Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities

This book helps teachers sharpen their skills in analyzing and teaching writing to students with learning disabilities. While the focus is on working with children with learning disabilities, the strategies included have been proven to work with all students with writing difficulties, whether or not they have been classified as having learning disabilities.The book is organized into nine chapters. The first chapter discusses the connection of oral language to written language. The second chapter provides an analysis of handwriting difficulties, styles, and instructional strategies. The third chapter provides a review of basic skills (spelling, punctuation, and capitalization) and analyses of written language samples that evidence difficulties with basic skills. In addition, the different types of errors seen in the writing of individuals with orthographic dyslexia and phonologic dyslexia are highlighted. Chapter four provides the reader with instructional strategies for difficulties in basic skills. Chapters five and six provide the analysis of written expression and offer instructional strategies that may be used to enhance student performance in written expression. The seventh chapter offers practical ways of monitoring progress and provides informal probes. Chapter eight explores reasons why a student is reluctant to write and provides suggestions to motivate them. The final chapter presents analyses of student writing samples; some of the samples are reviewed within a diagnostic-prescriptive format and others are for independent study, to be used as assignments, or for in-class discussions.

Nancy Mather, Ph.D., is a professor at the University of Arizona in the department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and School Psychology. She specializes in assessment and reading and writing disabilities.

Barbara J. Wendling, M.A., is an educational consultant who has years of clinical experience as a general and special educator and diagnostician in public school settings.

Rhia Roberts, Ph.D., is an educational consultant specializing in assessment and learning disabilities. She trains teachers and school psychologists in districts around the country.