Date
29 March 2024
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Dyspraxia and learning

Classroom strategies supporting students' learning and wellbeing across the curriculum.

On this page:

Understanding dyspraxia

Learn about key concepts and terms, and the concerns and experiences of students with dyspraxia.

Video hosted on Youtube http://youtu.be/cugRkzeujB0

Ellie Madiera describes her experience of living with dyspraxia – the challenges and positive aspects of this diverse condition.

Summary of important concepts:

Strategies for action

Four key strategies to support students with dyspraxia in their learning

Show material for:

Identify needs and how to provide support

Work closely with the student and their whānau. Take an evidence-based, team approach to support learning and wellbeing. Monitor progress closely.

Video hosted on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/64541738

Three suggestions for implementing this strategy:

  1. Build whanaungatanga

    Includes:

    • Video
    • Resources
  2. Gather information to inform practice

    Includes:

    • Video
    • Resources
  3. Organisations, programmes and resources

    Includes:

    • Resources

Key areas to support

Motor skills, personal organisation, social interaction, and positive behaviour are areas students with Dyspraxia may need some specific support. Explore recommended approaches.

There is no cure for dyspraxia, and children do not outgrow it. However, children do get better at doing certain tasks over time with lots of practice and feedback. Occupational therapy and speech therapy, along with other tools and strategies, may help improve symptoms. For older children, learning to use a keyboard may help with writing.

Four suggestions for implementing this strategy:

  1. Support motor skills

    Includes:

    • Video
    • Resources
  2. Support self-management and organisation

    Includes:

    • Video
    • Resources
  3. ​​Support social interaction

    Includes:

    • Video
    • Resources
  4. Support positive behaviour

    Includes:

    • Video
    • Resources

Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8

Approaches that support students with dyspraxia are often valuable for all students. Refer to Key areas to support in this guide for more advice on supporting motor skills, self-management, social interaction and positive behaviour.

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"For supporting writing what I like to do is to give them [students] some variety with presenting. Tyler loves to do voice recordings, then he gets to add his expression to his writing so we can really hear him speaking to us, which is a really great tool for him to use."

- Jody Garland, teacher Parkvale Primary School

Four suggestions for implementing this strategy:

Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13

Approaches that support students with dyspraxia are often valuable for all students. Refer to Key areas to support in this guide for more advice on supporting motor skills, self-management, social interaction and positive behaviour.

For the adolescent with DCD [developmental co-ordination disorder or dyspraxia] to flourish, he needs to develop a clear understanding of his strengths. At the same time the school needs to offer a variety of routes for the adolescent to be able to reach his goal.

Amanda Kirby, The adolescent with developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), p 91

Four suggestions for implementing this strategy:

Key resources

Developmental dyspraxia A resource for educators3

Developmental dyspraxia: A resource for educators

This booklet examines how dyspraxia can influence learning and provides strategies teachers can use in the classroom.

File

How dyspraxia can influence learning

A summary of the challenges students with dyspraxia experience at school, with an outline of teaching opportunities to support learning.

Website

Dystalk – YouTube

Read time: 2 min

A catalogue of videos describing ways to support people with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD/ADD, dyscalculia. No captions or transcripts are available.

Publisher: Dystalk (YouTube)

Website

M.A.T.C.H. flyers: A resource for educators

Read time: 29 min

M.A.T.C.H. is a set of principles which help educators ensure the activity and environment are right for a child with a coordination disorder.

Publisher: CanChild, McMaster University

Website

Dyspraxia – Classroom guidelines

Practical strategies you can use to support primary school aged children with dyspraxia.

Publisher: Dyspraxia Foundation

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