Why Is This Child Refusing to Write
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Have you worked with children who have been resistant to writing? If you work in schools the answer is probably “yes.” Sometimes those of us who are occupational therapists get referrals for children to help determine whether there is a motor issue affecting their writing participation. However, there are many factors that can influence a child’s willingness to write.
They Don't Know What to Write About
Trying to come up with content can be a big stressor for many children who may not have ideas for writing. It may mean that they require additional support through accommodations, such as different options for graphic organizers, to help them plan their thoughts. Or they may need specially designed instruction because they may have a learning disability in written expression.
They Have Issues with Handwriting
Several aspects of handwriting may be an issue for children who are resistant
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It may be a sensory thing. They may not like the feel of the pencil in their hand or the feel of their hand on the paper. I’ve worked with several students with autism and sensory issues that are very willing to write if you give them a whiteboard and whiteboard marker, but resistant when given pencil and paper.
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Hand pain or fatigue.
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Needing to recall how to make letters. For some children this does not become automatic as easily as it does for others.
Spelling is Hard for Them
Some children are also resistant to writing because of the challenges they have with spelling. They may feel anxious trying to figure out how to spell words.
Perfectionistic Tendencies or Rigidities
If children have perfectionist tendencies for any reason, such as needing to make letters a certain way, having to spell correctly on their first attempt, etc. then this may affect their performance with writing tasks.
They Have a Hard Time Staying Focused
Sometimes it's a matter of staying focused when there are moments of quiet in which children are expected to write. A child may have a lot of ideas, then get lost in their ideas and due to executive functioning issues have difficulty staying organized or initiating writing down their thoughts.
Understanding Why Can Help Determine Next Steps
Are there accommodations that may help them? Would an occupational therapy evaluation be helpful? Would an evaluation for special education services be appropriate?
Learn More By Asking Children
Children can’t always articulate the reason they don’t like writing so I developed a handwriting questionnaire to help get more information from those children. As you probably know by now, here at The Stress Detective we always like to hear from the source-the children.
You can get the questionnaire below: