Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD

Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD ADHD School Print Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 01, 2020 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children damircudic / E+ / Getty Images Children with ADHD are five times more likely to have writing problems than are children without ADHD, regardless of gender. Among both boys and girls with ADHD who also have a reading disability, however, girls have an even higher chance of developing a written language disorder, creating even more challenges for girls in the classroom.?? The Process of Writing Involves Integration of Several Skills The process involved in expressing oneself through writing is actually a quite complex, multi-step process. It requires the integration of several skills, including planning, analyzing, and organizing thoughts; prioritizing and sequencing information; remembering and implementing correct spelling, punctuation and grammar rules; as well as fine motor coordination. As students age and move into high school and college, the expectations around writing become even more demanding. Essays and reports that require students to communicate what they know on paper figure more prominently into the curriculum. It is no wonder that writing can create such anxiety in students with ADHD. Simply starting the process and getting ideas and thoughts out of their head in an organized manner and down on paper can feel like an  uphill battle. Many students with ADHD find that they tend to take much longer than their classmates to complete work. And when they do complete their assignments, they may find that they produce less written workâ€"shorter reports, less discussion on discussion questions, and fewer sentences on each test questionâ€"as compared to their peers without ADHD. ADHD Challenges That May Lead to Writing Difficulties Why is it so tough for students with ADHD to produce well-crafted, thoughtful, carefully edited writing? Here are nine of the top reasons: Keeping ideas in mind long enough to remember what one wants to sayMaintaining focus on the train of thought so the flow of the writing does not veer off courseKeeping in mind the big picture of what you want to communicate, while manipulating the ideas, details, and wordingWith the time and frustration it can take to complete work, there is often no time (or energy) remaining to check over the details, edit assignments, and make corrections.Students with ADHD generally have problems with focus and attention to details, making it likely that they will make errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation.If a child is impulsive, he or she may also rush through schoolwork. As a result, papers are often filled with careless mistakes.The whole proofreading and editing process can be quite boring, so if a student does attempt to review work, he or she may quickly lose interest and focus.Challenges with fine motor coordination can complicate writing ability further. Many students with ADHD lab or with their fine motor coordination, resulting in slower, messier penmanship that can be very difficult to read.Simply sustaining the attention and mental energy required for writing can be a struggle for someone with ADHD. Students with ADHD can work on strategies to improve writing skills that address common learning problems that can interfere with the expression of written language. Top Strategies to Improve Writing Skills in Students With ADHD