Broun discusses the writing challenges that people with ASD are faced with and documents that "researchers have discovered significant neuroanatomical differences and abnormalities in the cerebellums of persons with ASD" (page 15), which leads to dysgraphia and dyscriptia. ASD diagnosed students who are faced with motor impairments also typically experience hypotonia (low muscle tone and strength) and apraxia (impairment in the ability to execute skilled movements despite having the physical ability to do so) (page 15). Essentially the question is raised as to the relevance of asking a student who has a motor impairment to write a story,
with a pen and paper.
Broun simply questions :
"Which is more important-being able to print/write the answer or knowing the answer?" (page 17)
I believe it's knowing the answer.
Students need to be given access to the resources that allow them to fully show what it is that they know.
Create opportunities for students to use a keyboard.
Why?
students who struggle to put pencil to paper to produce a legible text can use a keyboard to:
show what they know and
take pride in the work that they produce
feel less frustrated
and more successful.
Be INDEPENDENT!
Broun addresses various arguments against use of computer keyboarding the classrooms.
The implications of keyboards for
Task Performance are provided.
AND
Broun also outlines some starting points and strategies for utilising keyboarding as a primary writing instrument
NOW!
Because
"Keyboarding is a critical life skill, and in education, the focus must be on the skills that will serve our students well now and in their future". (page 20)
On a side note...
I worked with a student this week who struggled to form the letter S. He's having difficulty forming other letters as well and as a grade one student (he's only just starting his second year of public school) he told me that he didn't want to write his story because he's not good at writing.....
After I'd waved my magic wand as it were, used my best teaching skills and convinced this sweet little man that I would help him write his story about what he saw when he looked up in the sky the night before he set to work.
When he got to a word that required him to recall his practise of forming the letter "S" that we'd worked on the last time he moved to his practise page. Fortunately for him, he quickly realised he could see the "S" through the page and he immediately, and successfully traced the letter. After a few tries, he couldn't see the letters to trace them anymore and the task seemed less fun and he began to look at me like the little boy in the image above.......
so I quickly popped the i-Pad in front of him with this app open
and I drew the letter "S" with my finger. Then I turned to a clean page and gave him the space to try it himself.
Immediately,
he engaged and flawlessly formed the letter "S".
WOW!
I pressed the play button on the page and he watched the recording of himself forming the letter.
After a practising a few times he moved back to his story, formed the "s" and finished writing the word see and I helped him finish his story.
Success!
I can't wait until I go to work with him again.
So for those who question the use of keyboarding and perhaps use of technology for children in their first years of school I raise Broun's question once again -
"Which is more important-being able to print/write the answer or knowing the answer?" (page 17)
I can't wait to introduce keyboarding to my friend as another way of writing his story. Because I want to help to ensure that he feels like this...
