ODC Ready Writers 2010

1. ODC Ready Writers2010 Funded by a grant awarded from the VBCPS Educational Foundation

2. What is Ready Writers all about??? Ready Writers was designed to motivate, stimulate, and activate some reluctant writers. Sometimes a little adjustment can make a big difference!

3. Fine Motor Skills • When gifted children think, their minds go fast. Their thoughts are dynamic, their ideas are amazing. When it comes to writing them down, it takes more time, they get frustrated, they forget what they wanted to say, and they lose interest. That is very normal.

4. What can we do? • We can work on the skills so that the ideas don’t get lost. With appropriate feedback from the muscles to the brain, writing can become easier and students are happier! • -Trinity Pote, grade 2

5. What can we do? • Exercises that strengthen the upper body can help with act of writing. Sometimes before writing, students need some large motor stimulation. -Austin Fatizzi-grade 3 Cole Ross-grade 4

6. Direct instruction with cursive writing • With the assistance of occupational therapists who volunteered their time with the Ready Writers, students learned cursive skills through a program called “Loops and Groups”! • Austin Fattizzi and Cody Scott-Grade 3

7. Practice • Once skills are learned properly, the practice is important to make the skill become automatic and effortless.-Trinity Pote, Julius Colby, Jack Oliver, and Alex Ward –Grade 2

8. Keyboarding is Key! • The 21st century learner is computer savvy. Keyboarding skills are crucial for all students. However, our youngest writers still may not have the motor skills to allow keyboarding to flow easily. There are programs that can help!

9. Assistive Technology With the assistance from Assistive Technology, our students were exposed to new programs: Type to Learn Co-Writer Word Power Point

10. SENSORY FEEDBACK • Sometimes, sensory feedback sends messages to the brain more efficiently. Then the transfer to the pencil and paper mode is easier.-Julius Colby, Grade 2, Carlos Martinez, Grade 2, NaleahChisolm, Grade 5

11. Reinforcement and the “write” tools make a lot of difference!

12. Direct instruction concerning muscle tone, fine motor guidance, and the writing position is important for the skills to come together in writing.

13. Large Motor strength influences fine motor success!

14. Ready Writers Was Fun! • Individual skills were addressed. • Students worked at their own pace. • No stress involved! • Some focused more on the hand writing process. • Some were very creative! • ALL WERE AMAZING!

15. THANK YOU! • Many thanks to the Educational Foundation for the funding of materials. • Many Thanks to the volunteers! • Holly Frey • Gail Cuthbertson • Olivia Fernandes • Joanna Leone • Erin Schweitzer • Cindy Swinarsky

16. More Thanks! • Special thanks to Diane Smithson for allowing us to use the library. • In addition, thank you to volunteer staff members, Nancy Jones and Judy Hurwitz • A great big thank you to Shelly Reddick for allowing us to use her classroom and for helping us through the last few hectic weeks!

17. A Great BIG thank you too: • The Ready Writers! The students were so cooperative and eager to learn. With a group of 25 students in grades 2-5, dynamics can be challenging! Thanks for the hard work, kids! Now, it is time to sit back and listen to some of their creations! • HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER AND KEEP WRITING!