Liberating Minds, Inspiring Wisdom: A Christian Arts-Based School for Students with Learning Differences
Teaching computer skills and tech to Sophia Academy students thanks to Unisys Cares!
This week Mr. Tom Tomer, electrical engineer with Unisys, shared exciting tech advancements and computer skills with students.
He and some of the seniors had a great time learning how to use the free computer graphics tool GIMP. The students were thrilled to see how they could place pictures of themselves in different visual settings and occupations, and improve photographs and works of art.
As a school serving the educational needs of students with learning disabilities, we often find that our students have dysgraphia, a neurological disorder of written expression
There are two main types of dygraphia: difficulty with the physical mechanics of writing and difficulty getting knowledge in the brain organized and down on paper. The first is seen more often in children, while the second in seen more often teens and adults.
Between 5-20% of students struggle with some form of dysgraphia, and we often find that those with dyslexia or ADHD are more likely to have this struggle.
Why must we pay attention to dysgraphia?
Handwriting is an important skill for success in school and beyond: if a student is unable to “show what they know,” they are condemned to failure and low self-esteem. What’s more, the act of writing often helps the brain remember, organize, and process information.
What Can Sophia Academy Do?
For students having trouble with the physical act of writing, we work with occupational therapists to determine if there is a visual-motor problem. Some of our students have been helped through eye therapy. Sometimes we help the student work around the difficulty by creating slanted notebooks for them, to help them see the board and their paper at the same time. Other accommodations, especially for those with difficulty getting knowledge onto the paper is to help them use a voice-to-text app or even scribing for them.
In every case, we find that students with dysgraphia have lots of knowledge stored in their strong brains. At Sophia Academy, we work to help them express that knowledge.