typing instead of writing

[shopgirl771]

weve been told we should be getting a DX on monday by my sons S&L therapist. were expecting ASD.
His motor skills arent great and subsequently his ability to hold a pen and write are very poor and well below average. hes more a numbers, science and technology child anyway.
ive been reading about children with similar issues who can quite happily type words but struggle with writing. they have been encouraged to type so that they do not fall behind in related areas like reading and spelling.

Has anyone else pursued this method and how did it go? were the school supportive?

i do not want my son to give up completely on writing as hell never learn but im just curious about this as a supportive strategy.

 

[mummy2o]

My partner and my son have been/doing it this method. My partner has the worse handwriting I've ever seen and I think the school gave up and gave him a laptop back in the 90's so he could type everything out. It hasn't really had any effect on him and he can spell better than me at times so it worked for him.

My son however is doing both currently. He has autism and moderate on the spectrum. Although he can't spell yet by either, he has learnt how to read without using the computer, but a lot of time went in with that. I well say he is ahead in computing class though as he knows where all the qwerty keyboard keys are and can copy words relative fast. I've also learnt repetition is the key with him. He can spell two words his name and buses as he loves buses and will watch them all day on youtube if he could :S However, he is changing schools so we'll be going on their advice come September as its a specialist autistic school.

 

[Blue12]

I hope it's ok that I post this. I don't have a child who is using this method but I am a teacher and I've been part of a team who refers and have got a number of children to so this. From what I have seen many children are able to more quickly produce work than they ever have before. I have also seen a few cases where is was not helpful at all. We often take a number of work samples to compare length of time, quality of the end product. * using word prediction software etc

 

[AP]

I find Alex is magical with a keyboard, yet can't write at 5. I can see why you would consider this. However at his age they may feel they would rather pursue handwriting still, he is still quite young. At that age my daughter wouldn't lift a pencil, but she does now, to attempt to draw.

I know that every class in her (mainstream, she had 1 to 1 support) school they have an iPad, these days, technology is encouraged rather than hindered. Whilst it has the option of keyboards they can tempt children into use stylus and finger tracing letters/numbers.

There's no harm in researching and asking questions

 

[JASMAK]

They have wanted this for my daughter for awhile, but we refuse. Her writing skills are important, and we keep working at it. It is now better than her brother's who is two years older but the school keeps whining about it. Sometimes I think they just want her computer. I am preparing my daughter to live in the real world...not just the over crowded classroom world. This is just my opinion of course. But, so far, with help, it has worked.

 

[mummy2o]

Jasmak, do you not let your daughter use the computer at all or does she have limited access to it? Just curious as I am thinking of limiting my son's time and want to know others opinions.

 

[AP]

I believe in a balance of both personally. Handwriting is really important, but I do think we have to embrace the technogical world we live in today. However at a young age their brains are still developing and I think its worthy of that early intervention to encourage use of handwriting. Just my beliefs.

 

[JASMAK]

Jasmak, do you not let your daughter use the computer at all or does she have limited access to it? Just curious as I am thinking of limiting my son's time and want to know others opinions.

She doesn't use a computer. She has an iPod that she uses for make up games, music and movies. No internet (disabled). She just turned 9 and I think she has used computers a bit in school for projects as the whole class did. But to replace handwriting is a big no for me and like I said it has worked despite a teacher and the education assistant insisting she wouldn't be able to. She writes better than her brother (no teacher has ever complained of his sloppy handwriting so a bit sexist if you ask me).