[senco-forum] An enigma

We currently have a Year 7 student withmild cerebral palsy who has managed

If this lad has poor hand control, he will not have succeeded in producing
much in the way of extended writing throughout his school career so far. So
he may need an on-screen planning / organisational program like Inspiration
or Kidspiration.  See http://www.inspiration.com This might help him get his
thoughts and ideas in order before attempting to turn it into extended
writing.

He may also have problems with typing-  best to slow down key-repeats for
him, & possibly offer him the sticky shift facility.  (Windows / Control
panel/ Accessibility options-  - experiment with different settings with
him.)

There again, he may just have keyfinding problems.  This improves with
practice-  copying familiar poems, easy text, or even (best, in the
circumstances, I think ) a spelling program- Starspell  wordlists  offering
rhyming  words. This can help key-finding, as the repetition aids.
familiarisation. See  http://www.fishermarriott.com/

Depending on his CP you might try to teach him to touch type?

You might also offer him  a prediction program- Penfriend is my favourite.
See www.penfriend.biz   This will offer him a list of words beginning with
the letters he types in - he can then select the whole word he wants by
pressing a number or F-key.  It also offers an on-screen keyboard- some CP
children get on better if they can use a mouse or trackerball to select
letters, and also some get on better if all their attention is concentrated
on-screen, instead of having to look up and down from screen to keyboard.

Dictation programs can be helpful- but are a bit problematic in an open
classroom, and also take time to learn and train (yours, as well as his.)
You also need an excellent spec of PC  with lots of RAM and a good
microphone.

Write me off forum if any of this sounds hopeful and you'd like to "chat."-
or describe his actual strengths/ weaknesses to me and I'll have another go.

Elizabeth

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pearl Daniel" <pearldaniel at hotmail.co.uk>
To: <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 6:24 PM
Subject: [senco-forum] An enigma

> We currently have a Year 7 student withmild cerebral palsy who has managed
> physically much better than expected so far, in a secondary mainstream
> school. However he struggles with much of his work.  His literacy skills
> are very weak and, although he tries very hard, he has difficulty
> remembering key information.  His English teacher says he is an enigma.
> Orally he is good and shows understanding and when asked to spell a
> complicated word he can do it although cannot spell the same in writing.
> He produces hardly anything when set a written task and what he does,
> cannot easily be read.  He is no better on the computer.
>
>
> He has 2 withdrawal lessons a week for his literacy. Any advice as to how
> best to help him gratefully received.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Pearl
>
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