expression-good observations and assessments can help match the student with appropriate tools and strategies.

See article-How to become a better reader and writer>