Week 5 - Graphomotor & Handwriting Evaluation and Intervention

Question 1

requires integration of auditory and motor systems

Answer 1

dictation

Question 2

requires cognitive functions of planning, sentence generation, and revision. complex integration of linguistic, cognitive, organizational and sensorimotor skills.

Answer 2

composition

Question 3

letter forms, leading in and out of letters, rounding, closure, ascending and descending lines. when you look at a letter do you know what that letter is supposed to be.

Answer 3

letter formation

Question 4

placement and spacing of text within writing guidelines (btwn the lines and on the lines). how letter gets placed on the paper, are they on the line or floating.

Answer 4

alignment

Question 5

dispersion of letters within words and words within sentences, along with text organization on the entire sheet of paper. what is the relative distance btwn the letters in a word and the space btwn words.

Answer 5

spacing

Question 6

how letters relate to each other and writing guidelines. the ability to differentiate btwn uppercase and lowercase letters, tall and short letters, descending letters.

Answer 6

size

Question 7

uniformity or angle of text (least important factor in writing) not used much

Answer 7

slant

Question 8

Name 2 reasons why legibility counts in schools.

Answer 8

• accurate, legible, and swift note taking increases students’ ability to review and retain academic info.
• teachers give better grades to legible work.

Question 9

Name 4 fine motor and pre-writing foundations.

Answer 9

• finger strengthening activities
• in-hand manipulation
• functional daily tasks
• scissor use

Question 10

Research shows that ___ ____ produces learners who had a greater speed of transcribing words, as well as greater accuracy than the learners who were part of a ___ ___ group.

Answer 10

random practice, blocked practice

Question 11

Practicing the handwriting of letters in a ___ presentation, then, might more closely match the demands of handwriting ____.

Answer 11

random, words

Question 12

lower level skill; you are drawing the line, so child observes the process of creating that line

Answer 12

imitating

Question 13

child just sees the end result and has to motor plan on how to complete the task.

Answer 13

copying

Question 14

Name an example of a multi-sensory approach for handwriting.

Answer 14

writing letters in shaving cream

Question 15

Why should you start big and go small when learning handwriting skills.

Answer 15

want to learn letters with big movements first bc you learn them with your whole body (creating body schema and body awareness).

Question 16

Which type of paper usually works best?

Answer 16

3 lined paper

Question 17

What is the ideal grip for handwriting?

Answer 17

mature dynamic tripod

Question 18

When should a child start using a mature dynamic tripod grip?

Answer 18

4-5 years given that the child is exposed to tasks that require this grasp.

Question 19

Name 2 grasps that are often used for handwriting but are not as efficient.

Answer 19

• digital pronate grasp

- palmar grasp

Question 20

Describe the progression of skilled writing implement use.

Answer 20

1. only tip of pencil touches the page.
2. arm and hand move unanchored through space.
3. trunk and shoulder provide stability for arm mobility.

Question 21

Name 3 reasons for a child appearing to have a weak grasp when writing.

Answer 21

• muscle weakness
• lack of prop. awareness
• tactile sensitivity

Question 22

Name 3 interventions for weak grasp.

Answer 22

• fine motor strengthening
• deep pressure input to hands
• Brushing protocol, desensitization

Question 23

Name 2 reasons why a child may switch hands when writing.

Answer 23

• lack of hand dominance

- muscle weakness

Question 24

Name 2 interventions for switching hands while writing.

Answer 24

• FM tasks that require the usage of both hands

- Encouraging usage of preferred hand

Question 25

Name 1 reason for a child’s inability to stabilize paper when writing.

Answer 25

-lack of bilateral coordination

Question 26

Name 1 intervention for the inability to stabilize paper when writing.

Answer 26

-encourage use of “helping hand”, physical prompting

Question 27

Name 1 reason for child looking closely at paper when writing.

Answer 27

-visual perceptual difficulties

Question 28

Name 1 intervention for child looking closely at paper when writing (visual perceptual difficulties).

Answer 28

use a slant board or vertical surface

Question 29

Name 2 reasons for a child writing with flexed wrist.

Answer 29

• closed web space

- joint laxity

Question 30

Name 1 intervention for writing with a flexed wrist.

Answer 30

-make sure tool is resting within web space (Handi writer)

Question 31

Name 3 reasons for a closed web space when writing.

Answer 31

• muscle weakness
• lack of thumb opposition
• thumb joint laxity

Question 32

Name 4 interventions for closed web space when writing.

Answer 32

-squeezing activities: scissors, spray bottle, tweezers, putty

Question 33

Name 1 reason for a palmar grasp on writing tool.

Answer 33

-lack of separation of both sides of hand

Question 34

Name 3 interventions for using palmar grasp on writing tool.

Answer 34

• lacing, stringing beads
• have child hold small object with last 2 fingers
• Handi writer

Question 35

Name 1 reason for child grasping writing tool very tightly.

Answer 35

-lack of proprioceptive awareness

Question 36

Name 3 interventions for grasping writing tool very tightly.

Answer 36

• vibrating pen
• soft pencil grip
• place fabric beneath paper

Question 37

Name 2 reasons for scribbling.

Answer 37

• poor eye/hand coordination

- lack of FM control

Question 38

Name 1 intervention for scribbling.

Answer 38

demonstrate and provide hand over hand assistance to produce vertical strokes.

Question 39

Name 2 reasons for raking up small objects.

Answer 39

• lack of hand separation

- hand weakness

Question 40

Name 2 interventions for raking up small objects.

Answer 40

• offer 1 at a time

- have child reach for item

Question 41

Which types of writing tools allow for a better grasp?

Answer 41

fat, short tools

Question 42

creates a loop to hold pen on web space

Answer 42

Handi writer

Question 43

-developmental, multi-sensory approach to handwriting

Answer 43

Handwriting Without Tears

Question 44

What is the functional purpose of moving from print to cursive?

Answer 44

helps some children who struggle with handwriting to express themselves in written form since cursive doesn’t always look neat and doesn’t require a lot of spacing.

Question 45

What is the purpose of the VMI?

Answer 45

-assesses an individual’s ability to integrate visual and motor form shapes (pencil and paper tasks)

Question 46

What is the age range of the VMI?

Answer 46

ages 2-99

Question 47

Which type of assessment is the VMI?

Answer 47

norm-referenced